With So Many Pitfalls, Why Car Insurance?
Posted on | August 27, 2008 |
I have a car and a driver’s license, so as is the case in most (if not all) states, I’m required to have proof of insurance. It can be very expensive, especially when my children who are on the same policy have had several accidents. As a result, I’m realizing that cost is just one of the problems associated with car insurance.
Providing your personal information to the insurance company is another. When you start getting multiple offers through the mail and on the phone, you realize your information has been sold; it’s an irritating downside of any company that practices this.
Another of the pitfalls of car insurance would be for those drivers who are never ever in any type of accident. You see, you pay, whether you use it or not. I know people who had been driving for 20, 30 or even 40 years sometimes and never had to turn in an insurance claim.
The profits reported by insurance companies are sometimes overwhelming. Yes, they do have to pay for the drivers who are more accident-prone, but is this cost really the responsibility of the safe drivers? It seems to be another problem the premiums of those of us who are safe drivers are paying for the accidents of the careless and unsafe drivers.
Having a policeman or insurance company determine you were at fault is also a problem since it’s not always true. Only the people involved in an accident really know what happened. If you’re unfortunate enough to have the other driver lie about it, it could raise your rates and cost you in higher premiums for many years.
Maybe you’ve avoided accidents and premium increases but did you consider hiding from your agent? Maybe you’re lucky, but some agents can be an issue. We’ve all heard the jokes about insurance agents. They’re very eager to sell more insurance, get more customers, increase your coverage, etc. Professionals exist, but if you get one who isn’t, good luck.
If you’re unfortunate enough to be in an accident (or perhaps you’re just pulled over for speeding or rolling through a stop sign), you’re always asked for the insurance card. If you’re like most of us, you’re digging through the piles of paper and junk that’s stuffed in your glove compartment just to find it. If you happen to have an impatient officer, the delay may result in a ticket rather than a warning. What’s meant to be a good thing (the insurance card) can often become yet another problem of insurance.
Finally, the uninsured motorist: probably the biggest problem of all in the insurance business. It’s impossible to know who he is until he’s the one you’re in an accident with. There may be reasons why he doesn’t have insurance (maybe he simply can’t afford it with all the increased costs of goods these days), but the fact is it’s the law. Unfortunately, if you have a deductible or damages to pay for, you’ll probably be the one having to pay for them.
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