Brotherhood Mutual business insurance

Overview

Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company insures churches and related Christian ministries and nothing else. Its tagline is "Insuring America's churches and related ministries." Based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, it has served ministries since 1917. In 2025 it insured more than 67,000 of them, from congregations to Christian schools, colleges and universities, camps and mission organizations, through more than 124,000 policies.

Brotherhood Mutual was ranked No. 83 among U.S. business insurers by 2025 commercial lines direct premiums written, with $918.8 million, based on NAIC market share data. It has no line in the national top 10, but its book is unusually concentrated. Commercial multiple peril, the package policy that combines a ministry's property and liability coverage, accounted for $823.7 million. Workers' compensation added $72.0 million and boiler and machinery $23.1 million. Its nearest competitors in the church market are Church Mutual and GuideOne Insurance.

The structure changed in 2024. Effective July 1, 2024, Brotherhood Mutual converted from a mutual into a stock insurer indirectly owned by a newly formed mutual holding company. Its policyholders became the members of that holding company, with one vote each. The company sells through independent agencies that specialize in ministry insurance, about 70 of them in 2025. Its payroll and HR affiliate, Brotherhood Works, serves thousands of ministries. Mark A. Robison, a CPA and CPCU, is chairman and president.

The fact a buyer needs to know up front is the rating. AM Best downgraded Brotherhood Mutual to B++ (Good) in April 2024 and affirmed that grade in July 2026 with a stable outlook. Kroll Bond Rating Agency rates it A-.

History

Brotherhood Mutual began in 1917. Its founding verse is Galatians 6:2, "Bear one another's burdens." Over the following century it grew from a church-focused mutual into a national specialist in ministry property and liability, operating in most states. In 2012 it started MinistryWorks, a payroll and HR subsidiary. In 2025 it launched Brotherhood Works, which now offers payroll and HR services alongside employee benefits (health, dental, vision, accident, life and disability), background screening and training. In 2025 it processed payroll for nearly 8,000 ministries, more than $2 billion of gross payroll.

The last decade has been hard on the balance sheet. In January 2019 AM Best cut Brotherhood Mutual's financial strength rating from A to A- (Excellent). It cited weaker risk-adjusted capital and less stable loss reserves after the company strengthened reserves across its core lines in 2017 and 2018. In early 2021 AM Best moved the outlook to negative after significant adverse reserve development in 2020. In April 2024 it downgraded the rating to B++ (Good) and the issuer credit rating from "a-" to "bbb+". AM Best pointed to erosion of surplus, driven mainly by deteriorating underwriting results from weather-related property losses, plus higher leverage and reserve volatility. Management responded with wind and hail deductibles in coastal areas, rate increases, more reinsurance (including a quota share) and tighter underwriting guidelines.

The mutual holding company conversion followed. The board and the Indiana Department of Insurance approved the plan in 2023, policyholders approved it at the February 2024 annual meeting, and it took effect July 1, 2024. The company said the change did not affect agents, coverages or rates. It said the new structure opens more options for growth and for access to outside resources (see mutual vs stock insurance companies: what the difference means for you).

Business insurance products

The core product is a ministry property and liability package:

• Property. Basic, broad or special causes-of-loss forms. Options include earthquake, flood, sewer backup and subsurface water, equipment breakdown, ordinance or law, computer coverage, alternative energy equipment, drones and ministry personnel dishonesty.
• Ministry Continuation Coverage. Pays actual loss of earnings, donations and expenses while a damaged building is restored. A Diminishing Deductible lowers the deductible on a future claim after two claim-free years.
• Liability. General liability with medical payments, products and completed works, and fire legal liability. Ministry options include Sexual Acts Liability (see abuse and molestation liability coverage), Ministry Counseling Liability, Religious Freedom Protection, Membership and Supervision-Related Emotional Injury, Security Operations Liability, and Traumatic Incident Response.
• Management and cyber. Directors and officers liability (see D&O insurance for nonprofit boards), Broad Scope Cyber and Media Liability, and Legal Liability Defense Reimbursement.

