Most gun owners view the possession of a firearm in the gun safe or
concealed carried as our insurance against those who would harm us. What
if the unexpected happened? What if you are forced to use your firearm
in self-defense? Well, since you are a legally armed citizen, you just
show up in court and prove that you met all the legal requirements to
justify using deadly force. Then the court rules in your favor and life
goes on... not quite. Sounds real simple but I guarantee that it's not!
Just the word "court" is complicated and expensive. Even though the
court may rule that you are innocent of any criminal charges the family
of the deceased can take further action and file a civil suit for
wrongful death resulting in even more time and money.
Insurance
companies are now offering concealed carry and self-defense insurance
policies just for such occasions. Since this has become so popular,
there are several coverage options and several providers to choose from.
When
choosing a policy, do your homework. Most homeowner's insurance
policies have clauses that may either enable or prevent your current
plan from covering you in a self-defense scenario on your own property.
So consider any coverage you may already have through your homeowner's
insurance.
You need to also understand what the state laws are and
how they can protect you in certain situations. However, word of
caution these laws are always changing so you need to stay abreast of
what they are at all times. A lot of states have Stand Your Ground laws
that protect individuals against civil suits in lawful self-defense
situations. Most of the time, these laws make it unlikely that you will
face a civil suit when rightfully defending yourself.
Consider the
different types of coverage. Of course, the higher the premium, the
more coverage you get. Many plans will cover your legal bills for civil
cases up to the plan limit. For criminal trials, most plans only offer
reimbursement for money spent defending yourself. Several insurance
plans will not provide any money upfront and will only pay if you are
found not guilty. With all this in mind, it important to understand
exactly what you are getting.
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