GuideStone Transitions to Independent Agency Model to Expand Property and Casualty Solutions for Texas Churches

GuideStone has transitioned its property and casualty insurance operations to an independent agency model, known as GuideStone Agency Services, to provide greater flexibility for Texas-based churches and ministries. This strategic shift allows the organization to partner with multiple insurance carriers, addressing the increasingly complex risk landscape and coverage needs within the religious sector. The expansion is particularly significant for the property insurance market as it introduces more competitive coverage structures for specialized risks like property damage and liability in a challenging environment.

GuideStone Agency Services, operated by GuideStone, has moved away from its previous structure to adopt an independent agency model after nearly 20 years of providing risk management support to religious organizations. This transition enables the agency to evaluate property and casualty coverage across a broader spectrum of carriers rather than being limited to a single provider. Matt Cardwell, a 30-year GuideStone veteran serving as managing director of the agency, emphasized that this multi-carrier approach allows the organization to better match specific policies to the actual needs of churches, particularly as the program begins its initial rollout in Texas before expanding to other states with high church concentrations.

The move comes at a time when church leaders are facing a volatile insurance market where premiums and policy terms have become significantly more complex than in previous years. GuideStone leadership, including Chief Growth Officer David Puckett, noted that the consultative approach is intended to help ministries look beyond premium costs to understand how policy structures affect long-term financial health. The agency warns that focusing solely on price can lead to accepting provisions that reduce financial protection, such as liability structures that lack prior acts protection for misconduct allegations or policies where defense costs are included within the liability limit, thereby depleting funds available for claim resolutions.

On the property side, the new model addresses specific industry challenges such as managed repair provisions, where insurers control the scope and pricing of repairs, often leading to settlements below replacement expectations. The agency also highlighted the risks associated with roof coverage, which may be subject to separate sublimits and higher deductibles that cap recovery significantly below a building's total insured value. By leveraging an independent model, GuideStone aims to provide clarity on these technical provisions, ensuring that Texas churches can align their insurance solutions with their specific risk tolerance and ministry requirements while planning for future financial stability.