Sunday, February 24, 2013

2nd Amendment Story: The next insult to Gun owners...REQUIRED liability insurance

...Lawmakers in at least half a dozen states, including California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania, have proposed legislation this year that would require gun owners to buy liability insurance — much as car owners are required to buy auto insurance. Doing so would give a financial incentive for safe behavior, they hope, as people with less dangerous weapons or safety locks could qualify for lower rates. 
‘‘I believe that if we get the private sector and insurance companies involved in gun safety, we can help prevent a number of gun tragedies every year,’’ said David P. Linsky, a Democratic state representative in Massachusetts who wants to require gun owners to buy insurance, which he believes will encourage more responsible behavior and reduce accidental shootings. ‘‘Insurance companies are very good at evaluating risk factors and setting their premiums appropriately.’’ 
Groups representing gun owners oppose efforts to make insurance mandatory, arguing that law-abiding people should not be forced to buy insurance to exercise their constitutional right to bear arms. But some groups, including the National Rifle Association, endorse voluntary liability policies.And as several states pass laws making it easier for people to carry concealed weapons and use them for self-defense, some gun groups are now selling policies to cover some of the legal costs stemming from such shootings.
[...]
Robert P. Hartwig, the president of the Insurance Information Institute, said that insurance generally covers accidents and unintentional acts — not intentional or illegal ones. 
“Insurance will cover you if your home burns down in an electrical fire, but it will not cover you if you burn down your own house, and you cannot insure yourself for arson,’’ he said.
Read the whole story HERE.

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