How to provide optimum protection for major events such as the Protestant Church Congress

In this interview, Lutz Dettmer, Head of the Church Business Division and member of Ecclesia's Executive Board, talks about risk consulting and minimizing risks at the Kirchentag as well as specific claims that have already been successfully handled. He explains the general challenges involved in risk management for church events and which risks and potential loss events can be insured against.
Good to know: The traditional and innovative group of companies headquartered in Detmold in East Westphalia-Lippe also offers typical church insurance concepts for real estate as well as supplementary special products.

Mr. Dettmer, what does it mean for Ecclesia to provide insurance cover for the Protestant Kirchentag?

Lutz Dettmer: For us, supporting the Evangelischer Kirchentag is a special responsibility and a special opportunity to demonstrate our expertise in insuring major events. It is important to us to make a contribution to security and thus to the smooth running of this important event. Thanks to our insurance solutions and close cooperation with the organizer, we can minimize potential risks and guarantee optimum cover. 

What specific insurance solutions does the Ecclesia Group offer as an insurance broker for the Kirchentag and similar events?

We offer a wide range of insurance solutions that are tailored to the respective event profile. These include, in particular, liability insurance to protect the organizers against third-party claims, as well as accident insurance for participants and helpers. We also offer property insurance to cover damage to rented or owned movables/property belonging to the organizers, as well as special insurance for event cancellation.

What special challenges are there to consider when it comes to risk management and safeguarding church events, and how do you and your colleagues deal with them?

When it comes to risk management for church events, it is necessary to identify and assess the diverse and often complex risks. For example, we recommend that borrowed items such as grandstands, vehicles and forklift trucks are insured by the lenders. If, for example, schools, exhibition centers or open spaces are rented, we consider it advisable to carry out a joint inspection with the rental companies before the event in order to record any existing damage and to keep a record of this damage. This joint inspection is then repeated after the event. After a risk analysis has been carried out, a tailor-made insurance concept is then put together.

Are there insurance packages or services that you offer church organizations in general and specifically for their events to ensure their safety and reliable planning?

The first step is to clarify which insurances are already mandatory. In all dioceses and regional churches, for example, there are collective liability insurance policies through which the congregational church sector is compulsorily insured. As a rule, events such as trips and camps also fall under the insured range of activities. In these cases, it is only a matter of placing supplementary insurance solutions.  

Can you give an example of how your insurance solutions have helped to prevent or solve problems at church events in the past?

It's the odd cases that stick in the memory. For example, I remember a whole series of mobile toilets that were inadvertently connected not to the sewer but to the manhole of the telephone lines. The capacity of this manhole was limited and the resulting damage was clearly noticeable at some point.