Potential Gun Insurance Laws Elsewhere Could Impact North Dakota - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

  New York.  California.  Maryland.  What do they have that North Dakota doesn't?  Potential laws requiring gun owners to purchase additional insurance.

All three states are considering legislation that would force gun owners to carry one million dollars in liability insurance.  In North Dakota, negligent gun incidents are already covered under homeowners' policies.  Some say these types of laws effectively turn a right into a privilege, since premiums are anticipated to be as high as $2,000 per year.  This could triple typical homeowners' policies.  

Though these potential changes may be taking place in faraway states, North Dakota could be impacted.  "Indirectly, yes.  Each state still has their own filing, insurance departments, and their own rating.  That's the good news.  But a national company, such as State Farm, has to spread that risk.  So the risk from California or other states would eventually, trend down into North Dakota," says Kent Olson, Communications, Professional Insurance Agents of North Dakota.

The North Dakota Legislative Council says they are "not aware of a bill draft relating to, or a study of, liability insurance as a condition of gun ownership" at this time.