In The News

Could liability insurance prevent gun violence in California?

California already requires gun owners to have a safety certificate, background check, and go through a waiting period before they can take their firearm into their homes. Now, they may also be required to show proof of insurance.

California could be the first state in the nation to require gun owners to purchase liability insurance under a new bill by Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) that dropped on Thursday. The insurance policies would cover accidental or negligent use of firearms — not acts that are intentional or malicious — and would work much in the same way as car insurance.

The idea, Skinner said, is to make gun owners shoulder their “fair share” of responsibility when it comes to injuries and damage from firearms. And some advocates say tying insurance premiums to responsible gun ownership could prevent reckless behavior altogether.

 

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