If you are a gun owner who carries a concealed weapon for self-defense, you may want to consider getting CCW insurance. CCW insurance is a type of legal protection that covers you in case you have to use your firearm in a lawful self-defense situation.
CCW insurance can help you pay for legal fees, bail bonds, civil damages, and other expenses that may arise from a self-defense shooting.
What is Concealed Carry Insurance?
Concealed carry insurance is a specialized type of insurance that covers legal expenses and civil damages for gun owners who use their firearms in self-defense. Unlike traditional insurance, CCW insurance does not cover property damage, medical bills, or accidental shootings.
CCW insurance only applies when you use your firearm in a lawful manner to protect yourself or others from an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm.
CCW insurance typically covers the following expenses:
- Criminal defense: This includes attorney fees, expert witnesses, court costs, and other legal expenses related to defending yourself against criminal charges.
- Civil defense: This includes attorney fees, court costs, and other legal expenses related to defending yourself against civil lawsuits filed by the attacker or their family.
- Civil damages: This includes any monetary awards or settlements that you have to pay to the attacker or their family as a result of a civil lawsuit.
- Bail bond: This includes the money that you have to pay to get out of jail while awaiting trial.
- Per diem: This includes the money that you receive for each day that you spend in court or at trial.
- Counseling: This includes the money that you receive for psychological counseling or therapy after a self-defense shooting.
CCW insurance providers usually offer different levels of coverage depending on the plan that you choose. Some plans may also offer additional benefits such as training resources, incident scene cleanup, spouse coverage, multi-state coverage, and more.
Concealed Carry Insurance vs. Traditional Insurance
Concealed carry insurance is different from traditional insurance in several ways. Here are some of the main differences:
- Coverage: Traditional insurance covers property damage, medical bills, and accidental shootings. CCW insurance covers legal fees, civil damages, and self-defense shootings.
- Claim process: Traditional insurance requires you to file a claim and wait for approval before getting paid. CCW insurance pays upfront or reimburses you after you pay your legal expenses.
- Deductible: Traditional insurance requires you to pay a deductible before getting paid. CCW insurance does not have a deductible.
- Limit: Traditional insurance has a limit on how much it will pay for each claim. CCW insurance has a limit on how much it will pay for each incident or per year.
- Exclusions: Traditional insurance may exclude certain types of firearms, ammunition, or situations from coverage. CCW insurance covers any type of firearm or ammunition that is legal in your state and any situation where you use your firearm in lawful self-defense.
Why is Concealed Carry Insurance Important?
Concealed carry insurance is important because it can protect you from the financial and emotional consequences of a self-defense shooting.
Even if you act lawfully and morally when using your firearm in self-defense, you may still face criminal charges or civil lawsuits from the attacker or their family. The legal process can be lengthy, stressful, and expensive.
Without CCW insurance, you may have to pay for your own legal defense out of pocket or rely on public defenders who may not have the expertise or resources to handle your case.
CCW insurance can provide you with peace of mind knowing that you have access to qualified attorneys who specialize in self-defense cases and who will fight for your rights and freedom.
CCW insurance can also help you cover the costs of bail bonds, civil damages, per diem payments, counseling sessions, and other expenses that may arise from a self-defense shooting.
How Much is Concealed Carry Insurance?
The cost of concealed carry insurance varies depending on the provider, the plan, and the level of coverage that you choose.
Generally speaking, CCW insurance plans range from $10 to $50 per month or $100 to $500 per year. Some providers may offer discounts for paying annually, adding spouse coverage, joining affiliate organizations, or completing training courses.
The cost of CCW insurance also depends on the value that you get from the coverage and the benefits that you receive. Some providers may offer more coverage, more benefits, or better service than others. Therefore, it is important to compare different CCW insurance providers and plans before making a decision.
Major Concealed Carry Insurers
There are several CCW insurance providers in the market, each with their own features, advantages, and disadvantages. In this section, we will compare some of the major CCW insurance providers and highlight their benefits, drawbacks, and coverage breakdowns.
1. U.S. Concealed Carry Association (USCCA)
The U.S. Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) is one of the largest and most popular CCW insurance providers in the country. It has been providing CCW insurance since 2003 and has nearly 1 million members. The USCCA offers three levels of CCW insurance plans Gold, Platinum, and Elite.
Benefits
- High per diem rates: The USCCA offers up to $750 per day for per diem payments, which is higher than most other providers.
- Comprehensive training and education: The USCCA provides access to a large library of training videos, articles, guides, checklists, and magazines that cover various topics related to concealed carry and self-defense.
