If you found this page from a search engine, welcome. If you came here from one of our emails — glad you made it. Either way, what follows is the full story of how USCCA® Membership was built, why it's different from anything else on the market, and why I'd put my own family's protection behind it.
For years, I sat in conference rooms surrounded by some of the top insurance attorneys in the country. Self-defense liability law. Captive structures. Coverage forms. Loss ratios.
Half of it was over my head.
But I kept showing up. Because I knew something nobody in those rooms fully appreciated yet:
The people we were building this for — responsible gun owners across America — were the most law-abiding, safety-conscious group in the country. And they were getting almost nothing in return for it.
How I Got Here
Fourteen years ago, I was CFO at a nursery company. My longtime friend Tim Schmidt — we've known each other since 4th grade — pulled me aside at a birthday party and said he needed help.
He had started something called the USCCA®. At the time it was basically a magazine and a website.
He had this idea: what if we could give responsible gun owners real legal and financial protection if they ever had to defend themselves or their family? And what if — instead of just handing them a policy and wishing them luck — we actually trained them to be prepared before anything ever happened?
I left my CFO job to join him as employee #11.
Back then, the highest legal coverage cap in the product was $10,000. Today it's effectively unlimited for criminal defense. We went from $300,000 in civil liability coverage to $2,000,000.
That didn't happen by accident. It happened because we made a commitment early on: let the data drive every decision, and never stop making the product better for the member.
But here's the thing most people still don't realize:
The legal protection was only ever half the mission.
The Gap Nobody Talks About
Most gun owners are carrying right now with zero financial protection behind them — and many haven't had meaningful training since the day they got their carry permit.
Think about what that actually means.
If you ever use your firearm in self-defense — even a completely justified act to protect your family — you could face:
- A criminal investigation, regardless of the circumstances
- Civil litigation from the attacker or their family
- Attorney retainer fees of $10,000–$50,000 before a trial even begins
- Years of legal proceedings that drain your savings and cost you your livelihood
Your homeowner's policy won't cover it. Your health insurance won't cover it. There is no standard policy that handles all of this.
But the legal exposure is only one side of the equation. The other is being tactically unprepared — not knowing the self-defense laws in your state, not having thought through a home defense plan, not staying current on safe storage, situational awareness, or how to respond in a low-light scenario.
Most gun owners have a firearm. Far fewer have a system.
That's the gap USCCA® Membership was built to close.
What USCCA® Membership Actually Is
This isn't an insurance product with some extras bolted on. It's a complete system built around the full responsibility of being armed in America — the training to be prepared, the protection if something happens, and a community of people who take this as seriously as you do.
Here's what membership includes:
Legal & Financial Protection Self-defense liability insurance is a core benefit of every membership tier — with industry-leading coverage limits for criminal defense and civil liability. If you're ever involved in a self-defense incident, you'll have access to a network of experienced self-defense attorneys and the financial backing to mount a real defense.
24/7 Critical Response The moment something happens, you shouldn't be alone. USCCA's Critical Response team is available around the clock to connect you with the right attorney, walk you through next steps, and make sure you're not navigating the worst moment of your life by yourself.
World-Class Training — Before You Ever Need It The Protector Academy® gives members access to a full online training library: hundreds of courses covering home defense strategy, situational awareness, safe storage with children in the home, state-specific self-defense laws, and more. This is the half of the mission most people don't expect — and often say is the most valuable thing they got out of membership.
Concealed Carry Magazine® Delivered to your door, packed with real-world tactics, gear reviews, and self-defense law updates written by people who actually know this space.
Certified Instructor Network When you're ready for hands-on training, USCCA's nationwide network of certified instructors brings world-class instruction to ranges near you.
A Community of 860,000+ Members You're not signing up for a policy. You're joining over 860,000 Responsibly Armed Americans® who share your values and your commitment to doing this right.
One Thing I'd Ask You to Do
If you've read this far, you're the kind of person who takes this seriously. That means you probably have real questions — about which membership tier fits your situation, what the coverage actually means for your state, or where to start with the training resources.
Those questions deserve a real conversation.
That's why we offer a free Personal & Home Defense Consultation — no obligation, no pressure. You'll speak with one of our specialists: a licensed P&C insurance agent and trained self-defense consultant who can walk you through your current exposure, explain your options in plain English, and help you make the right decision for your family.
855-388-1489
Available Monday – Friday, 8 am – 7 pm,
and Saturday, 8 am – 4:30 pm Central Time
I've spent 12 years building something I'd put my own family's protection behind.
I'd be proud to have you as part of it.
Stay safe,
Jerry Noskowiak
P.S. If you are ready to buy a USCCA Membership you can get a 5% discount here.
USCCA® Membership is not available to residents of New Jersey, New York, or Washington state.
*Insurance has been purchased by the USCCA and is one of the benefits of membership in the USCCA. USCCA Members are additional insureds under a policy issued to the USCCA by Universal Fire and Casualty Insurance Company, an insurance company with its principal place of business in Hudsonville, MI. Coverage and benefits are subject to the terms, conditions, and exclusions of the insurance policy. Information provided herein is for informational purposes and is not intended to be a representation of coverage that may exist in any particular situation. Contact Delta Shield's Customer Engagement Team at 1-855-388-1489 with any questions.
Delta Shield, LLC is a licensed insurance agency in all 50 states and the District of Columbia with its principal office in West Bend, WI. Delta Shield, LLC does business as Delta Wisconsin Insurance Solutions in California. California License #6007549.
