Automobile Insurance specifically. I can't remember when they did it in Tennessee, but it wasn't too long ago that the state legislature decided that all TN citizens should be required to carry Liability Insurance on thier vehicles. This is the "Law of the Land" now. I have a problem with this situation. Who the Fuck are you, to tell me what kind of insurance I should carry on my vehicle?
Essentially, "Insurance" is defined as, "paying for something that may or may not happen". (the quotation marks are meant to mean that the quote is from me. In this instance.) No, Thank You. I'll pay for what does happen. Let me give you an example here.
Something along eleven or twelve years ago, I had a pretty bad auto accident. I was in the posession (at the time) of a 1979 Pontiac Formula Firebird. Mine was White with Blue Accents, but you get the drift.
One fine evening, I was driving home from work, and I happenned to notice that my stereo was up too loud. It was raining, and at "rush hour". I looked down at my "volume knob" just long enough to turn the damn stereo down, and in the proces of doing so, I ran into the car in front of me. Which was pushed into the car in fron tof it, which was pushed into the car in front of it, which was pushed into the car in front of it. I still have the scar on my forehead from when I slammed my head into the steering wheel. I was a "little" pissed at myself for invlolving myself in such a debacle.
Later on, I was asked to go do a "deposition" in regards to the the accident. I told the truth as I knew it. I hit the first car, who hit the next car, etc. I wound up paying the Plaintiff something on the order of three times my annual salry (at the time) for what damages I did to thier vehicle. Unfortunatley for them, I told the truth, and denied them the opportuntiy to take the same amount from five other people. At the time, I was uninsured.
I took care of my responsibility to the offended parties. I paid more than I could afford to them Fuckers for Three Years. I made good on my responsibility.
Why the hell can't the rest of you?
P.S. You money grubbing bastards.
Posted by Johnny - Oh at August 11, 2004 01:25 AMIn this country insurance is mandatory but then we don't have (just yet) the lawyer culture, plus there are different levels of it. Only recently (last 5 years or so) have they offered legal protection to stop you being sued a lot. You cannot drive here without it, you are unable to obtain road tax without it, etc. Not that this seems to stop anyone here btw. Seems odd to introduce these things in the way they have though?
Posted by: Alex at August 11, 2004 08:05 AMVery much "odd". I just have a general problem with paying for something that "Might" happen. If it doesn't, then I'm out a lot of money that I could have used for other things. If it does, I'll pay for it after the fact.
The fact that the local government has made a law that says that I have to give my money to a "non-government" agency also makes my blood boil. It feels like a tax, it smells like a tax, but I cannot vote the insurance company's CEO out of office.
Posted by: Johnny - Oh at August 11, 2004 09:48 AMMe, I look at insurance thusly: relatively small cost to avoid having to pay a hugely unpalatable penalty if I hurt/kill somebody.
Like my seatbelt, I think I'd be an idiot not to use it, because I can't afford the worst case scenario.
However, also like my seatbelt, it should be my choice.
Mandatory insurance (which is a misnomer, since LOTS of people drive uninsured), like mandatory seatbelt laws, is stupid legislative over-reaching.
Posted by: Harvey at August 11, 2004 03:25 PMAuto insurance is mandatory in FL. However, since we have such a high rate of those who DON'T carry it, which is illegal, that those of us who do, have to pay very high prices for it. You can't drive without it, but people do, just as people drive without licenses. These people who don't have insurance, NEVER have the money nor inclination to pay for their responsiblity. (Hit and runs are very common here.) They are typically either on welfare or immigrant workers. Basically, I pay a higher premium down here because it's a law and half the people don't obey it. Kudos to you for owning up to your responsiblity. That would NEVER happen here. NEVER.
Posted by: Boudicca at August 11, 2004 08:43 PMInsurance companies are the most powerful organizations in the world. Period. More than oil, gas, and Haliburton. They own lots of prime real-estate and buildings. They hide behind "non-profit" and lots of other legal loopholes.
And they make laws to prevent other insurance companies from starting - no competition.
Pretty evil stuff.
Posted by: _Jon at August 11, 2004 11:38 PMBoudicca hit the nail on the head! They changed the law, and created a whole new group of criminals that they can fleece of thier money when they break the law. The insurance companies get to dictate thier prices, and we have to pay it, because it's the law. I'm not sure if we pay taxes on our insurance purchases, but it wouldn't surprise me if we did.
I don't think that insurance is essentially a bad thing, but to Harvey's point, I should be able to choose to use it or not. The law is the problem here.
Posted by: Johnny - Oh at August 11, 2004 11:43 PMWhat really pisses me off - even more than having the mandantory insurance (yes Illinois is a mandantory liability state) is the fact that if you don't happen to have "proof of insurance" in your vehicle, you can be ticketed by the cops!!!! Even if you were only stopped for a speeding infraction. GRRRRRRRRR!!!!!! Yeah, they ask for license, registration, and proof of insurance if you are ever stopped for anything...
This means - you have to make sure that everytime your pay for your insurance, and they send out that stupid card, you MUST put it in your glove box or somewhere in the car - just in case. If you don't have it - I believe the ticket is something between $50-$100. That means, to get THAT ticket thrown out, you have to go to court and show proof of insurance.
So, say you get stopped because they are checking for seatbelt violations (they can do that here now!!!!) and they also ask for your proof of insurance. You might be okay with the seatbelt thing, but end up having to go to court because you forgot to put the new insurance card in your car. OMG - it is such a racket!!!
Yeah, I've been on the receiving end of that several times Teresa (I'm also stuck in the Socialist Republic of Illinois). The cops around here are notorious for illegal stops and searches.
Posted by: Graumagus at August 16, 2004 02:22 PMhttp://articles.ivtcscs.org enduredprincessteenage
Posted by: boys at August 13, 2005 03:16 PM