The NRA Versus Lockton
BY Herschel Smith
6 years, 4 months ago
In the NRA’s depiction, Lockton failed the gun group, which trusted the broker not to run afoul of local laws when devising and marketing insurance. Lockton breached its contract, the NRA alleges, when it caved to New York’s bullying and ended a longstanding “mutually beneficial” relationship. In its own filings, the insurance firm puts its decision to sever ties in a different light. Lockton argues that the NRA brought the troubles on itself, by amping up its rhetoric to the point of radioactivity.
“The NRA’s own overtly political and inflammatory approach” to marketing, “as well as its provocative public stances, have resulted in a shift in the enforcement priorities of insurance regulators and heightened scrutiny,” Lockton said in a counterclaim filed in June …
I seldom defend the NRA, which I believe to be the largest, most well-funded gun control organization on earth. But this is fascinating in that even an insurance company is now jumping on the anti-2A bandwagon, the very insurance company the NRA commissioned to supply its “Carry Guard.”
Specifically, the fascinating thing to me is that the folks in corporate America are just like the folks in Hollywood, Washington, D.C. and the other power centers.
They haven’t the slightest clue about the great unwashed masses in flyover country. They believe the NRA’s rhetoric is inflammatory. We believe that the NRA doesn’t represent our interests because they aren’t true supporters of the 2A.
The power brokers don’t even recognize the size of the gulf between us. I’m willing to bet that they don’t even know anyone who owns a firearm or voted libertarian or conservative.
It’s remarkable to me how large the gulf is, how polarized the country is, and how this polarization is deepening and growing. Frankly I don’t see how this ends except in civil war.
On August 8, 2018 at 7:48 am, Coldsteel1983 said:
“They haven’t the slightest clue about the great unwashed masses in flyover country.”
You got it in one… not a clue.
And they fail to understand that when you cut them off, go elsewhere or simply terminate your business relationship AND tell them why you did it that it’s on them.
On August 8, 2018 at 7:56 am, Bram said:
They were idiots to think they’d ever get a national policy approved in New York. The NRA blundered into an insurance issue that the industry has been dealing with for decades.
Insane NY insurance rules declare that insurers have to comply with NY regulations EVERYWHERE – even in states with contradictory regulations. They are literally impossible to comply with.
All the big insurers create semi-independent subsidiaries that sell only in New York. That keeps their crazy statist shit isolated from the rest of the business. Bottom line – avoid New York.
On August 8, 2018 at 8:23 am, Frank Clarke said:
“Frankly I don’t see how this ends except in civil war.”
Oleg Volk did the cover art for my book, Tipping Point (http://tinyurl.com/TipgPt2). As part of this, he first read the galley. His response:
“Frank, I sure hope you haven’t written a documentary…”
Me, too, but I’m starting to wonder.
On August 8, 2018 at 9:39 am, Bill Robbins said:
Yet, Lockton continues to market a liability policy to NRA Certified Instructors. I have asked Lockton to explain their confusing position, but receive no reply.
Lockton Affinity sells insurance to “affinity groups,” i.e. members of associations. Affinity marketing is big business. Just being an alumnus of a particular college marks you as a member of a marketable affinity group. I have no particular issue with affinity marketing. However, when the marketer denigrates the very group to which is it wishes to market products and services, there’s a problem; possibly, a problem that runs afoul of federal laws concering commerce, access to credit, and other laws. This problem now extends to banks and other businesses that publicly denounce actual or potential customers, based on customer affinity.
On August 8, 2018 at 9:54 am, Chris said:
“I’m willing to bet that they don’t even know anyone who owns a firearm or voted libertarian or conservative.”
Sure they do. They don’t know them socially, but they know their hired security people who carry the guns needed to protect them.
On August 8, 2018 at 10:55 am, John Richardson said:
IANAL but it is my belief that Lockton as a broker owed the duty of loyalty to their client. In this case it would be the NRA. Moreover, they had a fiduciary responsibility to advise the NRA to set up separate companies as Bram alludes to above.
On August 8, 2018 at 11:54 am, Gryphon said:
Yep,another Example of the Cultural Disconnect – These People will still be Wondering about it as they stand in Line, Hands Tied (with Plastic Wire Ties) waiting to be Fed into the Wood-Chipper….
Author Matt Bracken did a splendid job of Describing this ‘disconnect’ (and resulting disbelief) of the ‘elites’ in his Short Story titled “What I Saw at the Coup”.
On August 8, 2018 at 11:56 am, June J said:
@Frank Clark,
Ain’t that the truth. The left seems determined to push it that far though.
(Great book, thoroughly enjoyed reading it.)
On August 8, 2018 at 9:40 pm, Tojo said:
Well said.
On August 9, 2018 at 6:42 am, H said:
Echoing Bram, this is a problem with the extreme way financial “regulation” is done in New York state, through their Department of Financial Services (DFS). It notoriously isn’t really bound by the rule of law, and if you offer financial services of any type in the state you’ve got to dance to their tune. Which is what the NRA’s lawsuit is about, Cuomo isn’t just going after the NRA’s insurance arrangements, but also their basic banking arrangements, and New York state is a lot more dominant in that domain.