Do you carry a "gun rider" on your homeowners insurance for firearms? If so, about what does it cost and do you recommend it?
Thanks

Between safaris my insurance policy consists largely of two customized safes. They're an interesting investment alternative to rider policies. The safes pay for themselves over just a few years of use by making the insurance riders redundant (assuming your guns spend the vast majority of their existence in the safes, as do mine (sadly)). Clearly, the value of intended contents, and the probability of theft/damage are significant variables baked into that statement and are both likely personalized calls. However, safes today have commoditized to a point where even the most rudimentary models probably make sense for many of us. That's especially true for US owners if one factors in evolving liability concerns associated with recent "Brady Bill family" legislation...

"Out of the vault" time is a different story....Many insurance companies do not like to issue short term riders for high value, easily portable goods on international trips to third world countries.

My insurance is thru USAA (the avatar probably gives that away). While I haven't price shopped the coverage, my impression is that USAA's rider rates for firearms are steep. Immediately prior to my most recent safari, I took out a policy for ~$30k worth of rifles/optics that would be traveling with me flying to RSA on SAA. My main concern was chicanery than might take place with various and sundry TSA agents opening and (hopefully) relocking my bags in transit. And, I did have a box of 20 460 WBY solids disappear between Texas and RSA. USAA was good enough to let me cancel the policy after only ~a month when I returned with all insured equipment safe and sound, but made a point of telling me it's not their normal SOP, and they might not do it again.

Over the years, I've had a mixed experience in the extreme with USAA. But to their credit, this most recent experience was a strong positive. Much less expensive "short term" riders plus a good home safe may be a decent approach to aligning the periods of highest risk (travel) with minimizing coverage costs with whom ever your insurance carrier may be.

Best Regards,
Stuntpilot

If you are a member of the NRA you automatically have $1,000 coverage. You can add to this up to $50,000 for aproximatley 1.25% of insured value (cost per year) and you need to list all the firearms with the serial numbers. Works great! I had two claims they paid off without a problem....the 1st was for two Perazzi shotguns stolen when thieves broke into my trunk at a shoot and the 2nd was another Perazzi taken from the gun rack at the local gun club while I was visiting "the facility". The coverage is inclusive of everything and nice to have.

There are also several other companies that provide this type of coverage thru the various shooting organizations such as the ATA, NSSA, NSCA, etc. for about the same price.

The simplest and by far easiest gun insurance company to deal with is Sportsmans Insurance in Boca Raton Florida.

Your home owners insurance will generally cover about $5,000 in firearms. USAA wanted a high price and they also wanted me to pay for an appraisal on any firearms worth over $1,000 dollars for the rider.

NRA wanted some BS like that too.

Sportsmans wants a serial number.

I carry supplemental on all my guns through sportsmans which insures the guns under any and all circumstances including foreign travel.

Hope that helps

Greg.

I have investigated insurance in the past. However, the rates are unrealistically high, insurers wanted serial numbers and photos. Most importantly, insurance will cover "replacement" value only and not "like replacement". If one had for example a Holland and Holland magazine rifle in .375. The insurance would give you $1000. for another .375 --- not a Holland and Holland in the same condition-- if even available. My suggestion is to spend the money on a good safe and security system instead.

That's one of the more inane comments I've heard about insurance.

If you have two people with rifle insurance and one is paying a higher premium to cover his $20K H&H rifle (375-caliber)and the other is paying a lesser premium to insure his $600 Remington (375-cal).....the pay-offs must be different or else why the difference in premium.

I can see it now....I total my week-old Mercedes and the insurance company replaces it with a week-old Honda....makes sense to me.

Like stntpilot2 and surestrike I have USAA. To cover my guns for full replacement value would cost the equivalent of the price of a safe every two years. So, as above, I bought the heaviest, most fire resistant safes that I could. I also leave a low value, but easily nabbed rifle, and also a shotgun laying around. Both are old, and more importantly are missing internal parts necessary for function.

Thanks for the heads up on Sportsmans for trip insurance.

lawndart

quote:

That's one of the more inane comments I've heard about insurance.

For pity's sake DB, did you intend to sound so mean spirited? Please positively impress us with your brilliance, not negatively with your vehemence.

lawndart

lawndart ---- it isn't what people don't know that causes them (and others) problems, it's what they "think" they know...and don't, that causes problems.

If my comments sounded "mean-spirited" that wasn't my intention but when someone says something that is not only wrong but almost comically wrong is there a nice way to say say he's full of it.

THanks for the help on this. I am going the gun safe route. I have USAA and have had for 20 years due to connection to the military. Great insurance company for those of you who have a military connection.