4 /5 John McMillan McCain Sr: My name is John McCain, and I contacted you folks sometime before April 1st for a quote on my church, Bethel Park United Methodist, in Denmark, SC. I talked with Brad and he was most helpful, telling me he had some 30 companies he could contact about writing our coverage. Let me mention, as I know he has this in his file, our church sustained an arson caused fire on Nov
9, 2024. To date, S.L.E.D., the S.C. Law Enforcement Dept, has not been able to find the suspect(s). SERVPRO has done and outstanding job of restoration to the tune of approx. $2.6 mil. Brad was very prompt in letting me know he could not find a market. I had also contacted my old agency here in Denmark, and another agency in Anderson, SC, which specializes in church insurance. Brad was the only agent to let me know conclusively that he had no market. The Anderson agent was very positive he could find coverage, and when he got down to one company, he was optimistic then, but that was the last I heard from him...not good service! Regarding, my old agency, which I have been out of 12 years, they never called to tell me they had not been able do so either.
So, at that time, I got to working on the parsonage coverage. I hated the fact that two agents, who knew my predicament, did not bother to contact me, AS SOON AS THEY KNEW THEY HAD NO MARKET. So, there I am with no coverage on anything. I did not contact you folks on the parsonage, but did on the agent in Anderson, and my old agency. I, and they, thought covering the parsonage would be slam dunk, as it was now used as a church office and meeting facility. Weeks went by and no word from either of them. Actually, I left word for the agent in Anderson to call me about insuring the parsonage. He texted me back that he was in a meeting and would call the next day...he never did. My former partners son at my old agency, never did call me back that he could not find coverage. I had sat down with him to complete the application on the parsonage, and left feeling positive that he could place the coverage. After 8 weeks I called him regarding the pay plan I wanted on the parsonage package. His response was " what policy?" My bad for not contacting you too, but I was peeved that I had written Brad, your Brad, to request he write me a letter mentioning that he had many church insurers, and that he had been unable to find us coverage. I asked him to please mail me the letter, so I would be sure to get it because with email it likely may have gone into Trash. I never received anything from him.
So, here is where I am at...my church is looking to me to keep our church insured. As a former CPCU, I feel a special obligation. Only Brad let me know promptly that he could not find coverage. I hereby request your office write me a letter explaining that you have many companies, site the various reasons why the market is so unresponsive, and anything else you wish to say. With your broad market base, I need that to show my church that I have used due diligence to try and find coverage. And, in your application on the church should be all the info. on the parsonage. Please see if you have a market on a building used as a church office, and as soon as you know, please let me know.
Thank you, John M McCain