Separately it writes commercial auto for ministry vehicles, workers' compensation, accident insurance, and Mission Protection, worldwide coverage for organizations and their travelers. Faith Ventures, offered with Fly For Good, Inc., protected more than 70,000 mission travelers in 2025. Brotherhood Mutual notes that not all coverages are available in every state.

Who it insures

Christian ministries only: Church insurance, schools (Private school insurance), colleges and universities, camps and mission organizations. A secular nonprofit or a for-profit business is outside its appetite. As of July 2024 it operated in 47 states and the District of Columbia. AM Best noted in 2019 that roughly 60% of its loss exposures were property-related, which makes weather the main driver of results. In 2025 it handled losses for more than 8,500 ministries.

How to buy

Through an independent agent that specializes in ministry insurance. Brotherhood Mutual worked with about 70 such agencies in 2025, down from 93 agencies with 424 agents in mid-2024. Ministries can also start with an online quote request form on its website and pick the products they want. Existing customers use My Account to pay bills and report claims, and customer service takes calls and text messages.

Before you choose it, check the documents that govern your ministry. Leases, loan covenants and facility-use or service contracts often require an insurer rated A- or better by AM Best, and Brotherhood Mutual's B++ may not meet that standard (see how to review the insurance requirements in a contract).

Claims

Report property, liability and auto claims through My Account or the claims line, 800-333-3371, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern. After hours, emergency claims go to 800-933-1849. For flood, fire or smoke cleanup, Brotherhood Mutual refers ministries to ServiceMaster Restore at 800-737-7763; auto glass goes to Safelite. Workers' comp injuries are reported on the state's first notice of injury form, by email or fax to 800-284-9579. Mission travel emergencies go to Faith Ventures at 888-674-4074.

Financial strength and ratings

AM Best affirmed Brotherhood Mutual's B++ (Good) financial strength rating and "bbb+" issuer credit rating on July 8, 2026, and moved the issuer rating's outlook from negative to stable. AM Best called the balance sheet strong and operating performance adequate. It credited very strong risk-adjusted capital, favorable underwriting results and investment income, while noting leverage remains elevated and reserve development has been volatile over five years. KBRA affirmed its A- insurance financial strength rating and BBB surplus notes rating with stable outlooks in its 2026 surveillance review. B++ is a "secure" grade on AM Best's scale but sits below the A- many contracts require (AM Best ratings explained for business buyers).

Results have improved. In 2025 Brotherhood Mutual reported:

• Direct written premium of $994 million, up from $644 million in 2021
• Premiums earned of $768.2 million and a net underwriting gain of $14.9 million
• Net income of $52.1 million
• Policyholder surplus of $450 million, up from $383 million in 2024 and $307 million in 2023
• Admitted assets of $1.40 billion

Strengths and weaknesses

Brotherhood Mutual knows ministry risk as well as anyone, with coverage built for church exposures and agents who sell nothing but ministry insurance. Its weak spot is a rating that took several years of capital strain to fall and will take time to restore.

• Strengths: Ministry-specific coverages such as Sexual Acts Liability, Ministry Counseling Liability, Religious Freedom Protection and Ministry Continuation. Payroll, benefits and screening through Brotherhood Works. Specialized agency force and national reach in 47 states plus D.C. Rebuilding capital: surplus up about 47% from 2023 to 2025, with the issuer rating outlook back to stable in July 2026.
• Weaknesses: AM Best B++ since April 2024, after downgrades in 2019 and 2024, which can fail contract or lender requirements for an A- carrier. A property-heavy book exposed to weather losses, with reserve volatility AM Best keeps flagging. Narrow appetite: Christian ministries only. A smaller agency network (about 70 agencies) than generalist carriers.

How to contact Brotherhood Mutual