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You can review all FAQs or filter by area. If you can’t find what you are looking for please submit your question to us or call the church department on 01274 700 700.

How do I make a claim?

For more details on how to make a claim, please visit the making a claim section of this site.

You may have been provided with a telephone number to report a claim from your broker or intermediary. If this is the case, you should use this in the first instance for claim notification. Alternatively call the claims department on 01274 700 700 (9am - 5pm Monday to Friday).

Who should I contact out of hours if I need assistance?

Your claim can only be reported to us during office hours. 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday.

However, if necessary, arrange for temporary emergency repairs to be made to stop any damage getting worse. Keep all receipts, as this will form part of your claim.

Do not throw away damaged items, unless they are a danger to health, as these may be able to be repaired or restored.

You cannot report a claim outside office hours but if you need assistance, you may wish to call one of the helplines shown below. These are free and confidential services offering help and advice to policyholders. They help with a wide range of events and emergencies such as building damage, burst pipes, a blocked drain or a broken window. These services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Manse Assistance call: 0800 1388 112
Manse Glass Replacement call: 0800 1388 113
Church & Business Assistance call: 0800 1388 114
Church & Business Glass Replacement call: 0800 1388 116
For more information click here

In the event of a major fire occuring to your church outside office hours you may contact 0800 1388 114 where immediate guidance can be provided.

Visit the making a claim section of this site for more guidance.

What is an excess?

An excess is the first part of any claim that the policyholder has to pay.

The standard church choice policy excess is nil. But you may have a voluntary excess and/or a compulsory excess applied. Details of your excess can be found on your policy schedule.

The standard manse choice policy excess is nil except for insured event 15 - subsidence where a standard excess of £1,000 applies.

Any excesses that apply will be advised to Congregational policyholders in writing. Premium discounts may be available where you accept higher excesses.

How do I pay the excess?

If you have an excess, we will deduct the amount of the excess from the claim payment.

If you have engaged a contractor or supplier, this means you will fund the amount of the excess. If we have appointed a specialist supplier to assist with repair or restoration, they may collect the excess on our behalf.

Does my claim affect my no claims discount?

For each and every claim made under ANY section of your policy, your no claims discount will be affected.

What does a specialist supplier do?

Our specialist suppliers provide a range of inspection services. They will advise as to whether your damaged item can be repaired and will undertake that repair for you. If the damaged item cannot be repaired and they are satisfied the damage has been caused by an insured event, they will recommend settlement of your claim based on the cost of replacing the item on a new for old basis.

What is a loss adjuster?

A loss adjuster is an independent claim specialist who investigates whether your claim is covered by the policy, assesses the loss or damage and manages the claim on our behalf.

How long will my claim take?

Our aim is to respond to claims within five working days. The overall time taken to settle a claim will depend on a number of factors, but we aim to deal with your claim without any unnecessary delays.

Should I contact Congregational or my broker / intermediary to make a claim?

You may have been provided with a telephone number to report a claim from your broker or intermediary. If this is the case, you should use this in the first instance for claims notification. Alternatively you can contact our claims department on 01274 700 700 (9am - 5pm Monday to Friday).

How is my claim paid?

Depending on the circumstances, we will either make a cheque payment directly to the church, a third party on your request or our specialist supplier if they have undertaken any repairs.

Any excess will be deducted from the claim payment.

What do I do if my premises can no longer be used due to the damage?

All reasonable costs for alternative accommodation will be considered in accordance with your policy as part of a valid claim.

What do I do if I disagree with the settlement figure or claims decision?

In the first instance, please contact our claims department on 01274 700 700 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm to discuss. If you still remain dissatisfied, please refer to our complaints procedure in your policy wording or click here.

Do you only insure Congregational churches?

No, we are specialists in insuring almost all places of worship.

What is a Long Term Undertaking (LTU)?

A long-term undertaking (LTU) is an agreement between a church and an insurer to commit to renewing an insurance policy for a set number of years (typically five) on the basis of the same rate and premium discount.

Does the loss of no claims discount affect the Long Term Undertaking (LTU)?

No, because the actual rate applied to the policy will have remained unchanged and so the LTU is completely unaffected.

How can I renew my policy?

Approximately 4 weeks before your policy expires, we'll send your renewal documents to your broker (if you have one) or directly to you by post. They will give details of how to renew and how much your annual premium will be.

If you pay your premium by direct debit, we will automatically renew your policy. We will notify you of our intention to do this before your policy expires and give you details of the renewal terms, including any changes to policy cover. If you do not wish to renew your policy, you should tell us before the date. If you don't tell us and your policy is renewed, we'll continue to make deductions from your bank account for the new premium.

