So a funny thing happened... I Googled for self-defense insurance and a forum for CO gun owners is one of the search returns... So now I'm a new member of a forum for a State in which I live. I'm not a "forums guy", but this thread struck a chord.
I'm an ACLDN Member. After researching the various options, it's the better choice in my opinion.
1. $135 for the first year, $95 per year after that. And that money is going in to an account for yourself as well as other members. So it only gets bigger as time goes on.
2. It's not insurance, it's a membership. And the benefits are as follows....
3. Upon joining you are given 8 DVDs and Massad Ayoob's Deadly Force: Understanding Your Right To Self Defense. So, they're giving you educational material that's admissible in court that will add to your defense case. Yeah, I know. You'll have to read a book as part of your training instead of banging out pairs in to that silhouette...
4. The Advisory Board. Big perk to me. I don't know if any of you know any of the people on that Board, but I've trained with Tom Givens and received his Advanced Instructor Certification and all I can say is I want that guy on my Subject Matter Expert legal team. Not to mention, John Farnam, a local CO Sheriff (just a bonus for us CO people), Manny Kapelsohn, a homicide detective (And the guy that is probably one of the most widespread "live" person silhouettes on the market. I've personally shot his target I don't know how many times.) as well as Massad Ayoob, Jim Fleming, and Denis Tueller (Of the oh so famous Tueller Drill). Those are people that are going to examine your "claim" and you have access to them as part of being in the Network. And since you read that book instead of banging out pairs, you actually feel confident your actions were that of the reasonable citizen and not Captain Save a Ho, so you're case is already looking better.
5. Now the money. One phone call and you get $10,000 to retain an attorney, $25,000 in bail money, and all legal fees (up to $450,000 as of this writing) to defend your case. And that includes SMEs. That's an add-on for some of the other policies out there.
6. You get to pick your attorney. And the Network has got quite a few if you don't know of one you'd like to have yet. Which on a side note, selecting your attorney first would be a good idea since you'll likely be detained and wish you'd done your homework.
7. Continuing education. The newsletter is very informative and makes for good furthering education.
I realize we all have obligations. Bills, kids, that shiny new LWRC 6.8 SPC II on the wall, you know... Life... But...
You carry a gun and spare magazine on your belt (Everybody is carrying a spare mag, right? Everyone nod your head yes.) for a deadly encounter that you know may never happen, but if it does, the stakes are so high, (you know, your life) that you have a firearm on your person. But you're unwilling to throw down $100 per year for something that may never happen, but could ruin your life in court? Guys, it's Jeff Cooper's Problems 1 and 2 right there in your face. You solved Problem 1 with training, now solve Problem 2 with your wallet. I will admit that I didn't have insurance for years, but now that I do, I look back and acknowledge just how stupid that was. And for the people that think their actions will be read perfectly by the prosecutor in the evidence and eyewitness testimony you won't need an attorney cause the responding police officer will be high fiving you for your superior judgement and marksmanship, think again... You're still going to be detained. You're still going to be questioned. I want an attorney present. Someone who does this Problem 2 stuff for a living. Do you want a commercial airline pilot that flies that Airbus every week of his life, or the guy that does it as a hobby every once in awhile? Give me the professional. Any day.
Get insurance. Do your research before you buy. Everyone's situation is different and one may work better for you than it would for me, but upon looking at the 4 or so "popular" insurers mentioned in this thread, I still think ACLDN is the best. I'm not endorsing or plugging them for a kickback, I'm just a happy customer. I've never had to use them. I don't ever want to have to use them. But, I have spoken with people on the Board as well as Marty Hayes and these violent encounters that we think don't happen, do. Tom Givens to date has had 65 students out of about 7,000+ have to use deadly force. And that's just the ones he knows about. Marty had a call to the "Bat Phone" (my term) just a couple weeks ago from one of the Network members because they too had to defend themselves.
If you think it won't happen to you, guess what...
There was a lot more I wrote in response to this subject, but I know your eyes are already starting to gloss over. And because it's not cool and has zero round count people pass it over, but make no mistake, it is important and deserves some time and effort on everyone's part. And yes, this is the Internet, so everyone's got an opinion (God bless you Internet Commandos out there in the basements of parentals across this Great Land), or an uncle's best friend's girlfriend's father's brother's son that posted about something to do with getting out of a court case cause the County Prosecutor saw their superior prowess with a firearm and didn't prosecute. And yes, George Zimmerman was a complete idiot. Monumental. But once that lady on the major news network, or one of the Reverends takes up your incident for social justice, you're gonna wish you had the best attorney you could find. Get some friggin' insurance!
That's it. Soap box over.
Now about those pairs...
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Originally Posted by CavSct1983
