Market Intelligence Center

Where the Church Insurance Market Actually Stands


Publicly sourced, dated information on the carriers writing church business: AM Best financial strength ratings, rating actions, and news coverage with sources named. No commentary. You're a steward; the data belongs in your hands. You decide what to do with it and when.

Last reviewed July 18, 2026 · every rating verified against current AM Best disclosures

A carrier's inclusion on this page implies nothing about it, good or bad. Every fact below is sourced and dated; verify any rating directly with AM Best before acting on it.

Reading an AM Best Rating

AM Best is the independent agency that grades insurance carriers on financial strength, their ability to pay claims.

Every carrier below shows two facts: the rating, which is the current grade, and the outlook, which is the direction AM Best expects next. Read both.

A++ / A+
Superior
A / A-
Excellent
B++ / B+
Good
B and below
Fair to Vulnerable

Church-Dedicated Specialty Carriers

Carriers whose book is primarily religious organizations.

Church Mutual

Founded 1897 · Merrill, Wisconsin

AOutlook: Negative

Rating affirmed April 28, 2026. AM Best cites continued pressure on balance sheet strength from materially unfavorable loss reserve development in recent years. At its 2026 policyholder meeting the company reported 2025 surplus of $805.5M, up $91.1M, on a 99% combined ratio.

Sources: AM Best disclosure, Apr 28, 2026 · 2025 results, May 21, 2026

GuideOne / The Mutual Group

Founded 1947 · West Des Moines, Iowa

A-Outlook: Negative

Rating affirmed March 6, 2026, with a Negative outlook tied to a historical trend of adverse reserve development. Operations were restructured under The Mutual Group platform following the December 2023 Bain Capital transaction, with the majority of proceeds contributed to the insurance companies.

Sources: AM Best disclosure, Mar 6, 2026 · AM Best, Mar 12, 2025

Brotherhood Mutual

Founded 1917 · Fort Wayne, Indiana

B++Outlook: Stable

Downgraded from A- to B++ in April 2024. On July 7, 2026, AM Best revised the outlook from Negative back to Stable, citing restored risk-adjusted capitalization, rate increases, and tightened underwriting. The rating itself remains B++.

Sources: AM Best, Jul 7, 2026 · Insurance Journal, Jul 8, 2026

Southern Mutual Church Insurance

Founded 1928 · Columbia, South Carolina

N/RAM Best Rating Withdrawn

AM Best ratings withdrawn October 16, 2024 at the company's request, following downgrades to B++ tied to a material surplus decline and weather losses. The company now markets on a Demotech rating of A (Exceptional), assigned after an April 2025 Demotech downgrade and affirmed June 24, 2026. Demotech and AM Best use different scales; they are not comparable grades.

Sources: AM Best, Oct 16, 2024 · Demotech, Jun 24, 2026

Program Managers on Commercial Paper

Church programs administered by a manager, with policies backed by a large commercial carrier.

Glatfelter Ministry Care

Program manager · policies on AIG paper

AAIG · Outlook: Positive

Policies are backed by AIG's property/casualty subsidiaries, not the program manager. AM Best revised AIG's outlook from Stable to Positive on November 20, 2025, citing strongest-level risk-adjusted capitalization and improved underwriting.

Source: AM Best, Nov 20, 2025

Major Commercial Carriers Writing Church Business

Nine carriers below hold ratings of A or better with Stable outlooks, verified against their most recent AM Best actions.

USLI

Berkshire Hathaway

A++Outlook: Stable

Affirmed August 22, 2025.

Source: AM Best disclosure

Philadelphia Insurance (PHLY)

Tokio Marine Group

A++Outlook: Stable

Affirmed October 23, 2025, after AM Best reviewed the June 2025 network security incident and held ratings unchanged.

Source: AM Best, Oct 23, 2025

Chubb

Chubb Limited

A++Outlook: Stable

Affirmed January 16, 2026, citing the strongest level of balance sheet strength.

Source: AM Best, Jan 16, 2026

Great American

American Financial Group

A+Outlook: Stable

Affirmed December 11, 2025. Writes religious organizations through its Specialty Human Services division.

Source: AM Best disclosure

The Hartford

Hartford Financial Services Group

A+Outlook: Stable

Long-term issuer credit ratings upgraded July 3, 2025; financial strength rating A+ affirmed the same day.

Source: AM Best, Jul 3, 2025

Nationwide

Nationwide Mutual

AOutlook: Stable

Affirmed November 7, 2025.

Source: AM Best disclosure

The Hanover

Hanover Insurance Group

AOutlook: Stable

Affirmed July 31, 2025.

Source: AM Best, Jul 31, 2025

Liberty Mutual

Liberty Mutual Group

AOutlook: Stable

Affirmed September 10, 2025.

Source: AM Best disclosure

AmTrust Financial

AmTrust Group

A-Outlook: Stable

Affirmed October 10, 2025. AM Best notes surplus growth lagging premium growth as a watch item.

Source: AM Best disclosure

Recent Developments

Dated, sourced, in their own words.

July 7, 2026

AM Best revises Brotherhood Mutual's outlook from Negative to Stable, the first material positive rating action among the church specialists since the distress cycle began. The rating remains B++.

Insurance Journal

May 18, 2026

Insurance Journal publishes "The Church Insurance Exodus": churches renewing in 2026 report 12% to 30% rate increases alongside coverage reductions, with specialized carriers shrinking appetite, non-renewing catastrophe-prone regions, and sub-limiting sexual misconduct liability.

Insurance Journal

April 28, 2026

AM Best affirms Church Mutual at A with a Negative outlook, citing continued balance sheet pressure from unfavorable loss reserve development. Weeks later the company reports rebuilt surplus of $805.5M and a 99% combined ratio for 2025.

InsuranceNewsNet

March 6, 2026

AM Best affirms GuideOne at A- and keeps the outlook Negative on a historical trend of adverse reserve development.

AM Best disclosure

November 20, 2025

AM Best revises AIG's outlook to Positive across its core property/casualty subsidiaries, the paper behind the Glatfelter Ministry Care program.

Business Wire

Why the Specialists Are Under Pressure

The forces behind the rating actions, common to every account of the market.

Concentrated risk: a book built entirely of churches has no other lines to absorb a bad year. Reinsurance costs have risen sharply and carriers pass them through. Severe weather losses, hail and wind especially, hit steeples, sanctuaries, and large flat roofs hard. Rebuild costs for older, architecturally distinctive buildings have outrun standard valuations. Claims severity, including liability claims, keeps climbing.

None of this means every carrier is in trouble. It means the pressure is landing unevenly, which is exactly why the ratings above are worth reading carrier by carrier.

About This Page

This page compiles publicly available information: AM Best rating disclosures, press releases, and named news coverage, each linked at its citation. Inclusion of a carrier does not imply wrongdoing, endorsement, or criticism. Ratings and outlooks change; verify any rating directly with AM Best at ambest.com before making decisions. Ratings reflect an agency's opinion of financial strength and are not a guarantee of performance.

Crex Insurance Agency is an independent agency. We compile this information for church leaders as stewards of their congregations' resources. What to do with it, and when, is your decision.

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