# got into car accident in car with no insurance? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 24, 2014, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-into-car-accident-in-car-with-no-insurance/696347 "2014-08-24T03:42:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-into-car-accident-in-car-with-no-insurance/696347/41 "2014-08-25T20:49:46Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > That’s why a much better system would be an _Insurance-at-the-Pump_ system, where xxcents is asdded to the price of each gallon of gas purchased, to pay for a basic-level liability insurance coverage for every car on the road. And how do you propose to insure NG or electric cars? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-into-car-accident-in-car-with-no-insurance/696347/42 "2014-08-25T21:30:28Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > And how do you propose to insure NG or electric cars? Several responses occur to me: 1. There are so few of them it hardly matters – just include them in the pool. 2. The existing laws requiring insurance coverage would still apply to them – they would have to purchase liability insurance. 3. We could require them to pay an extra fee when they renew their license plates, to cover this liability pool (and maybe something toward the upkeep of the roads they drive on, too). 4. Those vehicles are far from cheap – owners will buy insurance on them. And people who can afford to purchase them will carry insurance, because they have other assets that could be seized in a lawsuit. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-into-car-accident-in-car-with-no-insurance/696347/43 "2014-08-25T21:37:44Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > Question: Is it not actually illegal to drive without insurance? FYI, not in New Hampshire. Live Free or Die! No seatbelt or helmet laws for adults either. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-into-car-accident-in-car-with-no-insurance/696347/44 "2014-08-25T21:54:38Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > It’s required here in Minnesota, too. But about 25-30% of the cars on the road don’t have any, despite the law. And they are usually people who it’s real hard to collect damages from, too. > > That’s why a much better system would be an _Insurance-at-the-Pump_ system, where xxcents is asdded to the price of each gallon of gas purchased, to pay for a basic-level liability insurance coverage for every car on the road. Drivers would still have to purchase their own insurance for higher liability coverage, and for collision coverage, etc. But every car that uses gas would have at least some liability insurance. (We could probably pay for a chunck of this by the reduction in time that police spend looking for and ticketing uninsured drivers. What happens when I drive in from out of state? What happens if I burn used fry oil in my jetta tdi? What if I’m an upstanding citizen and excellent driver and I drive a 15 passenger van that gets 8mpg but Jimbo is hell on wheels and a danger to all on the road and he drives a Chevy volt that gets 153mpg? Why should I have to purchase liability insurance for my lawnmower, chainsaw, weedwhacker, and leafblower? > [@](#): > > But, of course, the big insurance companies are greatly opposed to this – would cut into their profits. Cite? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/got-into-car-accident-in-car-with-no-insurance/696347.md?page=2)