Conceal Carry Insurance

[Chaparral]

I have been a carrier for many years but as I watch the decline of this world I have been thinking of the need to protect myself with some conceal carry insurance. I see these guys at shows handing out literature but that is as far as I go. I was wanting to hopefully attract someone who knew of these groups, how reputable they are, and have they really done anything for anyone? Thanks

[Aguila Blanca]

As you get responses, keep in mind that many of the organizations that hand out literature at gun shows do not offer "insurance." They mostly are legal services plans. Read the fine print.

[Carl the Floor Walker]

When I saw the Kyle Rittenhouse BS of being charged defending his life, I knew it was way past time to get Protection. Did my research and selected USCCA. Appears to be a good company and the peace of Mind it brings goes a long way.
The adage "You are innocent until proven guilty is BS as we all know. Defend yourself or family typically means you are GUILTY and have to prove you are innocent. Crime is escalating at record levels. And the next 4 years are going to be over the top. The new Policies of taking away guns from the Honest citizen work right into the hands of the Enemy of the Country.

[Mike38]

I have a Plan / Policy with CCW Safe, for just shy of 5 years now. Never used them, and pray I never have to, so I can't comment on how good they are.

[ghbucky]

As you get responses, keep in mind that many of the organizations that hand out literature at gun shows do not offer "insurance." They mostly are legal services plans. Read the fine print.

Are there any out there that are actual insurance companies?

[ammo.crafter]

Bear in mind if something (occurrence) happens, it may not be covered under the policy. Intentional acts are excluded and carriers will try hard to exclude coverage, especially if the case involves wrongful death.
The defense counsel they assign on your behalf is paid by the carrier. That is were their bread is buttered.

Obtain a copy of the complete policy and review it most carefully.

[KCRaider21]

I joined the US and Texas Law Shield. They are one of if not the best out there. I highly recommend them to anyone who carries.

[Aguila Blanca]

Here's a link to a handy comparison chart:
https://www.concealedcarry.com/self-...rams-compared/

Note that three out of the six do NOT provide insurance against civil damages. They only provide legal coverage -- that includes U.S. Law Shield/Texas Law Shield. That's not insurance -- that's just a legal services plan.

[Chaparral]

Originally Posted by Aguila Blanca

Here's a link to a handy comparison chart:
https://www.concealedcarry.com/self-...rams-compared/

Note that three out of the six do NOT provide insurance against civil damages. They only provide legal coverage -- that includes U.S. Law Shield/Texas Law Shield. That's not insurance -- that's just a legal services plan.

Thank you sir.

[littlebikerider]

With all the ads, sponsorships and infomercials that USCCA does, they appear to be making good money at it.

[CedarGrove357]

Originally Posted by Carl the Floor Walker

When I saw the Kyle Rittenhouse BS of being charged defending his life, I knew it was way past time to get Protection. Did my research and selected USCCA. Appears to be a good company and the peace of Mind it brings goes a long way.
The adage "You are innocent until proven guilty is BS as we all know. Defend yourself or family typically means you are GUILTY and have to prove you are innocent. Crime is escalating at record levels. And the next 4 years are going to be over the top. The new Policies of taking away guns from the Honest citizen work right into the hands of the Enemy of the Country.

I too have been a USCCA member for several years. Its INSURANCE. You pay for it like any insurance policy. Hope to the Good Lord you never need it, but one incident and all those $40 months come back to you in full.

In perspective, just $400,000 in fines, fees, dues, lost wages, et al equates to about 833.3 years of paying $40 a month for insurance. And I am sure a real scenario blows $400,000 out of the water when all is said and done.

just my $0.02

[Aguila Blanca]

Originally Posted by CedarGrove357

In perspective, just $400,000 in fines, fees, dues, lost wages, et al equates to about 833.3 years of paying $40 a month for insurance.

