Gun insurance under review
As lawmakers in Connecticut and at least five other states consider legislation that would require gun owners to purchase insurance for their weapons, few insurance companies are jumping at the chance to offer additional policies.
Following the Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, state Sen. Beth Bye and state Rep. Bob Godfrey introduced a bill in January that would require gun owners to purchase liability insurance.
Gun-rights supporters say making insurance mandatory would infringe on law-abiding citizens”™ Second Amendment rights. But as the bill moves forward, legislators are figuring out the details of how the law would work and preparing for upcoming hearings.
“This is new to Connecticut so I”™m on a learning curve, the same as my colleagues,” Godfrey said. “We”™re interested to see what the public hearing will bring out and additional examples of how it will be used.”
Godfrey said the idea behind gun liability insurance is similar to laws requiring car insurance, adding that the insurance could cover medical and legal expenses stemming from a shooting.
The question of whether insurance would cover costs due to an intentional shooting has yet to be determined, but such a requirement could protect shooting victims and encourage responsible gun ownership, Godfrey said.
Lawmakers in California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania have also proposed similar measures this year. Godfrey said Connecticut”™s bill is largely based off of a similar measure proposed in Massachusetts.
Among the Connecticut insurers that have opted to create gun liability policies is Paradiso Insurance, with offices in Stafford Springs and North Windham.
“Paradiso Insurance doesn”™t take a political stance when it comes to gun laws or gun control, but the agency can help gun owners in Connecticut find an insurance policy with the right amount of coverage,” the company said in a March 7 statement.
Paradiso offers a range of individual and business insurance policies, including home, auto, renters, flood and vehicle insurance, and general liability, commercial property and employment practices liability insurance for businesses.
“The purpose of this law would be to ensure safe and responsible behavior when it comes to gun ownership,” the company said. “It is also believed that if insurance companies got involved in gun safety, this could help prevent gun tragedies.”
Paradiso representatives could not be reached for comment.
Only 50 percent of Connecticut voters support mandatory gun insurance, according to a recent Quinnipiac University poll, whereas 93 percent of respondents support universal background checks.
Among those surveyed by Quinnipiac who are gun owners, 71 percent said they were opposed mandatory liability insurance for gun owners.
In Connecticut, homeowner”™s insurance policies can provide liability coverage for gun accidents, but few insurance providers offer liability policies that exclusively apply to gun ownership.
In an infamous case, Florida resident George Zimmerman is facing a second-degree murder charge in the death of Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman, who was released on a $1 million bond and is currently awaiting trial, has said he used his gun in self defense, according to court documents.
Zimmerman”™s attorney has publicly encouraged gun owners to seek insurance coverage.
Like car insurance, premiums would likely be determined by calculations of risk and consumers with a poor record could be denied coverage, though they probably wouldn”™t be able to purchase a gun in the first place, Godfrey said.
Some companies, such as Paradiso, would also likely offer premium discounts on policies for gun locks, proper training and safes, which would encourage positive behavior.