The topic of whether or not a concealed carrier should get out an insurance policy to protect themselves in the event of a self-defense shooting is certainly a popular one. And for good reason. While the vast majority of all concealed carriers will likely never use a firearm to defend themselves – the possibility does exist and it is daunting.
As we’ve seen in the news on countless occasions, even if the courts find you innocent of all charges, you could still be liable for civil suits which can bankrupt you. Additionally, there’s time out of work to consult with legal counsel, court dates, and appointments related to the case.
So, in an effort to cut through the haze, we’re looking at a few major concealed carry insurance policies to see how they stack up. For each, we’re going with the middle option – not bare-bones and not platinum. We’ll include links so you can investigate on your own and see if this is an option you want.
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 insurance plan covers all components of civil and criminal defense but does not cover little added bonuses like daily compensation or specific mention of bond funds. Please note that this insurance policy only covers $50,000 in criminal defense reimbursement — so you’ll have to pay the immediate costs upfront.
Opinion: For $254 a year, this plan seems to offer the base requirements to be reimbursed for the overwhelming fees associated with getting an attorney on retainer. After acquiring legal counsel, your insurance plan would likely cap out in reimbursement – leaving you stuck with overwhelming court costs and lost time off 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 member’s insurance policy reimburses the Second Amendment foundation upon a not guilty verdict or similar outcome with no criminal charges being 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: Second Call is offered through the same insurance underwriters as the NRA Self-Defense Insurance. This means they’re arguable offering the exact same coverage with some added bonuses. $50,000 goes quick in both civil and criminal cases. It’s like getting a $5,000 deductible off your car’s collision auto insurance. More importantly, it really won’t save you in a criminal case or a civil case where real 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 making a bet (common in insurance) that not a single one of their clients will ever actually need to call upon this insurance. So far, overwhelming statistics are in their favor. That said, this plan seems to promise a heck of a lot of coverage for cheap – which seems to indicate it’s never been tried in actual practice.
In conclusion, self-defense insurance will likely mitigate some of the costs of actually defending yourself in a criminal and civil court case but the devil is always in the details. Make sure you read what each plan will cover. There are likely other concealed carry insurance plans out there (or labelled self-defense plans) but statistically they’ve almost never been called upon to be actually applied in a recent relevant court case.
Is it worth it? Ultimately, you’ll be the judge of that.
US Law Shield? USCCA? Do you consider them to be lower quality than your list or were they simply not listed for article length?
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USCCA was conspicuous by its absence in comments, perhaps because they, like some others, offer zero payments unless you are cleared of all criminal wrong doing. If it’s a bad shoot and you made a bad decision they won’t pay one cent.
There is a reason these companies offer this insurance, to make money, LOTS of money. They are not looking out for you, they are not doing it out if any altruistic sense. It’s a business pure and simple. I’ll go about my everyday life and keep the money in my pocket. What the rest of you do is up to you.
^^^THIS!^^^
Vanns40,
Did you have a bad experience with the USCCA? Your comments appear as if you did? If not, ignore this and move on, my error.
I only speak from my experience, but I will state they do provide relevant content for today’s permit holders and do more than schlep insurance (yes insurance is a profit center, so what?) Is it worth it, who knows. I am not interested in finding out (Ferguson, MO makes the point for me when a LEO can’t defend his life in the line of duty from a criminal who is assaulting him, we are all screwed anyway). I do know I would not be interested in a business that offered insurance to people regardless of “criminal wrong doing.” I am sure you only mentioned that because why again?
The USCCA story, Tim’s beginnings as founder and Why they exist, the unmatched quality in everything they produce (instructor videos, the magazine. and very courteous staff specifically). It is a valid option that should have been included.
Chris: Oh, I know I should just have moved on and I really don’t want this to become a tome so I’ll try and make it short. No, I haven’t had a bad or any other experience with this company.
Second, what ever else they do is irrelevant to the topic at hand, insurance. You state that insurance is a profit center and “so what?”. I’m not disagreeing with you, in fact I wish I was in the gun insurance game. It’s a cash cow. Tim’s in the business of making as much money as he can (short of following in the steps of Willy Sutton) and the rest of us would dearly like to save as much as we can.
