From a reader:
Rep.
Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and eight Democrat cosponsors have introduced
the “Firearm Risk Protection Act” (H.R. 1369) into Congress, the first
bill that would require liability
insurance of gun buyers nationwide.
She was joined in sponsoring the bill by Reps. James Moran of Virginia and Eleanor Holmes Norton of Washington, D.C.
The proposal was introduced into the House Judiciary Committee.
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The
law would require gun buyers to have liability insurance coverage
before being allowed to purchase a weapon and imposes a fine of $10,000
if an owner is found not to have
the required coverage; service members and law enforcement officers are
exempt from this insurance requirement.
Attempts to pass legislation in several states have failed.
“We
have a long history of requiring insurance for high-risk products – and
no one disputes that guns are dangerous,” Maloney said in a statement.
“While many individual states
are debating this issue now, it makes more sense for Congress to
establish a national requirement to allow the insurance markets to begin
to price the risks involved consistently nationwide.”
Although
the bill would require gun owners to have “a qualified liability
insurance policy,” obtaining such coverage could be nearly impossible as
few companies offer that
type of product.
“Legislatures
can mandate, but can’t compel insurers to sell it,” said Robert
Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute when asked
recently by IFAwebnews.com
if the insurance industry was prepared to offer firearm liability
insurance.
Currently,
guns are only insured as property in most cases, but bodily and
property injury due to accidental discharge may be covered under a
traditional homeowners policy,
akin to slip and fall incidents.
According
to Hartwig, most insurance companies understand the low probability of
such an event and do not even ask prospective policyholders if they own a
gun.
The
National Rifle Association currently endorses an “excess personal
liability” plan with up to $250,000 in coverage, administered by Lockton
Affinity. A “self-defense” rider
is also available, covering NRA members involved in an act of
self-defense.
The
six other co-sponsors of Maloney’s bill are Keith Ellison (Minn.),
Michael Capuano (Mass.), Bobby Rush (Ill.), Nikki Tsongas (Mass.),
Stephen Lynch (Mass.) and Earl Blumenauer
(Ore.).
--They try to hit every angle...
1 comment:
Don't Panic!
There, now grab your Towel and just look at who is putting in the Bill.
Then look at the Co-Sponsers.
These are the Same Uber-Liberal Commies who just won't get Voted out of their VolksRepubliks even if you VIDEOTAPED every Single Vote that they got, because they represent Sheeple.
House Judiciary Committee is taking those Bills and sending them straight to the Shredder.
If the Republicans lose the House in 2014, however, THEN Panic!
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