- Spouse coverage: The USCCA allows you to add your spouse to your plan for a small additional fee.
- Industry discounts: The USCCA offers discounts on various products and services from its industry partners, such as firearms, ammunition, holsters, gear, training courses, and more.
Drawbacks
- No upfront payment: The USCCA does not pay for your legal expenses upfront. Instead, it reimburses you after you pay your legal fees or after your case is resolved.
- No choice of attorney: The USCCA does not allow you to choose your own attorney. Instead, it assigns you an attorney from its network of affiliated attorneys.
- No incident scene cleanup: The USCCA does not cover the costs of cleaning up the scene of a self-defense shooting.
Coverage Breakdown
| Plan | Gold | Platinum | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Cost | $22 | $30 | $47.00 |
| Annual Cost | $247 | $347 | $497.00 |
| Criminal Defense | $100,000 | $150,000 | $250,000.00 |
| Civil Defense | $500,000 | $1 million | $2 million |
| Civil Damages | $500,000 | $1 million | $2 million |
| Bail Bond | $5,000/$50,000 | $10,000/$100,000 | $25,000/$250,000 |
| Per Diem | $250/day | $350/day | $750/day |
| Counseling Sessions | 6 sessions | 8 sessions | 10 sessions |
2. U.S. & Texas LawShield
U.S. & Texas LawShield is another large and well-known CCW insurance provider in the country. It has been providing CCW insurance since 2009 and has over 700,000 members. U.S. & Texas LawShield offers one level of CCW insurance plan with optional add-ons.
Benefits
- Unlimited coverage: U.S. & Texas LawShield covers 100% of your legal fees for criminal and civil defense with no limit or cap.
- Upfront payment: U.S. & Texas LawShield pays for your legal expenses upfront as they occur.
- Choice of attorney: U.S. & Texas LawShield allows you to choose your own attorney or use one of their affiliated attorneys.
- Multi-state coverage: U.S. & Texas LawShield covers you in all 50 states if you add the multi-state protection option to your plan.
Drawbacks
- No civil damages: U.S. & Texas LawShield does not cover any civil damages that you may have to pay as a result of a civil lawsuit.
- No bail bond: U.S. & Texas LawShield does not cover any bail bond fees that you may have to pay to get out of jail.
- No per diem: U.S. & Texas LawShield does not offer any per diem payments for each day that you spend in court or at trial.
- No counseling: U.S. & Texas LawShield does not offer any counseling sessions for psychological support after a self-defense shooting.
Coverage Breakdown
| Plan | Basic Plan |
|---|---|
| Monthly Cost | $11 |
| Annual Cost | $131 |
| Criminal Defense | Unlimited |
| Civil Defense | Unlimited |
| Civil Damages | None |
| Bail Bond | None |
| Per Diem | None |
| Counseling Sessions | None |
3. SecondCall Defense
SecondCall Defense is a relatively new CCW insurance provider that was founded in 2013. It has over 50,000 members and offers three levels of CCW insurance plans: Basic, Defender, and Ultimate.
Benefits
- Upfront payment: SecondCall Defense pays for your legal expenses upfront as they occur.
- Choice of attorney: SecondCall Defense allows you to choose your own attorney or use one of their affiliated attorneys.
- Wide range of support services: SecondCall Defense provides a variety of support services such as emergency contact notification, expert witness coordination, media relations, and more.
- Training and resources: SecondCall Defense provides access to training videos, articles, newsletters, and webinars that cover various topics related to concealed carry and self-defense.
Drawbacks
- Low coverage limits: SecondCall Defense has relatively low coverage limits for criminal and civil defense compared to other providers.
- No civil damages: SecondCall Defense does not cover any civil damages that you may have to pay as a result of a civil lawsuit.
- No incident scene cleanup: SecondCall Defense does not cover the costs of cleaning up the scene of a self-defense shooting.
Coverage Breakdown
| Plan | Basic | Defender | Ultimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Cost | $10 | $15 | $34.95 |
| Annual Cost | $119 | $179 | $419.40 |
| Criminal Defense | $10,000 | $25,000 | $50,000.00 |
| Civil Defense | $10,000 | $25,000 | $50,000.00 |
| Civil Damages | None | None | None |
| Bail Bond | $1,000/$10,000 | $2,500/$25,000 | $5,000/$50,000 |
| Per Diem | None | None | $500/day |
| Counseling Sessions | None | None | 10 sessions |
4. CCW Safe
CCW Safe is another CCW insurance provider that was founded in 2011 by former police officers and attorneys. It has over 100,000 members and offers four levels of CCW insurance plans: Defender, Protector, Ultimate, and Constitutional Carry.
