Diocese
appoints insurance advisor
by Ana
Watts
 Jarvis de
Condé, an
insurance professional with intimate knowledge of the insurance
history, plans and needs of churches in this region, was appointed
diocesan insurance advisor on April 1. The bulk of his year-to-year
contract cost will be covered by the diocese's insurance brokers, Marsh
Canada. The diocese will cover the remaining cost through the premium
financing program already in place with the parishes.
"As
responsible stewards, we must adequately and appropriately insure our
property and be prepared to cover liabilities," says Bishop Claude
Miller. "The knowledge that we are adequately insured better enables us
to focus on mission and ministry, but essential and expensive premiums
can be a distraction as well as a financial hardship. Mr. de Conde will
help us all get the coverage we need at the very best price possible.
Working with the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island over
the past eight years, he has established systems and resources that
will be of great benefit to us."
In recent
years, rising insurance costs have taken a toll in many parishes.
Sometimes, in an effort to save money, insurance decisions have been
made that actually cost parishes money.
"Managing
risks is as important as managing premium costs," says Canon Fred
Scott, diocesan treasurer. "We need to manage the insurance issue
rather than have it manage us. Up to now the only leverage we had was
in negotiating group rates. We need to manage insurance from a consumer
perspective and Mr. de Condé can help us do that. As a retired
Marsh
Canada broker and the author of Marsh's Maritime Anglican Program (on
which we base our group, property and liability insurance), he brings
tremendous industry insight and experience to the position."
One of Mr. de Condé's first tasks will be
to
analyze certificates of coverage for the 56 individual parishes that
participate in the diocesan group insurance plan. In this way he will
ensure their evaluations, coverages and documents are all in order. He
will also assist the diocese in efforts to ensure that the 24 parishes
that do not participate in the group plan are complying with the
recently developed mandatory minimum insurance standards adopted by the
diocese.
"Many
parishes are unaware of the risks to which they are exposed," says
Canon Scott. "For example, I'm willing to guess that a lot of our
parishes that heat with oil don't have third-party pollution insurance
protection."
It is also
part of Mr. de Condé's mandate to help encourage
non-participating
parishes to join the group insurance program.
"The more
parishes participate in the program, the more financially advantageous
it is for each parish, says Bishop Miller. "A motion at synod last year
even called us to consider the feasibility of mandatory participation.
All parishes in the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island
participate in their diocesan program."
That
difference in the dioceses doesn't bother Mr. de Conde. "I work with
parishes individually to review their insurance and help them in the
stewardship of their assets and liabilities. I work on their behalf and
in their best interests."
In some
ways he is Marsh Canada's worst nightmare, in others he is a
dream-come-true.
"I have 45
years of insurance experience, much of it with Marsh Canada, so I know
how the company operates. Marsh is happy to financially suport my
appointment because I will institute practices that will save them time
and effort, which translates into money.
"One of
the first things I will do is create and maintain a data base including
all the insurance information necessary for each parish. That way, when
there is a claim and the insurance company needs that information, it
will be up-to-date and immediately available, someone in the parish
won'ft have to search through all the records. In the end, I may well
save Marsh even more money than they return to the synod office and
parishes in reduced premiums."
Mr. de
Condé can also boast a direct line to Ecclesiastical Insurance,
the
not-for-profit insurer that underwrites the diocesan group program. It
was formed 150 years ago by the Church of England and is owned by The
Church Trust.
"My heart
really lies in the non-profit sector because I feel it is often
over-charged and under-serviced. I want parishes in the Diocese of
Fredericton to get to know me, trust me, and understand that I am their
first call when it comes to insurance, whether they want to ask a
simple question or are in the midst of a crisis."
Mr. de
Condé works out of an office in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia and
can be
reached toll-free by phone at 1-866/727-8855; by fax at 902/758-2307;
or by e-mail at conde at rushcomm.ca.
Diocesan
Communications
04 April
2006
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