Second Call Defense vs USCCA: Which CCW Insurance is Better in 2021?

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By Dennis Howard •  11 min read

There is one other thing that every concealed carry license holder should have in their pocket right next to their license, it’s their membership card to a reputable concealed carry insurance company.  If you every must use your firearm to defend yourself, your concealed carry insurance is your second line of defense.

Second Call Defense vs. USCCA

If you need to make that call, you want to make sure that you are calling the best team possible to step into your defense.  The next few hours, days, and months maybe some of the most trying in will ever face.  Having the most effective team on your side can make a difference in your personal and financial future.

Finding the right concealed carry insurance company can be challenging.  While many sound similar, often, there are huge gaps in the coverage they offer.  Where you live can be a consideration as the laws differ from state to state. 

Let’s look at two outstanding contenders in the concealed carry insurance market, Second Call Defense vs USCCA.

If you are in a hurry, we highly recommend USSCA:

  • Self-defense shield covers up to $250,000 for criminal defense protection and $2,000,000 for civil defense protection
  • Avoid Jail: Receive up-front attorney retainer and bail bond funding
  • Gold membership is $22/month or $247 annually.
Learn More

USCCA – The United States Concealed Carry Association Review

USCCA

The very first thing that we must make clear is that neither one of these organizations is a true insurance company.  Both companies are member organizations that provide legal services on a subscription basis.  These are much like pre-paid legal plans.

USCCA is just such an organization.  A membership in USCCA gains you certain privileges and services. These break down into several categories

Training – Protecting Yourself and Your Family with Competency

Knowledge is considered by USCCA to be a key component of being a safe and prepared concealed carry license holder.  From safe gun practices to situational awareness, USSCA provides a range of training opportunities for its members.

Education – Knowledge is Power

USSCA believes that an educated gun owner is a safer gun owner.  To that end, USCCA offers a wealth of educational resources that help keep gun owners and concealed carry licensee’s up to date on the current gun ownership landscape.

Among these resources are:

Legal and Financial Protection

The real reason most people join a concealed carry insurance organization is to have the backup they may need in the event they draw and use their gun.  This protection is the backbone of any concealed carry insurance organization.

USCCA offers three levels of membership.  Each level costs a bit more and offers a progressively greater amount of both legal and financial protection.  For our comparison, we are looking at the top level of membership in each organization.   In the case of USCCA, this is their Elite Membership Plan.

USCCA offers a comprehensive and rich line of benefits and services in this area.

The Bottom Line on USCCA

The final question and often the most important for some of us, is how much does this all cost.  The Elite Plan from USCCA is currently $47 per month.  For more information about USCCA plans, you can visit their website at the link below:

  • Self-defense shield covers up to $250,000 for criminal defense protection and $2,000,000 for civil defense protection
  • Avoid Jail: Receive up-front attorney retainer and bail bond funding
  • Gold membership is $22/month or $247 annually.
Learn More

Second Call Defense Review

Like USCCA, Second Call Defense is a member organization that offers some legal defense benefits as part of your membership package.  Second Call Defense is not truly insurance, but more akin to a pre-paid legal plant.

Second Call Defense defines the concept that the founders used to create the organization.  In their own words, “When you are forced to defend yourself with a firearm, your first call should be to 911. Your second call should be to Second Call Defense.”

Second Call Defense focuses its member benefits in two categories, legal protection, and education.

Second Call Defense – Legal Protections

Looking at Second Call Defense’s top tier membership plan, the Elite Plan, we find the following benefits for members.

Training and Education

Totaling the Costs

Membership at Second Call Defense for their top of the line Elite membership package will set you back $34.95 per month.  Your spouse can be covered for an additional $7 per month.  If you pay annually, there are discounts built-in.  For more information about memberships in the Second Call Defense offerings, follow this link.


USCCA vs Second Call Defense: Side by Side Comparison

Stacking the services and benefits, as well as the cost side by side, lets us compare the two plans in a visual way that can often be more useful.  Here is the comparison of these two organizations.

USCCA – Elite PlanSecond Call Defense – Elite Plan
Monthly Cost$47.00$34.95
Criminal Defense Limits$250,000$100,000
Civil Defense Limits$2,000,000$1,000,000
Immediate Cash BondYesYes
Choice of AttorneyYesYes
Network Attorney AvailableYesYes
Aftermath Clean up0$2,000
Psychological SupportNoYes
Weekly Training DrillsYesNo
Certified Instructor NetworkYesNo
Video LibraryYesLimited

Using this side by side comparison gives us a better understanding of what you get from each of these organizations with their top tier membership plant.

There are some areas the deserve more discussion to get a better feel for what is involved with these benefits.


Legal Coverages – The Heart of the Matter

Most people who purchase a membership in a concealed carry protection organization rarely make use of the additional benefits.  The number one reason people join a concealed carry legal association is for the monetary protections they provide.  These protections deserve a more detailed examination

Second Call Defense – What do you get?

