The Common Misconception: I Can Just Drive Without Car Insurance!
You know, if you are Superman, have lightning fast reflexes, have been driving for fifty years with no accidents, and are psychic, then it makes perfect sense that you shouldn’t have to pay insurance. Sure, Superheroes shouldn’t have to pay insurance (though most do, if only to set a good example). For us mere mortals, though, it’s a good idea to keep up to date with our insurance payments.
There are certainly some valid arguments to be made as to whether or not car insurance is constitutional and so on, but the bottom line is this: You never know what’s going to happen out on the road. You literally take your life into your own hands every time you get behind the wheel. Even if you are the greatest driver in the world, there’s always a chance that some drunken idiot, who is not carrying insurance, is gonna T-Bone your car. No matter how careful you are, there’s always a chance that you might just make a mistake and cause an accident.
There is just so much that can happen out there, so much that you don’t have any control over, so much that you could never see coming, it just doesn’t make sense to not carry insurance.
Even in the event of a minor accident, nobody wants to be held at fault and then have to pay for expensive repairs out of their own pocket.
If you are an excellent driver, then what you should do is look around for a vehicle insurance company that will reward that. Many insurance companies have programs wherein your rates will continually drop as you continue driving safely. Others offer some pretty hefty discounts for people with clean driving records.
The fact is, you do have options for getting a great deal. If you have faith in your ability as a driver, and you’ve proven it by keeping a good record, it shouldn’t be hard to get decent coverage for a lot less than you might think.
Don’t be so sure.
Say you’re driving some night, following all the rules of the road, you’ve got a spotless driving record, and your car’s in good condition, but suddenly, one of your brake light bulbs goes out. A police officer pulls you over and asks to see your license, registration, and proof of insurance.
So, without proof of insurance, you now have to go get insurance, possibly pay a fine, and then go before a judge and prove that you have insurance.
Another scenario: The police are looking for someone, so they set up a checkpoint, asking to see every driver’s identification and proof of insurance.
Some states actually set up checkpoints just to make sure that you have a driver’s license and valid insurance.
If you can’t afford the fine for not having insurance, the alternative is usually a night in the county jail. Jail sucks. Jail sucks a lot more than paying a hundred bucks a month for insurance sucks.
The bottom line is this: It’s the law, and it’s just a good idea to have adequate insurance, because no matter how good a driver you are, you’re always rolling the dice when you drive without adequate, up to date insurance.