Lockton Discontinues Brokering NRA-branded Insurance

Feb. 27--Lockton Cos., a Kansas City-based insurance brokerage, said on Monday that it will discontinue brokering National Rifle Association-branded insurance plans meant to cover policyholders involved in shooting incidents.

Lockton Affinity, a division of Lockton Cos., had partnered with the NRA on a liability insurance line called NRA Carry Guard. The policies, ranging from $250,000 to $1.5 million in coverage, were marketed as financial protection for policyholders involved in self-defense shootings.

Critics, including anti-NRA advocacy group Guns Down America, call NRA Carry Guard "murder insurance."

But the company appears to have reconsidered that relationship, saying in a late-Monday tweet that Lockton would no longer offer brokerage services for NRA-branded policies.

Lockton joins several other companies that have backed away from the NRA since a Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., that resulted in the deaths of 17 students.

"Lockton Affinity has notified the NRA that it will discontinue providing brokerage services for NRA-endorsed insurance programs under the terms of its contract," Lockton said on Twitter.

The company would not take questions about specifics of its statement.

Earlier on Monday the company was unavailable for comment after The Star reached out about Lockton's position with the NRA.

Lockton faced pressure from anti-violence advocacy groups and others on social media to discontinue its relationship with the NRA.

The NRA over the weekend sharply criticized companies that distanced themselves, saying their decisions "punish NRA membership in a shameful display of political and civic cowardice."

"In time, these brands will be replaced by others who recognize that patriotism and determined commitment to Constitutional freedoms are characteristics of a marketplace they very much want to serve," the NRA said in a statement on Saturday.

The NRA, as it often does following mass shootings, received criticism for its handling and response to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School incident. The NRA has resisted calls for most gun control measures and has blamed inadequate mental health resources and blunders by local and federal law enforcement.

Local authorities in Parkland, Fla., were criticized for not intervening sooner the day of the shooting. Both local and federal law enforcement also faced criticism for not following up on concerns raised about the behavior of arrested gunman Nikolas Cruz.

Several Stoneman Douglas High School students who survived the shooting have condemned both the NRA and politicians who take its contributions and oppose gun control measures both in Congress and state legislatures.

Lockton's statement on Monday closely followed statements made by other companies that distanced themselves from the NRA.

Most corporate associations with the NRA involved discounts and special programs for the organization's approximately 5 million customers.

United Airlines said on Saturday that it had notified the NRA that it would stop offering discounted ticket rates for NRA members who use the airline to fly to the organization's annual meeting.

MetLife Insurance said it would end discounts on premiums for NRA members purchasing home and auto policies.

"We value all our customers but decided to end our discount program with the NRA," MetLife said on Friday.

Chubb, an insurance company that had been an underwriter for the NRA Carry Guard policies, has said it will stop participating with the product.

Insurance Journal, a trade publication, said Chubb made the decision to halt its underwriting three months ago, long before the Florida shooting.

Steve Vockrodt: 816-234-4277, @st_vockrodt

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