Protecting Your Stained Glass Asset

With the recent national disasters and vandalism against churches we are wanting to raise some awareness on how to protect your church in a case of catastrophic loss.

Most church members are aware of the emotional attachment  to their stained glass windows.  Members often pass on stories and memories related to the stained glass.  Some remember its gleaming light the day they got married or the inspiration they got from its scene.  However, few realize that for many churches, the stained glass is the churches largest material asset as well as part of there heritage.

Many churches like individuals rely on their insurance agent to guide them on their coverage’s.  On several occasions we have found this approach to be devastating.  After a catastrophe event, we have assisted in the repair and are often met with complaints about the coverage that was in place.

Nothing is more disheartening than to see a church who has suffered a loss and then find out their coverage is inadequate.

We offer and recommend a comprehensive appraisal by a qualified stained glass studio. Many studios or consultants charge a nominal fee for this service and it is worth it. Associated Crafts(www.restoreglass.com) generally will provide this service for free with assistance of the church. 

Once the appraisal is complete, you should review your coverage with your insurance provider to verify the windows are covered properly.

We also recommend that the church does a simple documentation of your stained glass.  Photograph each window with an overall photo and then close ups of each section to reveal detail.  It is also important to measure the window opening generally rounding off to the nearest ½ foot.  In many cases of catastrophic loss, windows or part of windows are destroyed.  This information can be useful in their restoration.  It would be a good idea to store this information in multiple areas or a safe deposit box.

We urge that each church take the time to protect their valuable stained glass windows.