Self Defense Liability Protection for Gun Owners: What to Look For

Note: check with each individual company for current rates and policies as these can change at any time.

Look for policies specifically for gun owners that have the following features:

A phone number you can call 24 hours a day in case of an incident
Payment for self defense if you have to go to court
Immediate access to a lawyer provided by the insurance company
The option of using your own lawyer

In addition, the best companies may include other features:

A library of educational resources to prepare you for a self defense situation
A training arm with videos and in-person classes available
Publications to keep you up-to-date with laws and new information on the topic of self defense
An online forum where you can discuss self defense with other members
An annual event with training, displays, and a chance to meet like-minded members of the community
Community activism and charitable activities
A discount when you also enroll your spouse
Partnerships with related businesses to get you discounts

Another Type of Protection

I have a number of insurance policies: life insurance, health insurance, home insurance, car insurance, and professional liability insurance.

When I bought my first gun, I entered a new world of responsibility, and I wanted to make sure I was equipped to handle the financial consequences that came with such a big decision.

Deadly force incidents that may land you in court include negligent discharge, accidental shootings, self defense shootings, brandishing a weapon, or even telling someone you have a weapon if it is interpreted as a threat.

Weapons can be more broadly interpreted to include knives, household items, or even your fists.

Be the first to call 911 in any of these situations, and then call your liability insurance company. There is a good chance that you will need a lawyer.

Why Not Just Depend on My Homeowners’ Insurance?

Get out the coverage statement your homeowner’s insurance company sends you every year and see what your liability coverage is. I found mine, and it said it covers up to $2,500 in firearms lost by theft.

The policy will not pay for a loss if the insured directly or indirectly causes, contributes to, or aggravates the loss.

If claim is made or a suit is brought against an insured for damages because of bodily injury or property damage, the insurer will pay up to its limit of liability for the damages for which the insured is legally liable.

My homeowners’ insurance will not pay for criminal restitution. They will provide a defense by the counsel of their choice or settle the claim at their option.

When the amount of the policy is used, the insurance company is done. They will not provide a defense to any insured for criminal prosecution or proceedings.

Homeowners’ insurance will not pay for bodily injury or property damage that was

1) a result of a willful and malicious, or criminal act or omission of the insured
2) intended by the insured
3) would have been expected by the insured based on a reasonable person standard.
2 and 3 do not apply to bodily injury or property damage resulting from the use of reasonable force to protect persons or property.

So yes, your homeowners’ insurance would pay for liability up to the amount on your policy, which might cover the hospitalization of the person injured.

My homeowners’ policy covers $100,000 in personal liability per occurrence, plus $1,000 to the property of others, and $1000 in medical payment to others per person. This will cover a small lawsuit and part of an emergency room visit.

What Companies Offer Liability Protection For Gun Owners?

I went to the websites of reputable companies that offer liability protection for gun owners. They are the leaders in the industry. The information in this article will help you evaluate the offerings of other companies you encounter in your research.

Prices were accurate at the time of publication, but visit their websites to see whether prices have changed.

Lockton Affinity

Lockton Affinity is the company we use to insure our shooting range and to cover our firearms instruction liability. They offer firearms insurance plus liability, firearms instructor plus liability, or just liability.

Firearms insurance covers loss, damage, flood, fire, and theft, including theft from your vehicle. For firearms valued at $2,500 or more, they request a list with each item’s value. This is not liability insurance and is not available in all states.

General and professional liability includes injuries or damage you cause while acting as an instructor during a lesson, medical expenses up to $5,000, legal expenses from lawsuits related to injuries or damage, and professional liability coverage that protects you from allegations of negligent training.

For $250,000 per occurrence with a $500,000 aggregate (limit), you pay $150 a year.

For $500,000 per occurrence with a $1 million aggregate, you pay $225 a year.

For $1 million per occurrence and a $2 million aggregate, you pay $300 per year.

Personal Firearms Liability Insurance covers hunting and shooting accident liability, accidental discharge coverage, lost or stolen firearm liability, and lawful personal defense. They reimburse you once the charges are dropped or you are acquitted, up to applicable policy limits.

For $250,000 combined single limit with a $50,000 defense reimbursement sublimit you pay $75 a year.

For $500,000 combined single limit with a $100,000 defense sublimit you pay $125 a year.

For $1 million combined single limit with a $150,000 defense reimbursement sublimit you pay $175 a year.

