[wingnutx]

Nancy Errera, who has helped run her family's gun shop for many years, and has been insured by Safeco Insurance for several years, received this notice recently with a Non-renewal form letter.

The non-renewal was on a form letter with no names, phone numbers, etc. and the reasons were inserted.

Reasons:

"Your ownership of a gunshop, lobbying activities regarding gun control, and involvement in organizing "shoots" represent an increased liability exposure."


Nancy has this to say: Safeco is passing judgement on a subject about which they obviously know nothing. My ladies' shoots are for the purpose of teaching handgun safety - Safeco should be thanking me, not cancelling me. 500-600 women have participated at no charge to them in the last 5 years, and I've handed out three bandaids, all for non-shooting-related maladies. I'm in the process of cancelling the rest of my Safeco insurance, and writing a scathing letter about their anti-self-defense, anti-civil rights, anti-Constitution policy.

I appreciate any effort to spread the word.

Thanks!

Nancy Errea South Dakota Coordinator Second Amendment Sisters Rapid City, SD

Here is Nancy's letter to the SD Insurance Board:SD Division of Insurance

To whom it may concern:

I wish to file a complaint about the cancellation of an umbrella policy I had with Safeco Insurance. Rather than go into a detailed explanation, I ask you to please read the attached letter that I sent to the board members of Safeco; it thoroughly explains my objection to their decision. Also attached is the copy of the notice of cancellation, including the policy number.

Having been insured by Safeco for the past few years, to find that all of a sudden I?m being rejected for exercising my constitutional rights, specifically my Second Amendment rights, is a blatant rejection of the law of the land. As South Dakota must protect the rights of its citizens, I respectfully request the Division of Insurance to investigate this situation. None of the Safeco literature that was given to me to induce me to insure with Safeco, nor any of the provisions printed on the policy which I have tried to renew make any reference to firearms education and training.

In addition, there has never been a claim against me regarding my involvement with firearms training. Surely Safeco has access to statistics regarding shooting sports injuries and accidents, and knows that those accidents are practically non-existent.

Thank you for your kind attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Nancy Errea

http://2asisters.org/


I found this on freerepublic. Thought people here might find itn interesting.

[cosmos7]

very sad indeed... :mad:

[KarlG]

This does bite. I would be curious to see the stats on accidents during gun training. I wonder if the liability is real or perceived. Those wild and crazy actuaries could tell us.

[Lord Grey Boots]

The NFA in Canada had $1million liability for all its members to cover firearm related incidents. The cost to each member? $1/year which was just a little more than postage.

The reason? The insurance company found the risk was so low that someone would ever make a claim, they charged a pittance for it.

[c_yeager]

The non-renewal was on a form letter with no names, phone numbers, etc. and the reasons were inserted.

"Your ownership of a gunshop, lobbying activities regarding gun control, and involvement in organizing "shoots" represent an increased liability exposure."

This just sounds odd to me. What kind of form letter contains no contact information? How can it even BE a form letter if it doesnt have that information what kind of "form" is it then?

And for the second part its almost like the insurance company is TRYING to look stupid. No insurance company is going to put in writting that they are cancelling someone for "lobbying activities". They MAY cancel them for that reason but, it would be insane to SAY SO in such a way as this.

Im snot saying it isnt legit. Nancy is definatly one of the good guys and i doubt she would make it up. It just looks like there is more to it than what we are seeing here.

[Langenator]

What makes the "lobbying activities" part even more stupid...I'd bet money that at least some part of that lobbying has been in support of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (SB 659)-the passage of which would, in all likelihood, reduce the insurance company's exposure.

[stevelyn]

Hmmm......It looks as if Safeco is taking lessons from Snake Farm.:fire: :cuss:

[NukemJim]

It just looks like there is more to it than what we are seeing here.

Agreed.

NukemJim

[Leatherneck]

I detect a faint odor of fish...

Can anyone verify? Does anyone else insure with SAFECO?

TC
TFL Survivor

[c_yeager]

Well, i had auto insurance when i was a kid through Safeco. Then i got into an accident (entirely my fault) very little damage and no injuries. But, 16 year old + bad driving record = dropped insurance. They sent a very proffesional and official notice of this to my agent and myself and offered me a quote with one of their "higher risk" subsidiaries. After checking a lot of other companies that quote turned out to be the best offer on the table. All in all they struck me as a proffesional and well put together company. But, im not a high-profile gun lobbiest insuring a gunshop under an umbrella policy so my experience is probably not applicable to this case.

[Evil_Ed]

I agree that the letter seems odd...I would be willing to bet that the person who sent it was a rabid anti and isn't following the standard company policy at all. I wonder if the insurance company will perform an internal investigation about this incident.

[Waitone]

My BS meter just pegged.

Do I think it can happen? Yup!

The letter and notification is where I got problems. Something smells.

[Peetmoss]

"Hmmm......It looks as if Safeco is taking lessons from Snake Farm"

I take it from this statement State Farm has done something similar? State Farm caries all my insurance, and I would hate to does business with a company that acts like this. So can someone elaborate on this comment please

[Safety First]

I work for a large Insurance Co ( not Safeco), this letter obviously came from the underwriting dept. The Insurance Commissioner in her respective state should take Safeco to task for this. I would imagine that once Safeco talks the the Insurance Commissioner somebodys head will roll over this. Insurance companies can cancel policies for many reasons, but I think as someone else said,there appears to be a fishy odor. I hope she prevails..

