Surprising Car Insurance Facts

You don’t know these things

You might be confident to know when driving that some other person in the highway has car insurance that will pay for the damage when an accident occurs. You just shrug off your shoulders whenever you’re shown that auto insurance rates are at an all time low. You then base your decisions with that assumption and put down the phone whenever an insurance person calls you.

But then, take a look at this. According to a 2010 Insurance Council Research report, one out of six drivers in the United States, have no insurance. Are you the one out of six? Maybe, you think you’ll stick with your chances anyway and hope that the other driver has insurance. But with the numbers clearly talking, your luck just might run out. 

After all, in 2009 there were about 9.6 million car accidents according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report. With the US population at 305,000,000 in 2009, that’s just 3.14% of the overall US population. That’s just 3 out of 100 people right?

Oh, by the way, did you know that it is illegal in most states of the US to not have car insurance? You can face a whole lot of problems aside from the medical bill and the costs of having your car repaired. For one, if you figure in a road vehicle accident and manage to survive, once the cops find out that you have no insurance, you just might face any of these consequences:-

Fines

Revocation or suspension of your driver’s license and car registration

Jail

Consider yourself lucky if all you’ll get is a fine for figuring in an accident with no car insurance.   
 

Assessing Risks

Ok, even if you don’t face an accident you just might get away with having no car insurance if you just drive safely and defensively. All you’ll do is drive below the maximum speed limits, observe all traffic rules and regulations and be a happy and friendly motorist.

But what if you encounter someone on the road who is not as careful as you? What if that person is a teenager who is drunk? Worse, what if that person on the other wheel doesn’t see you because he or she is too high on drugs or using his or her cell phone?

Regardless of whose fault it is, it is definitely better to have insurance so that you’ll have the peace of mind in knowing that you are prepared for any eventuality.

You may still be hesitant and cite the fact that you don’t have a job and that auto insurance rates are prohibitively high. Well, whether you are unemployed or not will not be a factor once the accident investigation begins. Remember that a liability can be one of omission or commission.

That means if you are held liable for the damages that you inflict upon another person or property and if you don’t have insurance to cover for it, you have essentially done nothing that’s why you are being held into account. It may not be your fault, but the fact that you didn’t get car insurance is the only thing that they’ll look at.
The best advice that could be given to you, if you are unemployed and have no financial resources to pay for the insurance premium is either to not use the car when going outside or to sell it so that you’ll have the funds that could tide you over.

Remember that owning a car has two sides. It is both a privilege and a responsibility. So whenever you are in the streets or in the highway, you are responsible for the safety of other motorists and even the pedestrians. Nobody likes for accidents to occur, but the fact that they occur on a regular basis and in such large numbers highlights the fact that you should prepare for the eventuality when it does.

Drunk drivers are not the leading causes of car accidents – drivers who are not paying attention to the road because of distractions are.

What could go wrong

What you are not aware of, could bring you enormous damage. This applies on all aspects of life but most specially in car insurance. Take charge and do the responsible thing because it is the right thing to do by you and the right thing to do unto others. The financial investment will pay off in a return that’s not so easily bought – peace of mind.

The time to act is now. Auto insurance rates are at an all time low and the national average for premiums is $1,566. 

You could go and compare the offerings of various insurance companies to see which of these would suit your capability the most. Do not hesitate to ask and go through the details of the policy that you will take in. Get the details of that “full” or “comprehensive” policy. Look at the provisions of their liability clauses. Scrutinize the fees that they are going to levy on you. Remember that car insurance policies are very specific when it comes to details.

The worst thing that could happen even when you get insurance is to find out that you have no coverage for a particular circumstance. Know every detail that counts to be aware of the exact circumstances that would arise if you do get into an accident.

Don’t be a part of the statistics when the NHSTA releases their report. Don’t let your story end with a tragedy compounded by financial tragedy because you did not have the foresight to prepare for this eventuality. Getting insurance for one of the riskiest activities you’re exposing yourself to, is a worthwhile endeavor.  Expecting the unexpected and preparing for it will help you.

Don’t let unforeseeable circumstances surprise you into inaction. It is better to be prepared than to be caught by surprise by the things that we least expect to happen. The consequences for one single mishap can change not just your life but the lives of others who will be affected by it. Providence has a way of affecting our lives in a manner that has far reaching consequences.

External circumstances beyond our control could only be mitigated and faced by taking measures such as these. You know that the risks involved are far too important to wager on. Moore’s law states that “What could go wrong, will go wrong.” You can change that with, “What could go wrong, will only go wrong if you let it happen.”

Fun Fact: Warren Buffett, the third richest person in the world, played the role of the rock star, Axl Rose  in a 2009 Geico car insurance TV commercial.