ELCA endorses Church Mutual Insurance Company

by Frank Imhoff, ELCA News Service

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Office of the
Secretary, in consultation with the ELCA Office of the Treasurer,
announced online April 10 that the ELCA-Endorsed Property and
Liability Insurance Program for Congregations and Synods is
underwritten through Church Mutual Insurance Company, Merrill,
Wis., and brokered by Hilb Rogal & Hobbs (HRH), Glen Allen, Va.,
the eighth largest insurance intermediary in the United States.

Except for life and health insurance, the ELCA Office of the
Secretary provides and manages insurance programs for the
churchwide organization and makes insurance programs available to
congregations and other institutions related to the church. In
the announcement, David D. Swartling, ELCA secretary, said the
ELCA is taking advantage of Church Mutual's more than 111 years
of experience "in the religious marketplace," insuring more than
97,000 religious organizations -- more than twice as many as any
other insurance company.

Church Mutual insures the ELCA churchwide organization, many of
the church's regional and synod offices, and approximately 3,300
of the ELCA's 10,470 congregations. "We welcome the opportunity
to broaden our relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America," said Gerald Whitburn, Church Mutual's chairman,
president and CEO. "As a mutual insurance company, we are
dedicated to serving our customers -- who are our owners -- and
we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship
with the ELCA in this program."