(A friend thinks his umbrella policy will cover him if he shoots someone. I wouldn’t count on it.)
WSJ article tells of individual who resolved to protect his property from repeated theft. He ended up shooting a homeless person “in self defense.” He was insured and followed instructions when reporting shooting to police. He was charged with attempted murder. Insurance company lawyer advised him to plead guilty to a lesser crime of manslaughter. He refused and got another attorney also paid by insurance. Insisted it was self defense. Case against him was dropped but individual shot sued and get a big settlement from insurance company.
That sounds like a tough niche to make money in for the insurance company. Legal fees incurred while representing their clients, and lawsuit settlements, could be enormous.
This American fascination with hand guns and stand your ground is creepy. In my entire life, I have never been so threatened that I would have had to pull a gun out and shoot somebody. In my experience, especially when younger, the last thing anybody would have wanted was for handguns to be pulled out. Tempers flare over trivial stuff. Mentally ill people also are carrying handguns.
Just really creepy and bizarre that Americans think this is the way to go thru life. They’ve watched Shootout At The OK Corral one too many times. I don’t think I’d want to be invested in a company issuing policies to represent the hand gun owners. Seems like an endless siphon-hose of money being hoovered out. Those monthly premiums better be really, really high.
I question that = look at the first link in the original post. The payouts as a percentage of premiums are about 50% (or the premiums) lower compared to other property insurance.
Two things: the article says (IIRC) that it’s $11 to $60 a MONTH. That seems ridiculously high, unless you actually plan on using it.
Which brings me to: doesn’t this incentivize people to start shooting when the pizza man comes to the wrong door rather than say “I’m sorry, are you at the wrong house?”
“Shootings are too easy.”
I agree. And there is no turning back once the trigger is pulled.
I have hunting weapons, I am very, very serious about what I put the crosshairs on. I can’t imagine lining up a human, do not ever want to do that. I do understand that there are some dicey areas to live and work in, as I worked in some of them when younger, so I do get that. But I know people that have concealed carry permits, and they have never been in any life or death situation. Vast majority of Americans need to calm down with the meme that they are under assault.
If you live in a high crime neighborhood and think you need a gun for your protection, it could be worth it. But they often have no assets to attach. So risk is time in prison. Could probably get public defender but insurance might be better.
Yes, too many guns and too much violence. But this is the current trend. And Supreme Court rulings make regulations difficult.
In most places, and I don’t mean VHCOL* places only, the difference in rent between a bad area and a good area is a lot more than $60 a month.
For example, take Baltimore. In West Baltimore, you can rent a livable place for $1000-1200 a month, but there is lots of crime in the area. Just a mile or two north, rents are $1500 for very junky places, and $1800+ for nicer places, but still some crime in the area. And if you really want to get away from the crime ridden areas, you’re going to be paying $2200+ for a decent place. The same applies to most other mid-size cities (where the jobs are).
Yes. I though Goofy’s retort was a bit simplistic. Like when somebody said about 15 yrs ago. People could afford health care if they didn’t spend money on iPhones. Or was it sneakers?
If I found myself saying: “I need to run to the store but I think I should take my gun. It’s pretty dangerous out there.” I would move to a different 'hood, even if I already owned a gun.
At my former job, they offered ARAG. Basically, a lawyer benefit. You paid like health insurance, and you could talk to a lawyer any time. We subscribed for a time. I sort of gave up on them when I would call the lawyer for immigration (1poorlady was in the process of becoming a citizen), and I knew more than he did. He wasn’t an immigration lawyer (obviously), but he couldn’t get one, either.
In principle, something to cover possible lawyer requirements (trusts, wills, DUI, lawsuits), would be good. It should include use of firearms (or maybe a rider?). Not necessarily as part of a “stand your ground” thing. But, like fire insurance, when you need “lawyer insurance”, you need it. And you hope you never need it.
My impression in this matter has been, the laws that authorized concealed carry and “castle doctrine” / stand your ground self-defense already addressed the liability issue. If it’s a good shooting IAW the law you can’t be charged and you’re not subject to civil liability. The details vary from state to state but if you’re not some yahoo and especially if it’s in your own house the chances are small you’ll be on the hook.
I didn’t mean that the $60 a month would be the net difference, just that if you feel the need to buy insurance in case you shoot someone then maybe you want to take all your things (including the extra $60) and find somewhere else. And yes, there is always somewhere else.