The legislation was sponsored by Representatives Iman Jodeh and Steven Woodrow
The Colorado House recently passed legislation to promote responsible firearms ownership by creating a requirement liability gun insurance.
HB24-1270 passed the House by a vote of 33-29
Sponsored by Representatives Stephen Woodrow and Iman Jodeh, the purpose of the gun insurance law is to encourage owners of firearms to take greater efforts in the name of safety.
“The costs of gun violence are staggering, and taxpayers are often left footing the bill. This legislation helps cover costs while promoting responsible gun ownership and safer communities,” explained Rep. Woodrow (D-Denver). “This bill would require gun owners to hold liability insurance for their firearms, which many already do through their homeowners’ or renters’ policies. HB-1270 incentivizes responsibility while ensuring victims of gun accidents are compensated.”
The gun insurance is meant to reflect the same foundational goals as home and auto coverage
“We require people to hold homeowners and car insurance, and deadly weapons should not be treated differently,” said Rep. Jodeh (D-Aurora). “Our bill adds more protections and strengthens guardrails to increase and promote responsible gun ownership and prevent crime. Colorado has a serious history of gun violence, and this bill is one step that we can take to encourage safe firearm handling to save lives and keep our communities safe.”
The bill would require owners of firearms to carry liability gun insurance coverage against losses or damages to someone injured in the case of an unintentional or accidental firearm discharge. This would become effective as of January 1, 2025. It would be considered a civil infraction if a firearm owner does not have an active liability policy for that weapon.
Can be part of a home, condo, or renters’ policy
The bill permits the liability coverage to come from a separate gun insurance policy, or it can be included in the liability coverage from the owner’s home, condo, or renters’ policy. That said, the owners of the firearms will need to contact their insurers to be sure that the liability coverage on those policies extends to the gun, as it may not do so automatically.
