Robert L. Sweezey, President

Adventist Risk Management (ARM) is committed to assist in the establishment of successful risk management programs for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. We believe risk management is a vital ministry of working together with church administrators and lay members to identify the potential hazards that can bring loss to church resources. Our corporate mission is captured in the phrase “a ministry of active stewardship.” We believe loss prevention is the key to successful stewardship; therefore, we assist our clients in becoming more aware of the risk management issues that are important to their organizations. Prudent risk management allows the church to utilize its funds to further the gospel mission.

Management Tools Needed
Stewardship requires appropriate management tools in order for the church to accomplish its mission of spreading the gospel message. Adventist Risk Management’s staff of 135 dedicated employees delivers professional risk management service to denominational facilities around the globe. With offices located in North America, Europe, and South America, ARM is positioned to respond to the risk management needs of our church on a daily basis. Established in 1936 by the General Conference, ARM manages six entities for the church (Gencon Insurance Company of Vermont; Gencon Agency, Inc.; Gencon Insurance Services, Inc.; Gencon Self-Insurance Service; Gencon Financial Services, Inc.; and more recently, UNIBRAS). These organizations cover the entire spectrum of risk management and insurance services.

Gencon Insurance Company of Vermont (GICV) stands ready to respond at the time of loss to replace church facilities destroyed by the perils of fire, indemnify individuals injured in accidents, or provide professional liability protection to the medical missionary work of the church overseas. With assets in excess of $100 million and reserves approaching $14 million, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has built a resource to serve the needs of the global community. When a loss occurs, our staff endeavors to provide timely service and attempts to treat all claims on an equitable basis. When the church needs direct access to commercial insurance markets, ARM is there to provide these services from three church-owned insurance agencies.

Global Challenges
Meeting the church’s risk management needs on a global basis can create challenges because of culture, language, legal issues, and currency fluctuation in a rapidly changing economy. GICV has entered into reinsurance agreements with major insurance carriers to provide local insurance policies in several countries in Europe, Asia, and the United Kingdom. These policies are issued in the local language, local adjusters handle claims, and the church can pay for their premiums in local currency. By using these tools, ARM is able to design quality risk management programs specifically to meet the needs of the church.

We also work closely with denominational entities that elect to self-insure a portion of their risk management programs. It has been our privilege to assist North American Division employers by saving in excess of $8 million annually through the use of “preferred provider services” for health-care expenses. Instead of these dollars being paid out to health-care providers, they can be used to help forward the gospel message.

ARM is also committed to support frontline ministries in the church. Annually we sponsor a charity golf tournament to raise funds for community-based outreach ministries. Our tournaments have raised in excess of $130,000.

Safety Awareness
We realize all accidents or losses cannot be prevented. However, we must take the time and put forth the effort to make safety awareness and education of both church and lay leaders a priority. As we plan ministry events and youth activities we must include safety as an integral part of the process.

God gave the Seventh-day Adventist Church a special structure, one that supports a “sisterhood of churches.” We must never sacrifice the special bond that keeps our “church family” together. The assets of Adventist Risk Management are resources built through cooperative efforts in making safety a priority in all aspects of ministry. We count it a privilege and responsibility to wisely manage the church’s risks. To do anything less would not allow us to achieve our mission of making risk management “a ministry of active stewardship.”