A New Hope for WA and NY Residents Who Lost Carry Insurance
Both Washington and New York state gun owners have had an interesting battle with concealed carry insurance companies like the USCCA and NRA Carry Guard. Those states have made it illegal for these companies to do business, hanging the gun owners there out to dry.
If you live in Washington and are a member of USCCA with coverage that's ending or has already ended, they will not renew your term. Here is a USCCA response from their forum, regarding Washington state coverage:
There is a loophole that we've figured out so you can still be covered in the event that you need to use your firearm in self-defense.
In fact, there are two things you can do and I'll just name them here, so I don't waste your time:
I do explain each option in more detail, including why CCW Safe works while the others will not, so it's worth it to keep reading.
CCW Safe:
To break it down as simply as I possibly can, CCW Safe is a membership program that is not insurance in the traditional sense of the word. The other big players in this arena, even if they say they're “not insurance” are to some degree treated like an insurance company.
USCCA, who has coverage running out for its Washington members, lists each member as a beneficiary. If you ever use your firearm to defend yourself, your coverage kicks in and causes you to be a beneficiary of that coverage.
Because they are a more traditional style insurance for their members, they are also more subject to regulations. And, as a result of this regulation, they can be made illegal in certain states like NY and WA.
In all honesty, this is likely just the swell before the wave as other states will attack however they can in the coming months.
CCW Safe, again, isn't like a traditional insurance.
For CCW Safe, which is a form of “captive insurance” there are no beneficiaries listed. When you need to use your firearm in self-defense they cut a check directly from their own bank account and are thus not held to the same regulations as a traditional insurance is.
Here is a paragraph I pulled from Wikipedia, describing captive insurance in more detail:
Captive insurance is an alternative to self-insurance in which a parent group or groups create a licensed insurance company to provide coverage for itself. The main purpose of doing so is to avoid using traditional commercial insurance companies, which have volatile pricing and may not meet the specific needs of the company. By creating their own insurance company, the parent company can reduce their costs, insure difficult risks, have direct access to reinsurance markets, and increase cash flow.
Therefore, CCW Safe doesn't fall to traditional regulations because they take on all the financial burden themselves and cannot currently be kicked out of those states. This means that if you live there, or one of the other states who will undoubtedly go after “concealed carry insurance” companies, CCW Safe is your best option.
We just recently wrote up a comparison between CCW Safe and the USCCA that you can read by pushing on that link. And of course, our in depth insurance chart compares all the big players.
Hire a lawyer:
The other option, is to hire a lawyer for yourself and keep him/her on retainer. This is a viable option for you, but can be pretty expensive. Just to get the attorney to agree to work for you can cost several thousands of dollars–before the case even starts.
And then if you go over your retainer fees you have to keep paying.
We've put together some guidelines that you can follow, here, that'll help you on your journey to finding a good lawyer.
Conclusion:
There are options if you've been made unable by no fault of your own to use one of the companies who can no longer insure in certain states. As of right now, we're taking the opinion that CCW Safe is the best option, with finding your own lawyer a distant second.
However, even that is better than nothing. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
I live in WA state, and I find it simply abominable that Sideshow Bob Ferguson and his gun-hating ilk have forced Tim Schmidt to stop insuring me through USCCA. I will be taking a look at CCW Safe through the link you’ve provided. Thanks for that.
CCW SAFE not going to work, they just dropped my membership thanks to Mike Kreidler the WA State insurance Commishioner
same here, was with USCCA then jumped to CCWSafe, and just learned they canceled me as of Dec. 5th because I live in Washington. No coverage except the safety I was born with.
Try out the Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network!
[The only option for Washington State legal gun owners is U.S. Texas Law Shield.. Not as good as CCW Safe, but its better than nothing.
I was a USCCA member as well Paul Soboleski, i will be signing with CCW Safe as well.
Just saw on your web site that your coverage is not allowed in Washington State. What am i missing.
It may be prudent to update this article given recent news. http://www.captiveinsurancetimes.com/captiveinsurancenews/article.php?article_id=6657
Unfortunately on CCW Safe’s website, it states that residents of NY, NJ and WA cannot buy their insurance.
I live in NY and I have CCW Safe after I could no longer use USCCA. They just renewed my membership. I’ve had it for a year.
Ccwsafe just sent me a letter that they are going to cover me until membership runs out and not renew based on my residency in New York State
I had USCCA also . I live in GraM Washington are you sure we can get insurance through these people for my weapon concealed carry. Dennis Edgar
Typical leftist BS – they rant about how gun owners should have to have insurance but then proceed to find ways to prevent them from actually getting insurance – perhaps these companies could reformulate themselves in a way that provides reimbursement of self-defense costs without communist pols being able to use their insurance department bludgeon against them – time for a really creative contract lawyer
Yes, I was just cancelled by CCW Safe. They are no longer doing business in NY either. So I guess we don’t have any more options here in NY. Totally sucks!
They just renewed my membership for CCW Safe in NY.