Benefits
- Unlimited coverage: CCW Safe covers 100% of your legal fees for criminal and civil defense with no limit or cap.
- Upfront payment: CCW Safe pays for your legal expenses upfront as they occur.
- Choice of attorney: CCW Safe allows you to choose your own attorney or use one of their affiliated attorneys.
- Incident scene cleanup: CCW Safe covers the costs of cleaning up the scene of a self-defense shooting.
Drawbacks
- No civil damages: CCW Safe does not cover any civil damages that you may have to pay as a result of a civil lawsuit.
- No per diem: CCW Safe does not offer any per diem payments for each day that you spend in court or at trial.
- No counseling: CCW Safe does not offer any counseling sessions for psychological support after a self-defense shooting.
Coverage Breakdown
| Plan | Defender | Protector | Ultimate | Constitutional Carry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Cost | $16.00 (single) / $22.00 (couple) / $28.00 (family) | $22.00 (single) / $28.00 (couple) / $34.00 (family) | $41.00 (single) / $47.00 (couple) / $53.00 (family) | N/A |
| Annual Cost | $179.00 (single) / $239.00 (couple) / $299.00 (family) | $249.00 (single) / $299.00 (couple) / $349.00 (family) | $499.00 (single) / $549.00 (couple) / $599.00 (family) | N/A |
| Criminal Defense | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Civil Defense | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Civil Damages | None | None | None | None |
| Bail Bond | $1 million | $1 million | $1 million | $1 million |
| Per Diem | None | None | None | None |
| Counseling Sessions | None | None | None | None |
5. Firearms Legal Protection
Firearms Legal Protection is a CCW insurance provider that was founded in 2016 by a group of attorneys and firearms instructors. It has over 20,000 members and offers two levels of CCW insurance plans: Premium and Premium Plus.
Benefits
- Protection in all 50 states: Firearms Legal Protection covers you in all 50 states regardless of which plan you choose.
- Choice of attorney: Firearms Legal Protection allows you to choose your own attorney or use one of their affiliated attorneys.
- Counseling support: Firearms Legal Protection provides access to counseling sessions for psychological support after a self-defense shooting.
- Incident scene cleanup: Firearms Legal Protection covers the costs of cleaning up the scene of a self-defense shooting.
Drawbacks
- Low coverage limits: Firearms Legal Protection has relatively low coverage limits for criminal and civil defense compared to other providers.
- No civil damages: Firearms Legal Protection does not cover any civil damages that you may have to pay as a result of a civil lawsuit.
- No per diem: Firearms Legal Protection does not offer any per diem payments for each day that you spend in court or at trial.
Coverage Breakdown
| Plan | Premium | Premium Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Cost | $9.95 (single) / $14.95 (family) | $14.95 (single) / $24.95 (family) |
| Annual Cost | $119.40 (single) / $179.40 (family) | $179.40 (single) / $299.40 (family) |
| Criminal Defense | $50,000 | $250,000 |
| Civil Defense | $50,000 | $250,000 |
| Civil Damages | None | None |
| Bail Bond | $2,500/$25,000 | $5,000/$50,000 |
| Per Diem | None | None |
| Counseling Sessions | 3 sessions ($150/session) | 6 sessions ($150/session) |
6. Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network
Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network is a CCW insurance provider that was founded in 2008 by a group of firearms instructors and experts. It has over 19,000 members and offers one level of CCW insurance plan with optional add-ons.
Benefits
- Upfront payment: Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network pays for your legal expenses upfront as they occur.
- Choice of attorney: Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network allows you to choose your own attorney or use one of their affiliated attorneys.
- Training and education: Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network provides access to a large library of training videos, books, DVDs, and newsletters that cover various topics related to concealed carry and self-defense.
Drawbacks
- No civil damages: Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network does not cover any civil damages that you may have to pay as a result of a civil lawsuit.
- No bail bond: Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network does not cover any bail bond fees that you may have to pay to get out of jail.
- No per diem: Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network does not offer any per diem payments for each day that you spend in court or at trial.
- No counseling: Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network does not offer any counseling sessions for psychological support after a self-defense shooting.
Coverage Breakdown
| Plan | Basic Plan |
|---|---|
| Annual Cost | $135 (single) / $95 (spouse) / $60 (additional family member) |
| Criminal Defense | Up to the limit of the legal defense fund |
| Civil Defense | Up to the limit of the legal defense fund |
| Civil Damages | None |
| Bail Bond | None |
| Per Diem | None |
| Counseling Sessions | None |