Second Call Defense breaks its financial protections into more detailed areas.  The area of most importance to most concealed carry license holders is the criminal defense funding.  Second Call Defense caps their criminal defense funding at $100,000.

$100,000 seems like an immense sum for most of us, but in the world of criminal defense, this may be woefully inadequate.  You may find that this sum falls well short of the overall cost of criminal legal defense.

USCCA – Comparing the Benefits

The criminal defense protections in the USCCA Elite Package limit to $250,000.   This amount seems like a much bigger number than what is provided by Second Call Defense but may still be inadequate for a lengthy and involved criminal case. 

Our Take on the Matter

If the financial protections on criminal defense are the major consideration in choosing a concealed carry protection organization, USCCA gets the nod in this case.  With more than double the legal protection limits, there is no question that USCCA is the better choice.

  • Self-defense shield covers up to $250,000 for criminal defense protection and $2,000,000 for civil defense protection
  • Avoid Jail: Receive up-front attorney retainer and bail bond funding
  • Gold membership is $22/month or $247 annually.
Learn More

Civil Legal Coverage – Underestimated Side of the Situation

Few people stop to consider the other legal ramifications of a self-defense shooting.  Even if found legally justified in using your firearm, you are still open to civil lawsuits that can be as devastating to your financial well-being. Protecting yourself from these civil claims is as important as criminal actions.

Second Call Defense – Facing the Aftermath in Civil Court

In short, Second Call Defense provides up to $1,000,000 in civil suit defense protection and an additional $250,000 in civil damage protection.  This is an impressive amount of money to have at your disposal to protect you and your family from financial ruin.

No one should discount the costs and problems that civil suits can bring.  In today’s litigious society, you can almost count on facing one or more civil suits even if you are judged to have acted justifiably in your defense.

USCCA – Being Prepared for the Civil Side of Things

A deep reserve at your disposal to defend yourself in civil suits can bring peace of mind.  USCCA offers up to $2,000,000 of civil liability and damage defense protections as part of their Elite Membership Plan. 

This type of coverage can protect you from financial disaster.  No one wants to go to court, but, in truth, our society is almost always on the lookout for a payout.  Having a backup plan for these eventualities is always a good idea.

Where Do We Stand on Civil Protection?

USCCA again gets the nod.  With double the funds available for civil defense and damage protection, for the money, USCCA must be the choice.  If the basis of the choice between these two organizations is nothing but the amount of protection versus the monthly cost, USCCA is the winner.


Member Benefits – Often Neglected Benefits

Best concealed carry pistol

Most people who purchase a membership in a concealed carry organization are interested only in the legal protections the membership offers.  However, the member resources that a concealed carry protection organization offer can be as important.  Staying aware of the current legal status of concealed carry is a vital part of being a prepared concealed carry license holder.

Also, ongoing training should be a part of every concealed carry license holder’s regular activities.  In truth, may criminal defense attorneys agree that a regular training program is a help in criminal defense cases. 

USCCA – Education and Training Underpinning the Protections

USCCA focuses a lot of the resources on education and training opportunities for its members.  The array of training methods and opportunities afforded to members of USCCA are impressive and include everything from online tutorials to live in-person training with certified instructors.

Some of these training courses and opportunities do involve other fees.  However, the knowledge that these vetted instructors represent USCCA is a big factor in upholding the credibility of the training.

USCCA offers a wide range of additional resources.

The Membership Package – Second Call Defense

Second Call Defense also provides member benefits beyond the criminal and civil protections.  The gist of the Second Call Defense member benefits is a series of special training opportunities led by some of the most well-known instructors in the firearms industry.

A newsletter and content on the Second Call Defense website allow members to remain on the cutting edge of the legal issues of concealed carry across the United States. 

How Do They Stack up in the Resource Category?

USCCA offers a much richer set of resources than Second Call Defense.  USCCA’s focus on education and training is probably due to the belief that a well-educated and well trained concealed carry license holder is less likely to be involved in a self-defense shooting. 

From our point of view, this is a valid position.  The wealth of additional resources provided by USCCA gets them the check off in this category as well.


The Overall Verdict – USCCA

Make no mistake.  Both companies are fine organizations and will provide you with protection both financially and legally. 

The final consideration is what you can get for the money.  For a few dollars more a month, USCCA offers more protection and a much richer set of resources and benefits that Second Call Defense.  For me, that makes USCCA the choice between these two options.

I hope that the information in this article makes your decision a bit easier.  If you found this article to be helpful, please leave comments in the section below.  Your comments, suggestions, and experiences are always welcome and benefit our online community.

Dennis Howard

A life long hunter, fisherman, and outdoorsman, after surviving a devastating tornado in his home town, he saw the effects on people's lives as they struggled to cope. He built his first bugout bag a few weeks later and has been a dedicated prepper/survivalist since that time. After a career as a fireman, Dennis opened a retail store (FFL approved) catering to the military, law enforcement, and like-minded individuals. The store built their own AR platforms. Furthermore, Dennis was also an NRA instructor in both long gun and handgun as well as a certified range safety officer. Read his full interview here.