At a significantly higher predisposed risk, Americans are 400% more susceptible to mortality from unintended firearm injury than civilians in other first-world countries. A staggering 23% of unforeseen gun deaths are ‘reported as accidents’ according to research.
More than 4.6 million U.S. kids reside in residences with, at minimum, one unsecured firearm. 3 out of 4 school shootings have been attributed to children who attained the unlocked and free weapon from home. Tragically, in 2021, the number of accidental shootings by minors resulted in a total of 154 deaths and a staggering 242 injuries. Speaking to these heartbreaking totals, The Society for Public Health Education released a statement that reads, “Injuries are not accidents – they are not random incidents. Injuries have identified risk and protective factors making them preventable”.
The vast majority of accidental gun deaths and injuries are avoidable with safe firearm storage. While lives and safety are enough incentive to invest in it, ensuring firearm security also offers fiscal benefits.
Gun liability insurance prizes safe firearm storage with decreased premiums. Storing firearms in a gun safe, setting up a trigger lock, enrolling in a gun safety class, and installing a loaded chamber indicator are a few of the many acts that insurers reward and that increase eligibility for lower premiums. In general, gun liability insurance protects injuries and harm attributed to inattentiveness and accidental shootings. A significant amount also covers instances of self-defense in which “reasonable force” is the determined impetus.
Many forms of home insurance provide some amount of firearm coverage in their policy. Whether gun liability insurance is included in a homeowner policy or stands independently, it covers unintentional shootings in which victims don’t reside in the same home as the firearm, with the majority of plans omitting protection for premeditated shootings (including self-defense). These plans also cover stolen firearms, which totaled a whopping sum of $135 million (USD) in 2020.
For those seeking to avoid investing in stand-alone gun liability insurance, two types of add-ons that insure guns can be tacked on to homeowner and renters insurance plans. First, personal property protection expands the scope of coverage for lost and stolen guns, covers residences with more than one firearm, and is essential for those with large and expensive gun collections, though they should still consider investing in supplemental policies. The second, umbrella liability, increases the boundaries for liability coverage on all firearms, policy exclusions may stand for voluntary shootings like self-defense, and plans augment in effect upon full policy payment from homeowners.
For those exploring stand-alone gun liability insurance providers, the majority of plans cover criminal as well as civil defense costs and injuries, add-on policies can insure acts of self-defense, and comprehensive plans can protect gun substitution, bail compensation, psychological aid, and income forfeited to court activities.
Invest in gun liability insurance as you commit to ensuring gun safety and assistance should physical or financial liabilities confront you. Fully accept the responsibilities and risks of gun ownership, and take strides toward preventing them too.