Hi, yes, I had insurance with USCCA as well, I live in NYS, Retired law enforcement of 26 years, and because of Governor Cuomo, my insurance to carry as a LEGAL law abiding person and retired law enforcement officer, I’m denied a right to cover myself, my family and property should I need to defend myself..
I just called CCW safe and the women could not give me a definitive answer regarding coverage and sent a request to their legal to contact me.
There dies not seem to be any help for law abiding people to get coverage,
I am so f—–ing pissed at these low life crooked politicians that everyone screams and cheers for when they show up and lie to everyone for the vote.
Washington State is lost. The inmates have taken over the asylum.
This Governor and his cronies need to disapear. They hate guns, and law abiding gun owners, and at every chance attempt to chip away at our 2nd Amendment rights. I’ll start with my congressman here and see what can be done if anything. We’ve been here since ’97 and the governors office has been locked up by the dems since then so I don’t hold out much hope it will get better.
You can still be covered with the Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network.
ACLDN website now states that as of 26 March 2020, they can no longer accept new Wa state residents. Current will still be covered.
Absolutely CCW safe is the absolute best. Great customer service and outstanding protection. Get them and share the word with others.
They won’t cover WA State.
USCCA stopped doing business in NY State 2 years ago.
CCW safe has now stopped, too. I have been notified that they will not renew my membership because I love on NY State; it expires in August 2020.
There is now no where I can find that will cover anyone in NY, whether an insurer or another kind of membership pool. Nada.
So…..if I am driving drunk and plow through a group of tourists near Pike Place Market, my auto insurance company won’t have to pay out anything……because I broke the law, and in Washington, you can’t insure law breakers?
Per Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network:
Washington State residents, please note: Effective March 26, 2020 until further notice, the Network cannot accept new or renewing memberships from Washington State residents. We are allowed to serve existing members, but cannot accept orders from Washingtonians from this date forward.
USCCA stopped doing business in NY State 2 years ago.
CCW safe has now stopped, too. I have been notified that they will not renew my membership because I live in NY State; it expires in August 2020.
There is now no where I can find that will cover anyone in NY, whether an insurer or another kind of membership pool. Nada.
I will continue to carry, because my life and my family’s lives are worth more than the security of coverage. But now I might think twice about interceding to defend someone else’s life, even including that of a police officer in mortal danger.
Nice job, New York.
Only choice for commie states like NY is to engage real attorney offered programs. I am aware of one current as of 8/2020. This is a prepaid attorney program. Worth taking a look..
https://nytacdefense.com/services/
Thank you for the info. Not an insurance program (which is generally less expensive and can include spouse and family), but works similarly.
NOPE. CCW Safe website says:
Due to Recent laws enacted in 2019 -2020 The following States: Washington State, New Jersey, and New York are EXCLUDED!
So there is NOTHING! Another back door tactic developing to take away our 2nd Amendment rights!
Just got my notice yesterday from CCW Safe that I will mot be renewed because of Wa state.
This is for retired LE in NYS. CCW has HR218 COMPLETE COVERAGE PLAN. This is from CCW website.” The states of New Jersey (NJ) and Washington (WA) do not allow coverage for self-defense incidents. Residents from these states cannot purchase this plan. Active and retired law enforcement officers in the state of New York (NY), however, are eligible for the plan.” Just curious if any retired LE in NYS was able to obtain this plan. Also, I could not find any information regarding this exemption for retired LE.
I cancelled my CCW safe policy because Up until last month I was unaware that if I carried in NY or NJ I was not insured. I’m a retired NYC LEO who lives in PA, travels thru NJ and NY frequently and carries under hr218. God bless what’s left of America.
I live in NY very interested in your insurance
Check the NYLE plans in CCW safe
Check the NYLE plans in CCW safe
Try Lockton Affinity also. It was given to me by the NRA which i am a member of and a pistol instructor and range safety instructor. I am also a recently retired law enforcement officer from NYS with LEOSA HR-218 and looking to purchase some kind of insurance to cover god forbid a self defense or defense of a third party or active threat and provide attorney representation,bail, liability and litigation coverage. I will check also the Armed citizens Legal Defense. I do not mind purchasing 2 types legal defense for concealed carry. Peace of mind until I get to join a part time police department in which i will be covered under their umbrella.
I just heard from CCW Safe who is ceasing to cover non ex-LEO members in NY.
I live in NYS and have carried all the insurance providers listed here. One by one NYS has made it illegal for any of them to provide services to gun owners. It’s funny considering they have a bill on the table making it a requirement. It’s another gun-grabbing method by Democrats that is being implemented to have legal recourse to confiscate your firearms eventually. If insurance becomes mandated and they make it impossible to get any from providers outside the State, be prepared because here they come. The other thing I see happening is that gunowners will be required to carry insurance only from the State, which will be so cost-prohibitive that people will again be forced to surrender them or be considered a felon. Their back door tactics are never-ending. After losing a case to the Supreme Court, Hockel and company called a special session without notifying the other side and passed another draconian law prohibiting concealed carry in just about every location except your home. That one is also going to court and will most likely be struck down like her other attempts.