Posted on 01/18/2013 2:12:04 PM PST by Clint N. Suhks
As lawmakers cast around for ways to curb gun-related violence, some are hoping the insurance market might offer incentives.
A bill filed Friday in Massachusetts would require gun owners to purchase liability insurance in the event that a firearm is used to injure. The insurance policies would give those injured by a weapon a legal recourse, backers of the bill say, but they also would create financial incentives that could reduce accidents and fatalities. Gun owners, for example, might see lower insurance rates if they agreed to take firearms training courses and properly stored their weapons.
"Insurance companies were able to discourage smoking through the marketplace and make cars safer through the marketplace," said state Rep. David Linsky, the bill's sponsor.
And insurers have more leeway than law enforcement in some cases, he said.
Massachusetts already has gun storage laws, but police cannot come into a person's home without a warrant, Linsky pointed out. An insurance company, however, would be able to verify that there is proper gun storage before writing a policy.
Officials at the National Conference of State Legislatures say to their knowledge no state has adopted a gun insurance requirement.
The idea is already meeting with resistance for gun rights advocates, who say it amounts to more regulation aimed at law-abiding gun-owners.
"Now we're going to have insurance companies telling us how we are supposed to be trained and where we are going to store our guns?" said Jim Wallace, executive director of the Gun Owners Action League in Massachusetts.
Craig Baenziger, who works at a gun- and ammunition-seller in North Attleboro, Mass., called Northeast Trading Co., said requiring liability insurance for guns makes little sense because it targets people who buy the weapons legally instead of going after criminals who illegally possess them.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattlepi.com ...
Then only limo-liberals get to exercise the second amendment. These “progressives” are soooo smart. Smart like the devil.
How about voting insurance, so the rest of us can get reimbursed for damages by the idiots who voted in Obama and the other Dems?
Bull Sh!t idea.
Gun insurance? How about STUPID insurance for the legislators?
Notice this bill originates in Massachusetts, the insurance capital of the USA?
What a scam.
Welfare for plaintif lawyers.
Requiring docs to carry malpractice insurance created the malpractice industry.
Can someone explain the LOGIC in that...?
Lemme review that; it's good when laws punish law-abiding people, and leave unmolested the law breakers.
Do I have that right...?
Mentally-ill, lib-dems, flailing-about for anything which’ll accomplish their socialist/marxist/fascist/commie goals of “gun control”. This is also going nowhere. (Unless treasonous John Roberts requires it, by another SCOTUS tax/mandate decision.)
And just how would that reduce crime committed with guns? It wouldn’t. It is just another measure intended to harass gun owner and cost them money.
Hey! Government can compel you to buy health insurance you don't want; the Supremes even said it was constitutional. This is only the logical next step: liability insurance for those DANGEROUS weapons in your home.
Can't afford it? Have to sell your weapons? Too bad.
If someone steals a Bushmaster and raids the local High School. A couple of things are about to happen. The first is that the perpetrator doesn’t have any insurance because he stole the rifle and ammunition. Second the thirty five students that he offed are going to have to apply on their own for burial funds.
Hear hear
I doubly second that motion.....
I'm sure we will soon have a Federal Registration Fee.....RETROACTIVE....and wait until you have tyo report possession on your 2013 Form 1040.
Yep you can have your guns but lts going to cost you $200 month in insurance fee. WTH?! Why? Because I’m the big bad wolf and I sad so - B. Hussein Obama.
The government needs to get out of the insurance business period.
Fascists...
> How about voting insurance, so the rest of us can get reimbursed for damages by the idiots who voted in Obama and the other Dems?
I 2nd that. Now file a WH petition...
Second the thirty five students that he offed are going to have to apply on their own for burial funds.
Everyone lives happily ever after. : )
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