[joonya187]

I agree that the letter seems odd...I would be willing to bet that the person who sent it was a rabid anti and isn't following the standard company policy at all.

Bingo. Thats exactly what I thought while reading it.

[brookstexas]

"Your ownership of a gunshop, lobbying activities regarding gun control, and involvement in organizing "shoots" represent an increased liability exposure."

Replace references to gunshop/guns with religion, local newspaper,gay rights, Minority etc.
The Second is a civil right just like the first etc.
BT

[Ala Dan]

As a whole, and with NO offense intended; I can't
stand insurance company's. Lots of "rip off's" out
there, so be careful.

Seems like they always find some slick talking
"geek" to hire; someone who speaks out of both
sides of their mouth! :uhoh: At least, that has
been my experience when dealing with my agent.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

[stevelyn]

Peetmoss,

Go to the GOA website and search their archived broadcasts. Larry Pratt interviewed a gentleman last year concerning Prudential and State Farm's anti-gun policies.
If you are insured by them don't let them know you are a gun owner.

[George Hill]

So what insurance firms out there are NOT anti-gun?

[Master Blaster]

The only way that SAFECO would know this information is if you filed a firearm related claim that caused them to do a review of your account, or if they sent a property / underwriting inspector to kick the tires at your shop,

OR MOST LIKELY your agent told them or asked them to cancel your policy.

Have you talked to your agent.??//


BTW I would find a different carrier, you may just save some money.

[Double Maduro]

Granted the anti second ammendment sentiment is bad enough.

What I want to know is how they can cancel you for exercising your first ammenment rights?

DM

[BluesBear]

:( I hope this isn't a corporate decision. I'd hate to have to stop seeing the Mariners play in Safeco Field, the best stadium in all of baseball. :(

[Peetmoss]

Thanks for the info. searching for a new insurance company now. I will not let them know about my firearms until I have my new policy ready to go. Then I will gladly inform my agent of my firearms and why I am canceling all 3 of my policy's with them.

[SC_shooter]

Peetmoss,

Here is the link to the story.

http://www.gunowners.org/op0231.htm

[BSlacker]

Have you had a visit from a company rep of any sort recently or name in the paper? I would be sure your name would be in the public and that your local agent would have seen it. I don't see how the higher up national folks would be this specific about your gun related activities without input from the local agent.
Get insurance with another firm be up front, but unless they ask don't mention guns, your firearms related activities are perfectly normal conduct in the course of perfectly normal business. Firearms are dangerous but not unsafe. When you compare the accident rate of Bakeries to Gun Shops the gun places win everytime. You hear of machinery accidents all the time and slip and falls must be rampant hearing about a Gun Store accident is rare and they are played for all they are worth in the media when they do happen, somebody gets their arm ripped off or hair removed in a plant accident all the time and it gets back page, but the people having the bakery accidents are having their lives affected on a larger scale.
Just look at the bright side you will meet new and interesting insurance folks, can you get your story out to the media, and who knows maybe a gun owning 2A agent will come forth. :D :D

[stevelyn]

I don't rember where I heard or saw it, but I seem to recall that Sentry Ins. was pro-gun and there are a few others as well.

[spacemanspiff]

i work in the commercial insurance industry (property & casualty) and this type of non-renewal is completely within the authority of the company to do.

underwriters typically try to fight for their clients, but the higherups make the calls on what types of business to non-renew or flat out cancel.

none of the companies we work with would ever take on the liability of firearms instructors. we write firing ranges from time to time, and pawn shops that buy/sell guns, but even then they require exclusions against any gunsmithing.

then again, the case in question might be complete bias. if thats the case, and there is no documentation from management about reducing the risks covered, then the Division of Insurance will investigate. and any company/agent HATES the idea of the DOI jumping on them, because the DOI wont just investigate them for that one thing, they'll want to look at EVERYTHING and review every insureds policy. the DOI fines are very costly.

[pale horse]

For this reason and one other that I will not get into I would KICK the living :cuss: out of the president of the company if I ever ran into him on the street. no pun intended.

I wont ever do business with safeco nor will I go to any stadium that bears its name, Sorry mariners. :(

Some people in this country and companies deserve to be gut shot and left on the curb like the trash they are.:fire:

This company is on my never do business or have any dealings with ever list.

[spacemanspiff]

psst! this is the HIGH road, not glocksunlocked
:neener:

[rangerbill]

i know a gent who is a state farm franchise owner/agent. rather an uppity person, head decon of the church and all. i knew about the state farm bias against firearms. well the guy started boasting to us at a church function about having a ccw permit. when my wife explained we were gun enthusests and that i had two ccw permits. this guy seemed stunned. had it been an oppurtune time to cut even deeper, i would have confronted him about his companies policy. i am waiting for the right time. i do not usually attend church there.

that irked me terribly. it seemed his opinion was that only people of his caliber should own guns.

[FTG-05]

So what's the end result between Nancy and Safeco?

Albin