I am talking about morally not just legally. There is a moral burden on all of us to drive carefully and try not to get into accidents. There is no moral obligation to insure.
Claims guy, actually. The person in the middle who gets to say, “Yup, you’re fucked–that’s all I can pay on Mr. Doors’ behalf. Maybe you can sue him out of his trailer to cover the cost of your son’s ventilator and prosthetic limbs, but odds are this is all you’re going to get–that’ll teach you to leave your house and mind your own business but, hey, it’s a dangerous world.” But this isn’t really about me, it’s about people who think it’s ok to jeopardize the security of other people whose only wrong-doing was going outside. But since the concensus seems to be “Look out for yourself and to hell with anyone else who might be affected by your actions,” I guess I can proceed with my plans to start a rooster farm in my suburban home. My neighbors can always buy earplugs if they don’t like the noise, right?
There is no moral obligation to pay the full value of something you broke? Why is that?
I have to agree with Inigo…underinsured driver protection costs me more than my collision and comprehensive combined. :rolleyes:
Because as soon as I buy enough insurance to cover the gold-plated Hummer I might someday plow into, you can bet some asshole will encrust one with diamonds, and expect to reimbursed if I ding him in the parking lot. Where does it end? Or perhaps I should just call you to find out what the *responsible * level of insurance is?
That’s not the way I feel, but then apparently I don’t know as much about my insurance as I thought I did. For a country with no health care coverage, $25,000 seems a staggeringly low amount to be covered for, when that amount might not even cover the cost of a single car.
I thought I had something like $1,000,000 myself, but now I’ll have to double check. I certainly do feel that it’s my moral obligation to, when engaged in such a dangerous-to-others activity as driving, have the ability to recompense others at least monetarily for any fuck-up on my part.
FINALLY you’re talking sense!
I will be amazed if you have more than $100,000. If you do have $1,000,000 coverage, would you share your annual premium with us?
I feel so much better! I will finally be able to sleep at night. Of course, you *will * indemnify me, in case a judgement exceeds my insurance, right? Because I want to be completely covered, I couldn’t bear to live life knowing I was exposed to even the slightest risk!
Okay, I’m a working single mom who struggles at times, but I do have car insurance. My 6 month premium is due tomorrow (really!) and I see your point. I need to change my coverage amounts in case I plow into Mr. Bigbucks over the weekend. Please see to it, Inigo, that the money to increase my coverage instead of just covering my ass is in my account by midnight tomorrow. :rolleyes:
Seriously, in a city where as many as half of all drivers are uninsured, even though it’s the law that you must be insured, I thought I was doing pretty good by just having it. And, I do buy the optional un/underinsured motorist coverage in case someone hits me and has no or not enough coverage. Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do??
Every time you get behind the wheel, you’re taking the risk of being killed or seriously injured, and all the consequences of those things such as high hospital bills, being out of work, etc. It’s not up to others to make sure you can maintain your lifestyle, it’s up to you.
I have to vehemently but respectfully say that I think you’re full of shit on this one, OP.
Well, shit, Inigo, how much of my income do you expect me to deprive myself of so I can cover the solid gold Hummer Elway’s driving around town? I carry enough insurance to cover a typical accident with a typical car. Why do you expect more from me?
The responsible level of insurance is enough to cover whatever damages you cause.
$26.16/month ($313.92/year) gets me $1million in liability coverage per accident AND protects me against underinsured butternuts (a.k.a. “selfish fucks” 
) for $1million. That coverage for underinsured drivers is not available in all states, however. So the availability of that coverage is one small favor I thank heaven for. Without the underinsured motorist coverage it’d be half that.
My Lexus…I mean my 94 Camry runs me $60/month for a policy that includes 250/500/100 in liability.State minimum on the car is $45/month. So what’s my difference? $15 to go from mins to 250/500 and another $13 to bring it all up to 1.25 mil. Which works out to $28 between being a selfish, irresponsible bottom feeder and the fine do-gooder that I am. My choice is to sacrifice my personal enjoyment of a 6-pack and a couple large pizzas in favor of maybe not totally fucking someone’s life up because I couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to a traffic signal.
That explains a lot. You must be under the impression that my insurance rate is as low as yours. Try doubling it to start, then give me limited tort and state mins.
That still a damn sight better than when I had to pay $300 a month for state mins. Yes, I had a wild youth. Yes, I’ve been paying for it ever since. And yes, I pay a ehole boatload more than you do, so like I said, if you want to cover my end you’re more than welcome to. Otherwise, shut your piehole.
Oh, wait. My math was a bit shady. Try $1,200+ a year. You can help me out with that, right? I figure it’ll be $1,500 or so to get even remotely close to what you think I should have. So step on up, moneybags. We’ll be glad to have your contribution.
If you kill John Elway in an accident which is your fault, exactly how much good do you expect $1.25 million dollars to do you?
So, what are you complaining about then? Gee whiz, a person is able to buy insurance to protect themselves from a perceived risk… what a novel concept! Here’s an idea, why don’t we all just buy the insurance we think we need to protect ourselves, with a reasonable minimum required by law.
Or maybe the sainted insurance companies could make higher levels of protection more affordable.
Well, I do have one resource available for you…so if you’ll just stand in that intersection right. over. there…
Yeah, that’s what I thought. Not so glib now, are you?
No one who understands the concept buys **liability insurance ** to protect themselves. **Liability insurance ** pays out for **damage to others ** (be it **medical ** or property damage.)
I carry more than the state minimum of liability insurance because that’s the only way I could hope to be able to afford to pay for someone else’s medical expenses that were **the direct result of my action ** (or inaction). Chances are Mr. Bigshot driving “solid gold Hummer” has collision/comprehensive coverage on the vehicle (not to mention un/underinsurance coverage where available and good medical insurance for him and his family.) I’m not worried about covering all of his property losses. I am worried about the possibility of causing harm to someone more like me … who can’t afford medical insurance. Why should they suffer a huge financial setback because of my action? If you drive, you should take resposibilty for any harm you cause.
If you’re so concerned that your premiums are too high, get the government to enforce the limits that currently exist. The large number of people who are driving uninsured are increasing the costs, and therefore the premiums, for those of us who are insured.
I guess the idea of protecting yourself from financial ruin doesn’t compute? That’s why I get liability insurance.
Let me see if I get this straight. Mr Bigshot has insurance coverage, so you don’t have to worry about covering all the damage you did to him?
Guess you’ve never heard of the term subrogation
If his damages go over your liability limit, you’ll be doing a whole lot of worrying, once his insurance company sues you’re ass.