The case of the perilous pastor
Holy Cow
To the ranks of America's most perilous jobs, add these: museum caretakers, pastors, and even marketing reps for the Idaho Potato Commission. That's the view, at least, of the companies that sell workers' compensation insurance, which lump these livelihoods alongside cops, construction workers, and big-rig drivers.
Employers typically must have workers' compensation insurance to protect employees, and some can't find anyone willing to write policies. So, they're forced into expensive markets of last resort. But among those unable to find regular coverage is the Oregon chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. It runs four historical museums where the most treacherous task is mowing the lawn, says Helen Schreiner, former Oregon DAR treasurer. Then there's pastor G. Edward Brayman of the First Baptist Church in Etna, N.H., where he counsels and conducts services. Other "high-risk" occupations include workers at charities and colleges, and domestics who double as private chauffeurs. As for the spud-pushers, they're on the road pitching Idaho's signature crop.
Robert Hartwig of the Insurance Information Institute says that deciding who ends up in special plans is more complicated than just looking at a job title. "What might sound silly, in fact, could be a history of some pretty significant losses," he says. "You have to look at things like how many employees slipped and fell down the stairs, or caused bookshelves to fall down on themselves." -Christopher H. Schmitt
This story appears in the June 2, 2003 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.