For $1.5 million combined single limit with a $250,000 defense reimbursement sublimit you pay $265 per year.

US LawShield

US Law Shield offers legal defense for self defense starting at $10.95 a month ($131.40 a year). You can cancel at any time. They offer

A 24/7/365 attorney answered emergency hotline
Non-emergency access to their Independent Program attorneys
Unlimited civil and criminal defense litigation coverage
Coverage for all legal weapons
State-specific educational videos, law updates, and online resources

In addition, they offer optional coverage

Gun owner identity theft coverage
Minor children liability (for a minor using a gun)
Hunter and angler regulatory assistance in selected states
Multi-state protection (without this you are only insured in your state)
Bail bond and expert witness fees in selected states
Payment plans

US LawShield attorneys will represent you in criminal or civil proceedings, police investigations, and pretrial proceedings. There are no caps on the time they spend on your case, no limits on their expenses, and no deductibles or copayments.

US LawShield does not cover damages in a civil suit. The attorney fees are paid by the program, not out of your pocket with a reimbursement program.

They have a special program for private security officers starting at $8.95 a month ($107.40 a year). This is only available in Texas.

US LawShield has a Law Enforcement Officer Program at $17.95 a month ($215.40 a year) or honorably retired at $10.95 a months ($131.40 a year).

Membership perks include discounts at retailers such as firearms shops, gun ranges, restaurants, and national chains. They have an online video library covering topics of interest to gun owners.

US LawShield offers seminars and workshops, books about gun laws, online coursework, legislative reports, and a bimonthly newsletter.

US LawShield one-day events are held throughout the United States on gun-related topics.

USCCA

Membership in the USCCA includes a self-defense liability policy. Self-defense liability protection is a feature included with membership, rather than a policy that you are buying from the USCCA.

The USCCA offers a money back guarantee and you can cancel at any time.

As a public service, the USCCA Legal Defense Foundation provides members and non-members resources and support when confronted with

Emergency risk protection orders
“Red Flag” laws
Unfounded restraining orders
Gun confiscation without due process
Improper CCW permit revocation
Restoration of gun rights cases
And whatever the next threat is

Which Self Defense Liability Protection to Choose

Look at the features to determine which company has the right policy for you. All are good companies with solid features.

If it comes down to price, Lockton Affinity might be your choice. They offer the insurance without all the extras. Just be aware that you pay out of pocket and they reimburse you after you are acquitted.

If you want the company to pay the bills directly, rather than reimbursing you after you pay, choose US LawShield.

If your occupation involves firearms, choose Lockton Affinity’s general and professional liability or US LawShield’s programs for private security officers and law enforcement officers.

If you choose US LawShield, go for the multi-state protection. You don’t want to find yourself one state over and uninsured when a situation happens.

If you want no caps on how much the company spends, choose US LawShield.

If you want education and training, go for the USCCA. Choose the level of training that will meet your needs.

When I first wrote this article we had an affiliate relationship with the USCCA. Then we affiliated with US LawShield. I recently updated this article because we switched our affiliation from US LawShield to Right To Bear when we learned about recent improvements in their business model.

Introducing Right To Bear Self-Defense Protection to you!

Right To Bear is a complete program to help and guide Americans with the legal protection if they are ever in a use of force encounter. Their program will lead the way for gun owners and law-abiding citizens across America.

We at Double Eagle Gunworks trust them and wanted to introduce you to their program. Members will receive access to an Attorney-answered emergency hotline, 24/7-365. This is imperative as crime rates have sky-rocketed and the ability of being represented immediately is crucial.

They are the only member-based, American legal protection provider dedicated to the preservation of individual liberty, for responsible freedom loving people in the United States. As a member of Right To Bear, protecting your family means you never have to defend them alone. Their core program includes unlimited legal defense both criminally and civilly, expert witness fees, psychological support, and gun replacement. They offer multi-state coverage, bail bond coverage and minor children as additional coverages.

SIGN-UP at: https://protectwithbear.com/ and enter PROMOCODE: DEGW

A Final Thought

Don’t go without liability protection if you have a gun. Choose one of the companies mentioned here, or search for one on your own. Doing the right thing should not bring a devastating financial loss to your family. Take care of it today.

Look us up at the Double Eagle Gunworks channel on YouTube for helpful and informative videos on gun related topics.