If you’re one of those who practice concealed carry, along with thousands of American citizens, then it’s likely that you have done some research on
Both these large organizations have an impressive number of members and it is no surprise considering how comprehensive their insurance plans are. But the question is which carry concealed insurance will serve you best to give you a peace of mind in case something happens when you need to draw your firearm out in self-defense?
In today’s article, we will be comparing these two organizations and their respective concealed carry insurance plans to help you figure out which is the best option for you. Without further ado, let’s hop right into the details of each package’s benefits and features offered.
USCCA Review
Background Story
The United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) was founded in 2003 by Tim Schmidt, who is now still serving as the organization’s founder and president. Since its establishment, USCCA now provides legal protection for self-defense scenarios and provides plenty of CCW insurance education, firearm training opportunities, and even a trade show to more than 300,000 members.
The educational resources provided by the association are very informative, especially for folks who exercise concealed carry as they provide training, classes, and articles by a qualified USCCA instructor to assist you before, during, and after being involved in a self-defense shooting scenario. Other than their educational materials and subscription to their concealed carry magazine print, the company’s insurance also provides very good legal defense insurance.
USCCA has a tiered subscription, which we will discuss below. Each policy supplies a different amount of legal defense and it is up to you to determine which is the right amount for you. Defending your defensive use of a gun in criminal or civil trials can be very expensive, sometimes the cost can even go up to a few thousand dollars. We have include more information on the uniqueness of USCCA in this article, so head over if you want to learn more
Membership Options
The association has four different levels of subscription and coverage for members to select from. All plans come with the same categories of coverage and only differ in the limit amount. Obviously, the more expensive package will provide larger dollar limits on the coverages. Also, another thing to note is that its policy does not charge different rates to people of different demographic information such as your age and where you live. The only determining factor for how much you pay is the level of coverage limits you want from the USCCA insurance.
Silver Membership
- Total Coverage Amount: $300,000
- Monthly Charges: $13
- Annual Charges: $147
- Civil Defense Suit and Damages: $250,000
- Criminal Defense Coverage: $50,000
- Bail Bond Funding: $2,500 / $25,000
- Reimbursement while in Civil Court (per Diem): $250/day
- Personal Hardship Coverage: $2,000
- Psychological Support: $2,000
Do note that this scheme mentioned here is not listed on the company’s website. The only way to purchase it is for you to call the association directly to enquire.
Gold Membership
- Total Coverage Amount: $600,000
- Monthly Charges: $22
- Annual Charges: $247
- Civil Defense Suit and Damages: $500,000
- Criminal Defense Coverage: $100,000
- Bail Bonds Funding: $5,000 / $50,000
- Compensation while in Court (per Diem): $350/day
- Personal Hardship Coverage: $3,000
- Psychological Support: $3,000
The best thing about this Gold scheme is that it gives you access to their 24/7 emergency hotline that is teamed by their experienced emergency response team. Some major disadvantages include the exclusions of some educational materials and update on different topics related to the guns world and a monthly “Ask an Attorney” segment that is available to higher-level members.
Platinum Membership
- Total Coverage Amount: $1,500,000
- Monthly Charges: $30
- Annual Charges: $347
- Civil Suit and Reimbursement: $1,000,000
- Criminal Protection): $150,000
- Bail Funding: $25,000 / $250,000
- Compensation while in Court (per Diem): $500/day
- Personal Difficulty Coverage: $4,000
- Psychological Support: $4,000
The Platinum plan offers the same advantages as the Gold plan (24/7 access to the expert emergency hotline) with increased legal aid. The insurance program covers up to $150,000 in criminal court proceedings while up to $1 million in a civil lawsuit.
