David Roberson
New member
I’ve read with concern the recent reports about State Farm not covering property owners who shoot guns on their own land. The alarming story from South Carolina troubled me partly because my own case is similar to that described: I live on 15 acres in rural North Carolina, I have my own shooting range that looks remarkably like the one involved in the SC case, and I have umbrella coverage with State Farm.
I called my agent (Paul Parker Insurance, Lincolnton, NC) to ask about this, and he said he was unaware of any efforts by State Farm to deny coverage to landowners who shoot. At my request, he checked with his underwriter, who confirmed that there is no such prohibition. He also called the State Farm attorney in South Carolina, who is Bruce White (803-561-4488).
My agent tells me that White informed him that there are other circumstances besides shooting that are involved in the South Carolina case. White claimed that State Farm has contacted the former policyholder in SC to ask for his permission to release publicly some correspondence with him that refers to these other circumstances, but that the former policyholder has declined to grant such permission. Without such permission, White says, State Farm cannot adequately explain to the public its side of this issue.
I have no way of knowing what is true in this case. My agent tells me that different insurance underwriters see things differently, and that each individual policy has its own particular circumstances that an underwriter must consider. It may be that there’s a problem with the agent or with the underwriter involved in the SC case. However, my agent has assured me that there’s no problem with my shooting on my own range and that State Farm is happy to continue my current coverage (unless I begin operating my range as a business, in which case I’d need a different policy).
While I have no particular reason to accept things from State Farm at face value, my local agent has always been fair with me. (He’s also a gun owner and hunter himself.) Based on his assurances that there’s no problem with covering my property and my personal range, I will continue my policy with State Farm. (But you can bet I’m going to get something about this in writing.)
I called my agent (Paul Parker Insurance, Lincolnton, NC) to ask about this, and he said he was unaware of any efforts by State Farm to deny coverage to landowners who shoot. At my request, he checked with his underwriter, who confirmed that there is no such prohibition. He also called the State Farm attorney in South Carolina, who is Bruce White (803-561-4488).
My agent tells me that White informed him that there are other circumstances besides shooting that are involved in the South Carolina case. White claimed that State Farm has contacted the former policyholder in SC to ask for his permission to release publicly some correspondence with him that refers to these other circumstances, but that the former policyholder has declined to grant such permission. Without such permission, White says, State Farm cannot adequately explain to the public its side of this issue.
I have no way of knowing what is true in this case. My agent tells me that different insurance underwriters see things differently, and that each individual policy has its own particular circumstances that an underwriter must consider. It may be that there’s a problem with the agent or with the underwriter involved in the SC case. However, my agent has assured me that there’s no problem with my shooting on my own range and that State Farm is happy to continue my current coverage (unless I begin operating my range as a business, in which case I’d need a different policy).
While I have no particular reason to accept things from State Farm at face value, my local agent has always been fair with me. (He’s also a gun owner and hunter himself.) Based on his assurances that there’s no problem with covering my property and my personal range, I will continue my policy with State Farm. (But you can bet I’m going to get something about this in writing.)