Yes, the USCCA program includes insurance against damages you may have to pay in civil lawsuits. I doubt very much it will pay any fines if you are convicted in a criminal case. It's a legal principle (I believe in all states, but I am not a lawyer) that you cannot insure for unlawful acts. That was what torpedoed the NRA's "Carry Guard" insurance program.

There's a difference between "fines" (which are assessed as punishment in criminal cases) and "damages" (which are assessed in civil cases to compensate other parties who have suffered losses due to your action).

Enrolling in one of those programs is a wise precaution for anyone who regularly carries a firearm. Just be sure to do your homework and understand what you're buying. All six programs listed in that comparison chart I posted a link to include some provision for paying legal fees. Only three of the six include paying damages in a civil lawsuit. The chart doesn't even mention paying fines resulting from a conviction in a criminal case, and I believe that's because insurance companies are not allowed to sell insurance for that.

Here's a link to a review of the USCCA program:
https://www.peakfirearms.com/uscca-review/

From that article:

Criminal Defense Protection

As mentioned above, even if you were to believe that you fired off your gun for justified self-defense purposes, others may not see it that way and you might still be prosecuted. As a member of the organization, USCCA provides you with criminal defense protection of up to $2,000,000 depending on your policy that includes the cost of a criminal defense, including lawyer’s fees, investigation, and court fees.

In cases where you’ve been convicted or plead guilty, USCCA will cease all payments but you also won’t be held responsible for reimbursing the company for any money they’re already paid for, including for a defense attorney. Also, unlike civil defense suits, you get to choose your own lawyer or have one recommended by the USCCA as your representative in your criminal defense case.

...

Exclusions to USCCA Coverages

As with most forms of insurance coverage, there are several scenarios where USCCA’s liability and criminal defense protection will not apply. For those looking for concealed carry insurance, it is important that you read the policy yourself and get a good understanding of what is and isn’t covered. Here are a few key scenarios that are not covered by USCCA:

When you are convicted. Of course, every self-defense incident may not necessarily be considered as a crime, and the conclusion is only made once a judge or jury has made a ruling. However, if you do end up being convicted of a crime, USCCA will cease all payments. The policy also states that the organization will pay any necessary bills immediately and you do not need to reimburse or repay any money that you or your lawyer have received from USCCA.

[5whiskey]

A good umbrella policy, which can (or could in the past) be tailored to cover similar incidents as carry insurance, would be more versatile.

[zoo]

USCCA. Heck, even at 40 bucks per month being assured of getting the bail money makes it worth it!

[dt300mm]

That is incorrect, US Law Shield provides both criminal as well as civil coverage. This is right off their site -
Unlimited civil & criminal defense litigation coverage

[Aguila Blanca]

Originally Posted by dt300mm

That is incorrect, US Law Shield provides both criminal as well as civil coverage. This is right off their site -
Unlimited civil & criminal defense litigation coverage

Yes -- "litigation" coverage. That means legal fees.

Their own web site's home page states exactly that:

Introducing the
most comprehensive (and affordable)
Legal Defense for Self Defense
Program

From their own FAQ, the answer to the question "Do you cover damages in a civil suit?":

U.S. LawShield® covers all attorneys’ fees in any covered civil or criminal case. However, there is no coverage for damages in a civil suit. This is because every state has some form of immunity from civil damages for justified self-defense cases. Our Independent Program Attorney will represent members to assert their immunity.

That answer is somewhere between misleading and an outright lie. State laws don't allow for insuring against illegal acts. If you are convicted of a criminal offense in a shooting, none of the programs will cover damages awarded in a related civil lawsuit. But it's not uncommon for someone to be either not charged or to be found not guilty in a criminal case but still sued in a civil lawsuit. (Think about O.J. Simpson for a high profile example.) In such a situation, US/Texas Law Shield could cover you -- but they don't. However, Second Call Defense, USCCA, and CCW Safe do cover you.

This is why I stress the point that US/Texas Law Shield (like Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network, and Firearms Legal Protection) is a legal services plan, it is not "insurance."

Here's one review of Texas/US Law Shield: https://gununiversity.com/us-law-shield-review/