Proposed law would require gun liability insurance

BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts gun owners would be required to purchase liability insurance in case their firearm was ever used to injure someone under a bill being filed at the Statehouse.

The initiative is included in a gun control measure which would also change standards for gun licenses and outlaw large capacity magazines.

Under the bill being filed Friday, individuals applying for gun permits in Massachusetts would have to show proof of firearms insurance.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. David Linksy, compared the change to the requirement that car owners have auto insurance before registering their vehicles.

Linksy said requiring insurance could create market-based gun safety incentives.

Gun owners could see their insurance drop, say, if they agreed to take a firearms training course and properly stored their weapons.

Gov. Deval Patrick is pushing his own gun control measure.