Buck F
NES Member
I have the USSCA plan. Given what I spend on ammo, guns, range memberships, etc. and more importantly, what I have to lose financially if there's an incident no matter how justified, the USCCA plan is a no brainer for me.
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Under the NRA plan you do have immediate access to up to 20% of the legal defense policy amount, which with the top plan would be $30 thousand dollars, for retainer and/or bail, labeled as "supplementary expenses." The rest has to wait until after acquittal. By law insurance companies cannot pay off on a crime, and under the NRA plan you are buying an individual policy, through them, with an insurance company. USCCA does it differently, they maintain an umbrella insurance policy, and you are buying coverage under their policy, so apparently they don't have the same rules to follow. USCCA has an edge in that they cover bail costs separate from the legal defense coverage total, while with the NRA it is part of the legal defense total.
Only if the insurance/plan has a provision that includes payment of judgments against you.The liability policy will also pay to defend you from a civil (monetary) lawsuit, they all do since they have a vested interest in paying as little as possible to the person suing you.
The NRA does not defend you. You hire your own attorney, with your cash up front, and apply for reimbursement if you are not convicted or plead to so much as double parking in front of the self defense location at the time of the incident. That is, if you can come up with the necessary cash.I havent checked the NRA program but if they don't pay the legal costs if you're found guilty what's their incentive to vigorously defend you?
Only if the insurance/plan has a provision that includes payment of judgments against you.
The reality is that if you are actually not guilty, there is an excellent chance you WILL plead guilty to a lesser charge. Sure, it's easy to say "I'd never do that", but things change when your attorney says "Take the deal and this is over but you'll be a PP; if you go to trial and lose you will need soap on a rope, since the courts punish people who turn down deals severely. Remember, the prisons are full of people would be free if they did as they were told and gave the prosecutor an easy win. Oh, and if it goes to trial, I'll need another $50K before I start preparing your case."
Add in a couple of years worth of extensions and continuances, and you may just plead to get it over with.
I wish I could buy insurance that prevents you from having to fork over your life's savings to a scumbag lawyer. There is something seriously wrong with a country that punishes innocent people because they can't afford quality legal council, against a government funded prosecution team who will essentially ruin your life and the lives of your family for not admitting you are a criminal when you have committed no crime. How the hell did we get here?
Makes you wonder who the real criminals are.
Both of these plans seem expensive considering that through most employers you can buy a prepaid legal plan for $300 / year that covers your whole family.
These typically cover writing / updating a will annually, and any defense you or your family might need (not only carrying, but if your kid gets in a fight and is charged w assault, OUI, etc...).