Second Amendment Sister Gets Raw Deal From Insurance Company

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wingnutx

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

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

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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
stevelyn

"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
 
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..
 
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.
Click to expand...

Bingo. Thats exactly what I thought while reading it.
 
Civil Right Issue..

"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
 
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
 
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.
 
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.
 
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
 
stevelyn

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.
 
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
 
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