Elite Membership
- Total Coverage Amount: $2,000,000
- Monthly Charges: $47
- Annual Charges: $497
- Civil Suit and Damages: $2,000,000
- Criminal Coverage: $250,000
- Bail Funding: $50,000 / $500000
- Compensation while in Civil Court (per Diem): $750/day
- Personal Difficulty Coverage: $6,000
- Psychological Support: $6,000
The Elite is the highest level and most premium package of USCCA’s self defense insurance program. Elite members will have access to all the perks available including special discounts and deals on USCCA merchandise and events. You even get to enjoy early access and a VIP experience at the organization’s annual Concealed Carry Expo.
The Elite policy comes at a price point of $47/month or $497/year, you are covered up to $250,000 in criminal cases and up to $2.5 million in civil suits. The only downside is that this Elite scheme is one of the most expensive CCW insurance available on the market. With a cap on legal expenses, some may prefer to go for cheaper alternatives that offer unlimited coverage for self-defense legal fees.
USCCA Membership Perks
Up-Front Legal Defense Protection
It is important for people to be able to get funds upfront, such as paying expert witnesses, bail fund to get you out of jail, and attorney retainer fees. Having an organization to pay first means you don’t have to fork out a few hundred thousand dollars and just wait for reimbursement later.
Online Training Library
USCCA provides tons of educational materials and a comprehensive video library to educate its members on important updates on legal coverage and what to do when they use deadly force.
Choose Your Own Attorney
The ability to pick your own lawyers means you don’t have to worry about spending a large amount of money on a useless lawyer that may have other interests as a priority.
Community/Member Perks
USCCA has plenty of training, subscription to their concealed carry magazine, newsletter, gear, industry partners, forums, and online discussions for their affiliates to enjoy and make full use of.
NRA Carry Guard Review
Background
NRA is the National Rifle Association and is the largest gun owning organization in the US. boasting more than 5 million members. Founded in Fairfax, Virginia in 1871, the association has become one of the top leaders in lobbying against legislation and self-defense laws that are designed to curb gun rights.
A big portion of NRA’s funding originates from their membership fees. The association’s revenue has been reported to be more than $400 million in 2018 alone. Other methods of income include funding from magazine subscriptions, donations, and merchandise sales. With so much financial resources at their expense, you never have to worry about your legal coverage with NRA CarryGuard.
NRA has long been the target in many news for some of the latest incidents in gun violence. Despite this and the backlash from multiple gun control organizations, the NRA CCW appears to be going strong. To this day, the association is still part of the forefront leaders in ensuring the preservation of the Second Amendment rights of every American.
With that being said, NRA CarryGuard provides concealed carry insurance known as NRA Carry Guard with four different levels of policies: Bronze, Gold, and Gold Plus. Sadly, the NRA Carry Guard program was discontinued in 2017 as the insurance company faces several investigations and lawsuits. Regardless, their self defense insurance program still covers tons of pros that are worth mentioning here.
Perks of NRA Carry Guard Gold Membership
The NRA Carry Guard Gold Membership was available at $31.95/month or $359.95/year which includes legal coverage of up to $150,000 in criminal court cases and $1,000,000 for civil cases. NRA Carry Guard also immediately pays up to 20% of the criminal legal aid to the policyholder to ensure that attorney fees are paid for even before making a court appearance.
Not only that, but the concealed carry association even entitles their Gold policyholders to a one-year subscription with the NRA. The NRA Carry Guard insurance policy also provides automatic coverage for the spouse with a 24/7 hotline staffed by legal and concealed carry experts to assist you.
NRA Carry Guard also has plenty of training opportunities and education courses that will ensure their members are practicing their right to concealed carry properly. Most of these training courses are held in local areas and taught by NRA certified instructors with expert instructions.
Here is a comparison chart of USCCA vs NRA Carry Guard (Platinum vs. Gold Membership)
USCCA vs NRA Carry Guard
As mentioned above, both NRA Carry Guard and USCCA are highly respected organizations for gun owners across the United States. While the insurance for concealed carry offered by these two companies shares some similarities, they also prove they’re not equal in other aspects.
