Gunsmith Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages a gunsmith business may carry — core, prevalent, and situational — why each matters, and the gap most often missed.
Pull out your current policy and check the box next to any coverage you can confirm is already in place — anything unchecked is worth a quick conversation with your advisor. Coverage checklist for gunsmiths and firearm repair and customization shops. Priorities reflect typical exposure for this class; confirm against your actual services and license.
Tick each coverage you can confirm you carry — anything left unticked is a good question for your next policy review.
| Have it? | Coverage | Why this business needs it | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Liability (incl. | Products-Completed Ops) Covers injuries from firearms you repaired or modified — confirm firearms work is not excluded. | Core | |
| Bailee / Customer Firearms Coverage | Covers customers' guns lost, stolen, or damaged in your care. | Core | |
| Business Property / Inventory | Covers tools, machines, parts, and your own firearms inventory. | Core | |
| Crime / Theft | Covers burglary, robbery, and employee theft of firearms and cash. | Core | |
| Workers' Compensation / Employer's Liability | Covers gunsmiths and staff. | Core | |
| Professional / Errors & Omissions | Covers claims that advice or work was done wrong without injury. | Prevalent | |
| Pollution Liability | Covers lead and solvent exposure from test firing and refinishing. | Situational | |
| Business Income | Replaces income after a burglary, fire, or license suspension where covered. | Prevalent | |
| Umbrella / Excess Liability | Adds limits for serious firearm injury claims. | Prevalent | |
| Regulatory / License Defense | Covers responding to ATF actions where available. | Situational |
The coverage gap most often missed
The gap most often missed by gunsmiths is customer firearms. Guns left for repair belong to customers, and standard property coverage only insures your own property — a burglary can leave you owing for dozens of customer firearms, and thefts at licensed firearm businesses are common. Many retail policies also exclude completed firearms work. Add bailee coverage at full value, confirm products-completed operations covers modifications, and lock all firearms in a vault after hours.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your gunsmith coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Gunsmith Insurance · Gunsmith Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a gunsmith business need?
The core coverages for a gunsmith business are General Liability (incl., Bailee / Customer Firearms Coverage, Business Property / Inventory, Crime / Theft, Workers' Compensation / Employer's Liability. This checklist also lists the prevalent and situational coverages worth considering, with a plain-English note on why each matters.
Is this checklist insurance advice?
No. It is a free educational tool to help you have a more informed conversation with a licensed professional. It affords no coverage and is not insurance, legal, or financial advice — only your actual policy language governs what is and isn't covered.
Can Cory Washington & Co. review my gunsmith coverage?
Yes. Share your checklist and we'll review your program line by line, market your account across multiple carriers, and explain the trade-offs in plain English. Cory Washington & Co. LLC is licensed in all 50 states.
This checklist is a free educational tool from Cory Washington & Co. to help you review your own coverage and have a more informed conversation with a licensed insurance professional. It is general information only — not insurance, legal, or financial advice, and not a recommendation to buy, change, or cancel any policy. Coverage terms, availability, limits, and requirements vary by policy, carrier, and state, and only the language in your actual policy governs what is and isn’t covered. Checking or leaving blank any item above does not indicate that you are adequately insured or under-insured. Using this checklist does not create a client, agency, or fiduciary relationship. Always consult a licensed professional about your specific situation.