The Catholic Mutual Group was founded by a group of Midwest Catholic bishops in 1889. Unable to obtain reliable insurance on their churches, they worked together to form a mutually protective organization that would help repair or rebuild damaged church properties. Participation in the group is limited to Catholic Church-owned properties. It has a history of providing relief to members that experience losses not covered by traditional insurance or in cases where losses exceed the amount available. The company is one of the largest providers of coverage to Catholic dioceses in the United States. It has more than 110 diocesan members and provides coverage to three archdioceses and more than 10 dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Ontario. In addition, it serves nearly 250 religious orders and Catholic institution members, which operate monasteries, convents, schools, nursing homes, housing for the elderly, counseling centers and social programs. Catholic Mutual Group is headquartered in Omaha, Neb.