@Ray B and @sierraone A few answers and thoughts.
No, I don't live in those locations I can proudly say. Of the 102 counties in IL, I'm in one of the 99 that vote for the losing party in elections perennially.
Regarding insurance as this is a really pertinent point to how you secure your guns against loss: Insurance is ridiculously overpriced and ineffective. If you get an inland marine policy to cover your guns, or you get a rider on your homeowners, they will knick you for around 1% / 100 basis points of value per year. When you have a loss, they'll argue that for example, an AR is an AR. So your HK MR556 with all accessories (MSRP $5000) is equal to a bushmaster carbon (MSRP $600). That's the tug of war you'll play with claims. Then you'll argue about cost to cure and residual value. Example, original double rifle of note has its stock broken. Value of gun $15,000. Cost of replacement stock, $5000. THey'll pay the $5000 only. What about the fact that a replaced stock makes the gun worth $11,500 so the claim is actually near total loss? Also, what about the gun case that may be worth $2000-$4000 as an accessory and all the tools worth $1000? They are near worthless if the gun is stolen or destroyed. Will a homeowners policy cover the loss of value to the other components that suffer loss to the whole by the loss of the gun? No. They won't.
The solution I strongly recommend as a customer with no other affiliation is get REAL gun insurance. Fine Firearms Insurance by Eastern Insurance / Hanover is really reasonable. 0.33 basis points, one third the cost as the other ways of insuring. ($330 a year for $100,000 in coverage) Since they insure fine guns, they understand the claims process and the magnitude of loss. I also use them because when I ship a firearm to a gunsmith I don't insure heavily with UPS. I insure for my $500 deductible as shipping insurance is nothing short of devastatingly expensive. I've been satisfied with them for many years. I don't have to schedule guns individually unless they exceed $10,000 in value which most guns do not reach, especially if you separate the chokes, extra barrels, case and tools from the value of the gun itself. (A $25,000 competition skeet gun by Kolar might have an action value of $9999 if you honestly separate all the accessory parts from the total value)
In conclusion, a basic safe, good separation distance between guns and ammo, and a sound insurance policy is the best way to protect your investment.
No, I don't live in those locations I can proudly say. Of the 102 counties in IL, I'm in one of the 99 that vote for the losing party in elections perennially.
Regarding insurance as this is a really pertinent point to how you secure your guns against loss: Insurance is ridiculously overpriced and ineffective. If you get an inland marine policy to cover your guns, or you get a rider on your homeowners, they will knick you for around 1% / 100 basis points of value per year. When you have a loss, they'll argue that for example, an AR is an AR. So your HK MR556 with all accessories (MSRP $5000) is equal to a bushmaster carbon (MSRP $600). That's the tug of war you'll play with claims. Then you'll argue about cost to cure and residual value. Example, original double rifle of note has its stock broken. Value of gun $15,000. Cost of replacement stock, $5000. THey'll pay the $5000 only. What about the fact that a replaced stock makes the gun worth $11,500 so the claim is actually near total loss? Also, what about the gun case that may be worth $2000-$4000 as an accessory and all the tools worth $1000? They are near worthless if the gun is stolen or destroyed. Will a homeowners policy cover the loss of value to the other components that suffer loss to the whole by the loss of the gun? No. They won't.
The solution I strongly recommend as a customer with no other affiliation is get REAL gun insurance. Fine Firearms Insurance by Eastern Insurance / Hanover is really reasonable. 0.33 basis points, one third the cost as the other ways of insuring. ($330 a year for $100,000 in coverage) Since they insure fine guns, they understand the claims process and the magnitude of loss. I also use them because when I ship a firearm to a gunsmith I don't insure heavily with UPS. I insure for my $500 deductible as shipping insurance is nothing short of devastatingly expensive. I've been satisfied with them for many years. I don't have to schedule guns individually unless they exceed $10,000 in value which most guns do not reach, especially if you separate the chokes, extra barrels, case and tools from the value of the gun itself. (A $25,000 competition skeet gun by Kolar might have an action value of $9999 if you honestly separate all the accessory parts from the total value)
In conclusion, a basic safe, good separation distance between guns and ammo, and a sound insurance policy is the best way to protect your investment.
