National Carry AcademyDo You Need Concealed Carry Insurance?
August 8, 2016
Should you get concealed carry insurance to protect you in the event of a self-defense shooting? This is certainly a popular topic of discussion. And there is a good reason for this. Although most concealed carriers will never need to use a gun to defend themselves, the daunting possibility does exist.
The news has documented countless occasions in which courts have found those firing their weapons in self-defense innocent of all charges, but they have still faced civil suits. In addition to the possibility of a civil suit that could bankrupt you, there is also time missed at work for legal consultation, court dates, and other appointments related to the case.
Because of this, and in order to make things more clear, let’s take a look at some major concealed carry insurance policies to see how they compare to one another. We’ll look at the mid-level packages for each, and include links so that you can research them on your own and see what options might work for you.
- Offers up to $575,000 in protection
- Annual: $247
- Civil Suit Defense & Damages: $500,000
- Criminal Defense Protection & Instant Attorney Retainer: $75,000
- Bail Bond Fund: $5,000 (Bond Amount – $50,000)
- Compensation While In Court: $350/day
Added Features:
- Critical Response Team
- 24/7/365 Immediate Assistance
- Complete Attorney Coordination
- Local Referral Within 24 Hours
- Psychological Support
- Post-Incident Counseling
NRA Self-Defense Insurance (Lockton Affinity, LLC)
- Offers up to $250,000 combined single limit with a $50,000 criminal defense reimbursement sub-limit
- Annual: $254 [link]
This plan provides coverage for every aspect of civil and criminal defense but doesn’t cover daily compensation or have any specific mention of bond funds. It also only covers $50,000 in criminal defense reimbursement, so any immediate costs will have to be paid upfront.
Opinion: This plan offers the basic requirements for reimbursement for fees associated with getting a lawyer on a retainer, and it costs $254 per year. The insurance plan would likely cap out in reimbursement after acquiring a lawyer, which would leave you stuck with court costs and lost time from work.
Second Call – Defender Plan (Lockton Affinity, LLC)
- Annual: $239 (+$60 spouse) [link]
- Civil Suit Damages Protection: $50,000
- Accidental Shooting Protection: $50,000
- Criminal Defense Protection: $50,000*
The Second Amendment foundation is reimbursed by the member’s insurance policy upon a not guilty verdict or another outcome where no criminal charges are made.
Added Features:
- Immediate Cash For Bond: $5,000 for bonds up to $50,000
- 24/7 Emergency Legal Hotline
- Personal Crisis Manager
- Nationwide Attorney Network Access
- Local Attorney Referral within 24 hours
- Emergency Contact Notification
- Expert Witness Coordination
- Gun Retrieval or Replacement
- Psychological Support – 10 sessions
- On-Site Assistance
Opinion: The same insurance underwriters who offer the NRA Self-Defense Insurance also offer Second Call. This means that it’s basically the same coverage, but with some added bonuses. $50,000 doesn’t last long in either a civil or a criminal case. It’s similar to a $5,000 deductible off your collision insurance for your car. What’s more important is that it will fail to save you anything in a civil or criminal case where actual wrongdoing is being alleged.
CCW Safe – Individual Plan
- Annual: $99 [link]
- Covers a single person for any criminal, civil or administrative legal action stemming from a self defense incident. Attorneys, Investigators and Expert witnesses are covered. Member does not have to payback any fees.
- Covers all uses of deadly force, not just firearms.
- No Caps, No Limits, Includes Retrials and Appeals. Member will never pay out of pocket for services.
- Covers member in any state that their permit(s) or license(s) are honored.
- Includes Bail Bond coverage up to $250,000 bonds at no additional cost.
Overall opinion: CCW Safe is betting (similar to most insurance companies) that none of their clients will ever actually need the insurance. Thus far, statistics show that their making a good bet. However, because this plan promises so much for so little, it seems to indicate that it’s never been put into practice.
To conclude, insurance for self-defense is likely to help with some of the costs of defending yourself in civil or criminal court, but the details are important. It’s important to always read the fine print before committing to a plan. It’s likely that other concealed carry insurance plans exist, but they’ve rarely been called upon to be applied in any recent court case.
Should you get insurance? That’s your call.