What must I do if my circumstances change during the period of insurance?

You must tell us of any changes to the information you gave to us when you applied for the existing policy, including the sums insured. We will review this information and may need to reassess your premium. If you do not advise us of changes, this may result in the wrong terms being quoted and could affect any future claim you wish to make.

How do I complain?

You may make a complaint by phone, email or in writing:

Policy complaints:
Tel: 01274 700 700 or email: church@congregational.co.uk

Claims complaints:
Tel: 01274 700 700 or email: claims@congregational.co.uk

All other complaints:
Tel: 01274 700 700 or email: info@congregational.co.uk

Or write to:
Congregational complaints, Integra Insurance Solutions Ltd., Currer House, Currer Street, Bradford BD1 5BA.

Visit our complaints page for more information

What type of insurance do Congregational offer?

We offer specialist insurance for almost all places of worship. It provides insurance for your property and liabilities, including a wide range of outreach activities. 

We can also offer insurance for manses, presbyteries and rectories owned by churches as well as businesses.

Should I contact my broker or Congregational?

If you are insured via an insurance broker or intermediary, you should contact them in the first instance.

However, you can contact Congregational if you prefer on 01274 700 700 (our offices are open 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday).

Can I pay my premium in instalments?

You can pay your insurance by direct debit.

To pay by instalments, a service charge of 6% (APR 11.4%) is added to the annual premium and divided into 12 monthly instalments.

To pay your premium by instalments, please contact the church department on 01274 700 700.

Where can I find my policy number?

Your policy number will appear on your schedule.

If you cannot find your documents, contact your broker, intermediary or the church department on 01274 700 700 (our offices are open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday).

When will I receive my renewal documents?

Approximately 4 weeks before your policy expires, we'll send your renewal documents to your broker (if you have one) or directly to you by post. The documents will give details of how to renew and how much your annual premium will be.

Do I need to tell you about church activities / events?

Your church choice policy will cover you for normal church activities such as meetings and services, community work and youth groups.

If your church organises an event or undertakes unusual activities, you must ensure we are fully aware of what you are doing. The policyholder must provide full details to the insurance company and failure to engage with your insurance company or broker may render your cover invalid.

For information and guidance to consider when planning and undertaking activities or outreach, please visit our safer places of worship website: http://www.spow.co.uk/church-activities-outreach/index.php

What if the details on my policy schedule are incorrect?

Please let your broker or the church underwriting department know as soon as possible and a revised schedule will be issued to you.

How do I cancel my policy?

You can cancel your policy within 14 days from the day of purchase or renewal of the contract or the day on which you receive your policy or renewal documentation, whichever is later.

If you wish to cancel and the insurance cover has not yet commenced, you will be entitled to a full refund of the premium paid. Alternatively, if you wish to cancel and the insurance cover has already commenced, you will be entitled to a refund of the premium paid, less a proportionate deduction for the time we have provided cover.

You cancel the policy by contacting your broker or the church department on 01274 700 700 (our offices are open 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday).

What is Insurance Premium Tax (IPT)?

Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) is a tax on general insurance premiums.

From the 1 June 2017 this increased to 12%.

Who underwrites my policy?

Congregational is a trading name of Integra Insurance Solutions Ltd.

Policies are underwritten by:
HDI Global Specialty SE UK Branch
Branch Office: 10 Fenchurch Street, London EC3M 3BE

HDI Global Specialty SE is registered in Germany, registration number HRB 211924.
Registered Office: Roderbruchstraße 26, 30655 Hannover, Germany.

Authorised by the Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht and authorised and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority. Financial Services Register No. 659331.

Details about the extent of our authorisation and regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority are available on request.

Policies are administered by:
Integra Insurance Solutions Ltd.
Registered Office: Currer House, Currer Street, Bradford BD1 5BA
Registered in England and Wales Registered Number 06760260.
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Financial Services Register No. 495111.

All communications including policy information, complaints and claim notifications should be referred to Integra.

What is index-linking?

Index-linking ensures that the sum you insure your building or property for is updated every year to reflect economic variations - giving you the reassurance of knowing your insurance value is going up in line with inflation.

I have received a notice to policyholder with my renewal - what is this?

This notice highlights the changes to your policy terms since your last renewal date. It also advises what the impact of the change is.

Can’t find what you are looking for?

Please submit your question to us or call the church department on 01274 700 700