Let’s see. You repeated a common, and seemingly reasonable, but wrong myth. I called you on it with a video cite. An explanation is requested. I provide it.
Several hours later you’re in here acting like I kicked your puppy.
[QUOTE=What the … !!!]
Wife bitches at me constantly about it when she is in the car.
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Looks like she has good reason for bitching at you, regardless of the impact on your health insurance.
I just took a health insurance survey as myself and my company is looking at switching insurance companies. There was no question about seat belts and, at least in Wisconsin, they don’t look at your driving record. I can tell you with confidence, that not wearing your seat belt will not change your health insurance rates (at least not in WI, and at least not if your are insurance through your employer…I can’t say what happens if you do it on your own).
Also, if you have group insurance through your employer your rates don’t get adjusted individually. The group’s rates go up or down. So you could be perfectly healthy but if everyone else there smokes and three people have suicide attempts and most of them are overweight, your rates will go up as well. In fact, your rate will be exactly the same as the depressed overweight employee right next to you as long as they’re the same sex and in the same age bracket as you.
When I have a new employee that wants insurance their rate is based on nothing more then age and sex. The grid that I have is based on the company’s health as a whole. That’s why companies are encouraging employees to quit smoking and trying to get them to become healthier. Since they foot part of the premium, it’s a good idea for them to try to get the insurance bill down.
People who refuse to wear seatbelts don’t just risk their own health and safety. In a crash they can become dangerous human projectiles injuring others in the car.
OP please listen to your wife.
I know this is the Straight Dope, and Cecil has something of a flippant writing style, but the snarky, know-it-all style works a lot better when you’re actually right instead of wrong. Here you’ve either misinterpreted the Mythbusters episode, misinterpreted Steophan’s post, or you simply have no understanding of the physics. Or some combination thereof.
This earlier thread covers the case of two moving cars colliding versus a moving car at twice the speed hitting a stationary car. There are a few digressions, but a number of explanations on why the two cases are equivalent.
No, I believe the OP is using the term correctly. “Bitching” does not imply positive or negative intent.
In addition to what colonial said, my point was a ticket for driving without a seatbelt is public record, while drinking paint thinner isn’t. If a company is going to adjust your rates, the logical way to do so is use what is on public record rather than hearsay evidence of you doing something stupid in private.
When does someone describe another as “bitching” and mean they’re feeling positive about it?
Sorry, I meant intent of the bitcher, not the recipient of the bitching.
I can mention to my SO that she should consider eating a healthier diet. If, OTOH, I mention healthy choices every time she picks up a fork, even though my intentions are honorable, I would be bitching/harping/whatever.
Thanks for the comments on the subject and the concerns for my safety.
I should have realized that there is no way any behavior can affect a group policy.
Does anybody know if Obamacare legislation changes the way that insurance companies (or other providers) can price based on behaviors? I seem to remember some discussions relative to being overweight.
One more point regarding seat belts and speed. I think we can all agree that in extremely high-speed collisions, a seat belt may not be enough to save you from serious injury or death. It might only reduce “instant death” to “severe injury.”
Therefore, it is when driving at lower speeds – particularly, at the “normal” traffic speeds for which seat belts are designed-- that the seat belt is likely to do the most good, reducing serious injury or death to “nothing.”
Food for thought.
OP is probably answered, thread has gone off the rails. Closed.
samclem, Moderator.