Killer insurance
NRA-offered policy comes under new fire
SHOOT FIRST, SHOW your insurance card later.
A National Rifle Associationbacked insurance policy for members who shoot another person is drawing scrutiny from gun control advocates who argue that the so-called “murder insurance” will embolden people to shoot.
Guns Down America released an ad Thursday featuring Trayvon Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, in opposition of “Carry Guard” insurance.
Trayvon, 17, was unarmed when a neighborhood watch volunteer fatally shot him in Florida five years ago.
“They spend millions lobbying for laws that allow them to ‘shoot first’ and ‘stand their ground,’ ” Fulton said in the video. “But that just makes it easier for them to get away with murder.”
Critics are worried cases like Trayvon’s, in which shooter George Zimmerman was protected under Florida’s controversial “Stand Your Ground” law, could become more common due to the insurance policies.
Like most other insurance plans, the NRA’s offers different benefits depending on how much a member pays.
The entry-level “Bronze” plan offers $250,000 in civil protection and $50,000 in criminal defense for a monthly premium of $13.95, according to the website.
“Gold Plus” is Carry Guard’s ultimate plan. For a monthly payment of $49.95 — or a discounted $549.95 per year — cardholders are covered for $1.5 million in civil defense and $250,000 in criminal defense.
Insurance giant Chubb is underwriting the policies, which are being administered by Lockton Affinity.
Each policy card comes with instructions on what to do “if you are forced to act in lawful self-defense,” starting with calling the police.
Once cops arrive, the shooter is advised to identify the suspected attacker but remain silent until his or her attorney arrives.
The program’s website also provides full spousal coverage, a one-year NRA membership and access to gun-safety training.
NRA chief Wayne LaPierre is quoted on Carry Guard’s website urging those who sign up to take “the most comprehensive training curriculum ever developed for men and women who carry firearms.”
Training has been one point of criticism since the insurance was rolled out in April. Despite urging policyholders to take classes, people with the insurance aren’t required to undergo training.
Civilian gun trainers certified with the NRA have also been upset that Carry Guard’s site lists four military veterans as instructors tied to the program.
“Someone who is ex-military, even an ex-military trainer, is not necessarily qualified to train civilians in concealed-carry training since it is two completely different worlds,” Robert Boilard, an NRA-approved teacher from New Hampshire, wrote on his blog. “Military training is offensive in nature, but in the civilian world it is defensive training.”