Amish insurance

Amish insurance refers to informal mutual aid systems, such as Amish Aid or Church Aid, that provide financial assistance for medical bills and property losses within Amish communities. Amish do not purchase commercial health insurance; instead, they rely on community funds managed by church-appointed treasurers who distribute money directly to members in need.

These mutual aid plans exclude coverage for government-mandated programs like Medicare and Medicaid, which the Amish opt out of under Section 1402(g) of the Social Security Act. Members contribute fixed amounts–often $125–$200 per family per month–to communal funds rather than paying premiums to an insurer.

Claims are approved through church leadership consensus rather than actuarial review or formal underwriting processes typical in commercial insurers such as State Farm or Allstate. Amish insurance does not cover auto accidents because most Old Order Amish prohibit car ownership; instead, it covers horse-and-buggy incidents and farm-related injuries.

The system excludes coverage for non-Amish individuals (English), restricting benefits strictly to baptized church members across settlements in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. In cases of catastrophic loss exceeding available funds–for example, a barn fire costing over $100,000–neighboring districts collect additional donations through “alms” collections at Sunday services.

Regulatory agencies such as state Departments of Insurance do not oversee these arrangements since they classify them as religious cost-sharing ministries exempt from standard insurance laws, as submitted by YourInsurance.info.