Do You Need Concealed Carry Insurance?
August 8, 2016
Should you get concealed carry insurance to protect you in the event of a self-defense shooting? This is certainly a popular topic of discussion. And there is a good reason for this. Although most concealed carriers will never need to use a gun to defend themselves, the daunting possibility does exist.
The news has documented countless occasions in which courts have found those firing their weapons in self-defense innocent of all charges, but they have still faced civil suits. In addition to the possibility of a civil suit that could bankrupt you, there is also time missed at work for legal consultation, court dates, and other appointments related to the case.
Because of this, and in order to make things more clear, let’s take a look at some major concealed carry insurance policies to see how they compare to one another. We’ll look at the mid-level packages for each, and include links so that you can research them on your own and see what options might work for you.
- Offers up to $575,000 in protection
- Annual: $247
- Civil Suit Defense & Damages: $500,000
- Criminal Defense Protection & Instant Attorney Retainer: $75,000
- Bail Bond Fund: $5,000 (Bond Amount – $50,000)
- Compensation While In Court: $350/day
Added Features:
- Critical Response Team
- 24/7/365 Immediate Assistance
- Complete Attorney Coordination
- Local Referral Within 24 Hours
- Psychological Support
- Post-Incident Counseling
NRA Self-Defense Insurance (Lockton Affinity, LLC)
- Offers up to $250,000 combined single limit with a $50,000 criminal defense reimbursement sub-limit
- Annual: $254 [link]
This plan provides coverage for every aspect of civil and criminal defense but doesn’t cover daily compensation or have any specific mention of bond funds. It also only covers $50,000 in criminal defense reimbursement, so any immediate costs will have to be paid upfront.
Opinion: This plan offers the basic requirements for reimbursement for fees associated with getting a lawyer on a retainer, and it costs $254 per year. The insurance plan would likely cap out in reimbursement after acquiring a lawyer, which would leave you stuck with court costs and lost time from work.
Second Call – Defender Plan (Lockton Affinity, LLC)
- Annual: $239 (+$60 spouse) [link]
- Civil Suit Damages Protection: $50,000
- Accidental Shooting Protection: $50,000
- Criminal Defense Protection: $50,000*
The Second Amendment foundation is reimbursed by the member’s insurance policy upon a not guilty verdict or another outcome where no criminal charges are made.
Added Features:
- Immediate Cash For Bond: $5,000 for bonds up to $50,000
- 24/7 Emergency Legal Hotline
- Personal Crisis Manager
- Nationwide Attorney Network Access
- Local Attorney Referral within 24 hours
- Emergency Contact Notification
- Expert Witness Coordination
- Gun Retrieval or Replacement
- Psychological Support – 10 sessions
- On-Site Assistance
Opinion: The same insurance underwriters who offer the NRA Self-Defense Insurance also offer Second Call. This means that it’s basically the same coverage, but with some added bonuses. $50,000 doesn’t last long in either a civil or a criminal case. It’s similar to a $5,000 deductible off your collision insurance for your car. What’s more important is that it will fail to save you anything in a civil or criminal case where actual wrongdoing is being alleged.
CCW Safe – Individual Plan
- Annual: $99 [link]
- Covers a single person for any criminal, civil or administrative legal action stemming from a self defense incident. Attorneys, Investigators and Expert witnesses are covered. Member does not have to payback any fees.
- Covers all uses of deadly force, not just firearms.
- No Caps, No Limits, Includes Retrials and Appeals. Member will never pay out of pocket for services.
- Covers member in any state that their permit(s) or license(s) are honored.
- Includes Bail Bond coverage up to $250,000 bonds at no additional cost.
Overall opinion: CCW Safe is betting (similar to most insurance companies) that none of their clients will ever actually need the insurance. Thus far, statistics show that their making a good bet. However, because this plan promises so much for so little, it seems to indicate that it’s never been put into practice.
To conclude, insurance for self-defense is likely to help with some of the costs of defending yourself in civil or criminal court, but the details are important. It’s important to always read the fine print before committing to a plan. It’s likely that other concealed carry insurance plans exist, but they’ve rarely been called upon to be applied in any recent court case.
Should you get insurance? That’s your call.