Self-Defense Insurance: The Personal Choice

            The decision to carry insurance for your firearms, referred to in the industry as CCW insurance or self-defense insurance is a personal one. Unlike automobile or health insurance that are mandated by the government, the choice to carry CCW insurance is yours to make.  This is like the decision some amateur radio operators make to insurance their radio equipment, antennas, and other gear. The Federal Communications Commission does not regulate to licensed amateur radio operators that they must now purchase an insurance policy to cover the radios or antennas. Instead, those operators that have built what is known in that community as a “ham shack” make the informed decision to purchase an insurance policy designed to protect them in case something happens to the equipment.

For some firearm owners who choose to carry for self-defense, a conversation with the family, an estate planning attorney or perhaps their financial advisor on the pros and cons of carrying insurance would be a prudent step in reaching the firearm owner’s individual goals and strategies for financial health. When deciding who to have this conversation with, I do recommend including your spouse (if you are not married, a family member that you rely on in an emergency) or designated successor agent for your Durable Power of Attorney. It will be one of these two individuals that will need access to your funds and bank accounts if you ever must make the decision to pull the trigger in self-defense.

The professional that you consult with your designated person should be knowledgeable of your financial status, the fact that you own and carry firearms for self-defense, and the different companies that offer this type of insurance. These are frank conversations and conversations that should be tailored toward preserving your financial assets after you acted in self-defense. The cost of hiring an attorney to represent you after the self-defense shooting that results in the death of the attacker can range exceed One Hundred Thousand and 00/100 ($100,000.00) dollars. When you are facing an open murder charge because the prosecutor did not agree that you were justified in your actions, the last thing you want to worry about is how much of a defense that you can afford. With most American families living paycheck to paycheck, you do not want your family anguishing over the decision to pay for the necessities of life or the retainer fee for the attorney that you want.

Once you have decided to explore the purchase of CCW insurance, then sitting down with your insurance agent to determine what will be covered from your current policies and where you are lacking coverage is your next step.  If your agent is familiar with the different companies that provide this type of insurance, then the two of you can evaluate which policy or policy is best for your family’s needs and budget. A recent internet search resulted in the following companies that currently provide this insurance: USCCA, Second Call Defense, NRA Carry Guard, NRA Carry Guard, U.S. Law Shield and CCW Safe. The Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, Inc. first published a blog on the different types of insurance and how those insurance compared with their program. They occasionally update the article to update the fund balances. You can read their comparison at https://armedcitizensnetwork.org/buyersguide.

If you need assistance in deciding whether CCW insurance is right for you and your family’s financial health, call (248) 676-8978 to schedule an appointment with our Client Relations Specialist.