You further mention outliers like Furgason which are also irrelevant to this discussion but are interjected to divert attention from the real topic, civilian need for this type of insurance. Police already have insurance that covers them. So we’re full circle, do we really need it or not? As I stated in my previous post, you’ll most likely live you’re entire life and never it. It’s your decision. My money stays with me.
Thanks Vanns40. My point about Ferguson was not meant as diversionary or police insurance. You are correct and to my intended point as well, insurance or not, legal or not, your life will look drastically different and can get destroyed, even when doing everything “by the book.”
Regards and thank you for civil discourse.
Chris: Enjoyed it, take care.
Chris,
I think the point is there isn’t a review of USCCA, but when I hit their link, it showed an affiliate link. Tactical Tim’s story isn’t the issue. I think the criminal wrong doing issue is the simple point that a reimbursement plan means you are at risk if you take a misdemeanor plea deal. They are then gone. Many cops have ended up pleading guilty to a lesser charge, but under a reimbursement insurance plan, you are left hanging. If you want experience with actual incidents, you look at Armed Citizen Defense Network (which didn’t get a mention) or CCW Safe. Both are run by retired law enforcement. The fact that Tim built a MMA fight ring in his office should tell you he is making a ton of money. Good for him. He still puts out a great magazine.
What? No “Opinion” entry on the USCCA? And, for Christ sake cut down on the number of slow loading remote Adobe Flash advertisers on this site. Thank goodness I can kill the process so the browser quits attempting to load content every 5 seconds.
It’s ridiculous.
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Wouldn’t your standard umbrella policy cover you from litigation?
No shootong someone is an intenational act and insurance can not cover you for an intentional act. Check with your provider I know State Farm and Allstate do not. I checked with both already.
I checked with my agent and he checked with the insurance companies rep., the rep’s response is as follows: The court would decide. The company has a duty
to defend, however there must be negligence on our customers behalf.
Yes, home owners, car insurance, etc. cover you for acts of negligence, not for intentional acts. Self-defense would be seen as an intentional act, not negligence, so coverage would be denied.
Now, if someone broke into your house and something fell on their head accidentally due to your negligence, you’re covered!
A lot of arguments over this issue. If you are found not guilty, I think you will be covered in your home.
I went with CCWSafe. Owned by top pro 2nd Amendment attorneys who are actually looking forward to the fight. I have also heard of multiple instances where they have helped customers with administrative issues with obtaining licenses. I don’t think it is quite as simple as just a company betting they will never have to pay.
I am with 2nd Call Defense for the last two years, and pay less than $20. mo., Happy, so far. Disabled Vietnam Veteran: 68-70.
My Name is Barbara and I am a Member Service Advisor with the United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA). I just wanted to take a moment to clear up some of the confusion there appears to be regarding our memberships. We do offer three levels of membership at the USCCA . Our top level of the Self Defense Shield, is our Platinum Plus Membership. This covers our members up to 1.1 million in protection per incident. All levels of membership do offer an instant criminal defense attorney retainer. That means that you are not taking money out of your pocket and waiting for a reimbursement. They money is there when you need it. We also offer a Critical Response Team and Case Manager to help you through a self defense incident, including helping you find a criminal defense attorney in your state very quickly. You do not need to have a concealed carry license to be a member. We believe that the decision to protect your family is a very personal one. Asking questions and understanding how you are protected is critical regardless of what company you are with. I hope I was able to provide some clarity regarding the USCCA and I would encourage everyone to call the USCCA and ask questions on the areas that you would like more information on. I know I am biased, but I do personally feel that we have the best level of protection and member support on the market!
To be clear, the moneys that would need to be paid in order to defend a legal shoot – criminal or civil – are not out of the pocket costs for the beneficiary?
I carry ccw insurance. I hope I never need it too. But with these ambulance chasing attorneys in this country, and just pools that are willing to give the criminal my money never they can’t steal peoples property anymore, in not only carrying concealed, I’m carrying concealed carry insurance!
What about the Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network? They are not
insurance, but still provide education and financial assistance after a
self -defense incident. Upfront money for defense sounds way better
than hoping for a reimbursement from insurance.
I don’t know why they got left out.
