Religious Institutions and Personal Injury Compensation Claims for Abuse: The Noteworthy Significance of Insurance

Many churches, religious schools, and care institutions have apologised for historical child sexual abuse and committed themselves to reparation and safeguarding. However, recent changes to legislation have resulted in a deluge of tort law claims, civil litigation, and work for lawyers. Religious le...

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Main Author: Joseph Lee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Southern Queensland Law, Religion, and Heritage Research Program Team 2024-12-01
Series:Australian Journal of Law & Religion
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ausjlr.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Lee-Religious-Institutions-and-Personal-Injury-Compensation-Claims-FINAL.pdf
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author Joseph Lee
author_facet Joseph Lee
author_sort Joseph Lee
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description Many churches, religious schools, and care institutions have apologised for historical child sexual abuse and committed themselves to reparation and safeguarding. However, recent changes to legislation have resulted in a deluge of tort law claims, civil litigation, and work for lawyers. Religious leaders and devotees today bear the financial burdens of compensating for historical wrongs sometimes many decades old in times of meagre or no insurance coverage. This article recalls some relevant discussion at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse about the anticipated consequences for insurance. Next, there is an examination of judicial ideas about insurance in decisions relating to civil liability. Then, it provides a look at some commercial comparisons and the response of governments to the lack of insurance. The article further considers a case example of what happened to a major faith-based insurer after the legislative changes. Finally, some alternative perspectives are investigated alongside a look into the future.
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spelling doaj-art-2f68546bff0d494b87b0e9022ed242132025-02-04T04:32:28ZengUniversity of Southern Queensland Law, Religion, and Heritage Research Program TeamAustralian Journal of Law & Religion2653-51222024-12-0154061https://doi.org/10.55803/X128VReligious Institutions and Personal Injury Compensation Claims for Abuse: The Noteworthy Significance of InsuranceJoseph Lee0Salesians of Don Bosco Province Centre, Ascot Vale, VictoriaMany churches, religious schools, and care institutions have apologised for historical child sexual abuse and committed themselves to reparation and safeguarding. However, recent changes to legislation have resulted in a deluge of tort law claims, civil litigation, and work for lawyers. Religious leaders and devotees today bear the financial burdens of compensating for historical wrongs sometimes many decades old in times of meagre or no insurance coverage. This article recalls some relevant discussion at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse about the anticipated consequences for insurance. Next, there is an examination of judicial ideas about insurance in decisions relating to civil liability. Then, it provides a look at some commercial comparisons and the response of governments to the lack of insurance. The article further considers a case example of what happened to a major faith-based insurer after the legislative changes. Finally, some alternative perspectives are investigated alongside a look into the future.https://ausjlr.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Lee-Religious-Institutions-and-Personal-Injury-Compensation-Claims-FINAL.pdfpersonal liability insuranceinstitutional sexual abusereligious institutions
spellingShingle Joseph Lee
Religious Institutions and Personal Injury Compensation Claims for Abuse: The Noteworthy Significance of Insurance
Australian Journal of Law & Religion
personal liability insurance
institutional sexual abuse
religious institutions
title Religious Institutions and Personal Injury Compensation Claims for Abuse: The Noteworthy Significance of Insurance
title_full Religious Institutions and Personal Injury Compensation Claims for Abuse: The Noteworthy Significance of Insurance
title_fullStr Religious Institutions and Personal Injury Compensation Claims for Abuse: The Noteworthy Significance of Insurance
title_full_unstemmed Religious Institutions and Personal Injury Compensation Claims for Abuse: The Noteworthy Significance of Insurance
title_short Religious Institutions and Personal Injury Compensation Claims for Abuse: The Noteworthy Significance of Insurance
title_sort religious institutions and personal injury compensation claims for abuse the noteworthy significance of insurance
topic personal liability insurance
institutional sexual abuse
religious institutions
url https://ausjlr.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Lee-Religious-Institutions-and-Personal-Injury-Compensation-Claims-FINAL.pdf
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