Differences
Money-Back Guarantee
USCCA issues their insurance policy to concealed carry gun owners with the intention of making customer satisfaction a priority. If their members feel dissatisfied with the program at any time during the first year of subscription, the organization comes with a 365 days money-back guarantee with no questions asked.
The same, however, cannot be said for NRA Carry Guard.
Discounts for Law Enforcement, Police, Military, and Groups
USCCA holds special discounts for law enforcement, military, and even families on their insurance policies as well as other products and training provided by the association. This is their way of thanking those who risk themselves to protect others in the line of duty.
NRA Carry Guard does not provide the same discounts for such groups.
Free NRA CarryGuard Membership
One major highlight for NRA Carry Guard members was the inclusion of 1-year NRA membership which will also be renewed alongside the insurance policy renewal they’ve chosen. Obviously, NRA membership is not available as part of USCCA insurance plans.
Gun-Free Zones Coverage
USCCA’s insurance will make sure that you are covered even if you do use your firearm in a gun-free zone for self-defense situations. In fact, the association will even go the extra mile to ensure you’re not caught up in any legal trouble. However, if you do happen to be involved, the association will be the first on the scene to ensure that all your bases are covered.
NRA Carry Guard insurance does not provide the same coverage for gun-free zones as USCCA.
Firearms/Weapon Coverage
USCCA covers its affiliates for self-defense not only for legal firearm use, but it even includes other “weapon of opportunity” such as a knife, a baseball bat, or any other kind of object you may have used as a weapon to protect yourself.
NRA Carry Guard, on the other hand, only covers self-defense court trials pertaining to firearms.
Firearm Theft Liability Coverage
USCCA includes weapon or firearm theft as part of their insurance policy where the organization provides coverage for cases where your stolen firearm or weapon may have been used in a crime. NRA Carry Guard does not have this part of their package plan.
Similarities
Access to 24/7/365 Hotline
As a policyholder for both USCCA and NRA Carry Guard, you get to enjoy access to their 24/7/365 emergency hotline in the event you need to seek any legal advice, concealed carry use, or general questions about your policy. The hotline can be used for either emergency or non-emergency purposes.
Spousal Coverage
Both insurance companies will automatically cover your wife. However, NRA goes the extra mile by providing spousal coverage for both in and outside the house.
Access to Attorney Network Connection
Both USCCA and NRA have connections to a large group of attorneys across all 50 states in the country. This ensures that you have the best legal assistance you need to lawfully and legally exercise your right to bear arms.
USCCA vs NRA Carry Guard: Which Fits You Best?
Given the advantages and disadvantages of both organizations discussed above, there is a clear choice between the two and it is USCCA. One main reason why this is so, of course, is NRA no longer provides its Carry Guard program. Regardless, even if it still exists, USCCA would still come out on top for many reasons.
The first benefit/advantage is the organization’s robust network of attorneys that will respond ASAP in the event of emergencies. Secondly, all law enforcement officers and military members receive special discounts for their work. In addition to that, the association even goes above and beyond by offering coverage for legal cases involving weapons of opportunity and in gun-free zones.
Conclusion
Both USCCA and NRA Carry Guard offer amazing insurance opportunities to their members who practice concealed carry firearms. Although it is obvious which scheme is better, you need to remember that it is always important to have concealed carry insurance to make sure that you are always protected should you ever have the need to use your pistol for anything such as times of home defense or an act of self-defense during a home invasion/burglary/robbery or stopping a deadly crime.
Hopefully, today’s comparative review for USCCA vs NRA Carry Guard has provided you with enough information, knowledge, and overviews to get a clear answer to which legal protection is better. The decision for which is the best one for you is something only you can decide depending on the needs of you and your family and personal conditions.
Hello there, it’s Michael here. A gun lover since young, served the country for the last 20 years. I started the blog to share my experience and gun-related knowledge accumulated throughout the years. Hopefully, you will find something useful over here or just have fun! You can learn more about me here.