Is a free CCW Badge included with subscription to CCW insurance? Inquiring sheepdogs want to know.
Why would you want a badge?? That is garbage. Carry the permit if one is issued by your state and that is all you need. If you need to have a badge, join the police force.
I guess is one signs up for CCW insurance they should get a CCW Insured Badge, to let everyone know that they are an insured sheepdog.
If you carry concealed, it’s because you don’t want everybody to know you are carrying. A badge might make people think you are LEO. And this article is outdated. The coverages are not accurate anymore. USCCA now offers $1.125m in total benefit.
There is a world of difference between being a LEO and wearing a badge to let everyone know that you have CCW Insurance.
Said the “triggered” sheep.
Why are you people even replying to this idiot? He’s just trolling you. I would be willing to bet he doesn’t have insurance for his car. In fact, he doesn’t have a job OR a car, and takes the bus back and forth to his Mom’s basement.
We in the REAL world choose to be protected, in more ways than one.
Trolls don’t own guns and thus don’t need no stinking badges. But please do sign up for the NRA and their insurance. That way, maybe you’ll eventually learn something.
So does that entitle one to wear an NRA Insured CCW Badge? Enquiring sheepdogs want to know.
carry a badge? LOL – it will get you arrested. PERIOD!
Please site one example where a sheepdog has been arrested for wearing a CCW Badge.
If you carry a gun I suggest you have insurance. You carry a gun for your protection and those around you. You need to carry insurance for exactly the same reason.
We just need better laws and protections against douche bag Liberals and over-zealous Prosecuting Atty’s.
t gyhn
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I just went through the process of looking at all of these and picking one to pay for. I ended up with the USCCA plan, but the cheaper on than you discussed.
In reviewing the CCWSafe plan, it really does offer a lot for the money. I received details on the plan however that ended up causing me to go elsewhere. I don’t really know who “backs” any of these plans. Usually there is a major underwriter that would not only have funds available for claims but would also have the ability to borrow is needed. CCWSafe limits it coverage, as a “membership” to the current funds on hand. The report said they had about $500,000 on hand. What happens if 4 claims occur at the same time? Each will be limited by what is left in the fund. If they just paid out $450,000 on a claim, the have $50,000 left for the next claim.
Based on that, I went elsewhere, without really know if they have reserves or not. Hopefully none of us will ever find out.
Ron,
That is the Armed Citizen Defense Network, not CCW Safe.
You are correct. I named the wrong company in that post. ACDN is the one that states the limitation of the fund they have available. The others may be in the same situation, but are not up front about it. I will look at CCW Safe again, since I’m on a monthly contract. Thanks!
I like the USCCA magazine. I went with CCW Safe because they have actually done cases and are all former law enforcement who have actually experience. Call and ask to speak to one of the cops and you will see what I mean. I see a lot of staged posts here. I have never found anything on CCW Safe that states they have $500,000 on hand. After doing all my research, that is actually Armed Citizen Defense Network. I did noticed on the links above that the USCCA is an affiliates link while the others are direct links to the NRA, 2nd Call Defense and CCW Safe. I still think the NRA / 2nd Call Defense is a great choice because you are supporting the NRA and their defense of the 2nd Amendment.
It should be understood that CCW Safe is *not* insurance, but a prepaid legal services contract.
From the Terms of Service on their website: “This is not an insurance product. It is a services agreement. Therefore, any money judgments rendered against a member is the responsibility of the member. CCW Safe will obtain and pay all legal services affiliated with a self defense use of force incident.”
In plainer English, this means that they will get attorneys to represent you criminally or civilly, but the cost of any judgment or civil settlement if you get sued is on you. Consider that well over 90% of civil cases ultimately settle. Consider also that the typical burden of proof in a civil case is “preponderance of the evidence” (meaning a 51% probability), as opposed to “beyond a reasonable doubt” as in a criminal case.
In States That have “Stand Your Ground” if you are tried and found not not guilty cause of self defense the chances of being sued in civil court are very slim. If there is one it will more than likely be thrown out under the “Stand Your Ground” law.
CCW Safe has been put to the test. Stephan Maddox, Wilson, NC, October, 2015. And it worked perfectly, just as they promised it would. Check out video on YouTube.
The prices need to be updated in this article