GAP Program Top 10

Ten reasons why our Group Program (GAP) is the best insurance contract you can buy:

25% additional property coverage up to $1,000,000 is included in the GAP at no cost to the parish. This provides an additional amount in the event of a catastrophe.

The GAP Rewards Program is a Loss Control Bonus that could give back as much as 15% whenever the group as a whole has a good claims year.

As a participant in the GAP you have clout! The power of large numbers through the GAP gives us clout to keep premiums low, coverages superior, and to settle claims speedily and judiciously.

The knowledge of Orthodoxy that we have as your agent/broker. Among our agents/brokers many of us are Orthodox Christians and have an understanding of the uniqueness of Orthodox Churches.

GuideOne is a specialist in insuring churches - that is all they do. We have made sure they understand the uniqueness of Orthodoxy as well.

We go to great lengths to make sure that our church clients have adequate coverage. We understand that the single biggest reason parish trustees and officers get sued is for not having placed adequate insurance coverage at the time of a loss.

We know the value of and cost to replace iconography. Mosaics and icons canvased or frescoed on walls of the church are very expensive to replace. Many agents do not understand iconography - we do.

We are Certified Risk Managers for Churches and Schools (CRMCS). Risk Management for Churches is a highly specialized discipline that most insurance agents lack. We are your advocates and advisors. We assist in helping you avoid losses especially involving child sexual abuse, clergy counseling, Directors and Officers liability, and appraising values.

In addition, GuideOne’s Center for Risk Management (www.safechurch.com) is an incomparable and essential resource to assist churches in preventing losses. Whether looking for help in instituting a child safety program, building a playground, adding a building or just need some questions answered, the Center is there to help as a value-added, free of charge, service.

Finally, not all insurance contracts are the same. There are tremendous nuances and disparities in policy language that can be the dramatic difference in a claim getting covered and paid - or not. With GuideOne, you can rely on having the broadest and finest contract language in the industry for church risks.

What Our Clients Say

In March of 2006, All Saints Orthodox Church in Olyphant, Pennsylvania, was ravaged by fire which left the interior of the church in ruins. By nothing other than the very Providence of God, just months earlier, during the summer of 2005, the trustees of All Saints Church had realized that the current property insurance on the church and All Saints Parish Center was inadequate and we needed to investigate new and better rates of insurance. It was at that time that we contacted Insurance Systems. They provided us with a new and detailed policy through Guide One which upgraded, updated, and surpassed our old coverage by millions of dollars—at a premium less than we had been paying for the outdated policy. All Saints wasted little time in procuring Insurance Systems as our new insurance agent and Guide One as our coverage provider.

Fr. David Cowan and Board

All Saints Orthodox Church Olyphant, PA

Few insurance agents could truly understand, appreciate and evaluate properly the needs of Orthodox parishes and institutions like Mike Herzak. His expertise in the field, his reliability and especially his immersion in his own parish life enabled him to offer us a complex coverage for areas of the church life and liabilities we have previously not contemplated. Our experience with the Insurance Systems could be simply described in the warmest terms I could use as a pastor.

The Very Rev. Remus Grama

Rector of St. Mary Romanian Orthodox Cathedral Cleveland, OH

We can not thank Insurance Systems enough for their work on insuring our church. Our church was quite underinsured with the last insurance company we were with. I thought we had the right insurance for our activities, but the truth of the matter was that we had not checked the insurance in a long time and we had outgrown the policy.

Reverend Jacob Myers

Rector of St. John the Wonderworker Orthodox Church Atlanta, GA

We wish to express our sincere appreciation to Insurance Systems Group for the exceptional attention they have given to our parish’s insurance needs. Recently, we suffered a major loss as a result to a flood in Wheaton, IL that engulfed the basement of our church. While the loss of material things can be replaced, it was comforting to know that the insurance we carry with ISG made it possible for us to recover and return to “normal” with a minimum amount of disruption. We offer our compliments and deepest gratitude for the assistance and guidance Insurance Systems offered us and for ensuring that we had the appropriate insurance coverage to meet our unique needs.

The Very Rev. John Matusiak

Rector of St. Joseph Orthodox Church Wheaton, IL

As rector of Archangel Michael Parish in Broadview Heights, Ohio, I have appreciated the expertise, commitment and prompt service we have consistently received from Insurance Systems Agency, Inc. Michael G. Herzak’s agency continues to provide updated coverage based on his unique insight into all insurable assets within the Orthodox Church. His ability to discern the intrinsic value of such properties as iconography, ecclesiastical wares and vestments has been key to the complete and quality coverage we possess.

The Very Rev. John Memorich

Rector of Archangel Michael Church Broadview Hts. OH

I am pleased to say that the Diocese of the Midwest, currently insured through Insurance Systems Agency, Inc. located in Cleveland, has been able to rest assured that all insurance related matters are addressed. Michael Herzak, who has always demonstrated his love and concern for the well-being of the Diocese, has taken a hands-on personal approach to details, making sure all properties and liabilities are covered. We know we have the experience of a seasoned professional as well as a knowledgeable Orthodox Christian.

The Most Reverend Job (of Blessed Memory)

Former Archbishop of Chicago and the Diocese of the Midwest Chicago, IL