The National Rifle Association's (NRA) insurance policy known as NRA Carry Guard is for concealed carriers who want personal liability insurance. The insurance policy protects carriers from civil liability and "provides them with immediate access to attorneys, supplementary payments as needed for bail, criminal defense legal retainer fees, lawful firearm replacement, compensation while in court, psychological support and cleanup costs for any covered claim resulting from the use of a legally possessed firearm—including an act of self-defense."
Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler on Tuesday announced a ban "on the sale of illegal insurance policies branded by the National Rifle Association (NRA)," clearly referencing NRA's Guard Guard Insurance. According to Kreidler, the insurance policies are illegal because "they insure unlawful activity."
“When it comes to insurance products associated with the NRA, it’s buyer beware,” Kreidler said. “The attempt to insure a criminal act is a rip-off for consumers. The policies sold are deceptive and dishonest. I would be remiss as the state’s insurance regulator if I didn’t shut them down.”
Kreidler is seeking $102,000 from Illinois Union Insurance Co. for underwriting 811 insurance polices and $75,000 from Lockton Affinity for selling the policies.
The NRA's attorneys say the gun rights organization followed all laws, including addressing Kreidler's previous concerns about selling the insurance policies through the Carry Guard website.
"As today’s announcement acknowledges, changes were made to the NRA’s website last year to address concerns raised by the commissioner's office," William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors and counsel to the NRA, said in a statement. "The NRA has acted appropriately at all times, and will continue to advocate for the legal right – and practical ability – of Americans to defend themselves. For specific information about Carry Guard or any other insurance policy, the NRA refers interested parties to Lockton."
The disturbing part of the entire ordeal is how Kreidler is viewing personal liability insurance for those who decide to carry concealed. In his eyes, concealed carriers are automatically considered to be criminals. It's automatically assumed that the carrier must have committed some sort of wrong doing because he or she fired their weapon. That's not the case and to make a blanket statement like that is not only factually incorrect, it's morally reprehensible.
There have been many, many instances where a person has used a firearm to protect their life or the life of someone else. Far too many to count. But what happens? It's automatically assumed that their shooting was unjustified. It's automatically assumed that a concealed carrier wants to fire their gun. And it's automatically assumed that he or she wants to kill someone.
Here's the cold. Hard. Truth.
No law-abiding gun owner who decides to carry wants to unholster their firearm. Not one. Because if they're unholstering their gun it means the threat is eminent and what's the objective when utilizing a firearm for self-protection? You fire until the threat is gone. No right-minded person wants to have that on their conscience.
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