Should auto insurance be mandatory?

[2952-0-0]

I think third-party insurance should be mandatory, to protect the rights of whoever else gets involved in an auto accident. But I'm not sure anything else should be mandatory since some may prefer not having to pay expensive premiums. Here in BC all auto insurance is mandatory and is run by the ICBC, a corporation owned by the provincial government. Most other provinces in Canada except Alberta, where auto insurance is privatized, have similar programs. Should it be mandatory? Also, how much do you pay for it? Have you ever been involved in an accident?

My parents tell me a few months before I was born they ran a red light and crashed. Had it not been for the fact they braked strong enough I would not exist as a human

Also, my mom crashed at an intersection on September 11, 2001.

In December 2003 my dad skidded on a twisty highway when it was snowing, causing him to hit a tree, which ironically stopped him from falling off a precipice (it was the Malahat for Gabu).

[Q]

Liability, yes.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

No, at least not for those who cannot afford it. Insurance is a rip-off.

In the U.S., all auto insurance is privatized by for-profit corporations, so it's a big rip-off.

In America, mandatory insurance means many cannot even afford to own a car, when they otherwise would have been able to.

[nini2287]

No (D), it's not fair to make the rich who don't need insurance pay for it, and poors who can't afford it shouldn't have to pay, provided they know they're responsible if they're responsible for an accident.

[Platypus]

third party, yes. Others, no. Non-third party insurance should be privatised.

[opebo]

No, of course not.  If you are a poor you are judgement-proof - why should you have insurance?

[Blue Rectangle]

I actually support mandatory third-party coverage.

[David S]

Liability insurance yes. I don't remember the cost for that portion of it.

To answer your 3rd question, I've been in 3 accidents over the past half century. None involved injuries, although the last one was pretty severe, over $10,000 damage to the Jeep. A woman pulled out of a parking lot in front of me and I did not have room to stop. I was traveling the speed limit which is 45mph. Its funny the things you think of in that 1 or 2 seconds before the crash. Since I have been involved in crash testing while employed in the auto industry, my first thought was : the Jeep is not designed for a 45mph crash I better slow down.

[Richard]

ALL INSURANCE MUST BE MANDATORY.  It is going to pay my salary.

[muon2]

No, of course not.  If you are a poor you are judgement-proof - why should you have insurance?

What happens if one poor person hits the car of another poor person who is stationary. Who pays to repair the stationary car?

[opebo]

No, of course not.  If you are a poor you are judgement-proof - why should you have insurance?

What happens if one poor person hits the car of another poor person who is stationary. Who pays to repair the stationary car?

No one.  They're poor = no money.

[J-Mann]

No, of course not.  If you are a poor you are judgement-proof - why should you have insurance?

What happens if one poor person hits the car of another poor person who is stationary. Who pays to repair the stationary car?

No one.  They're poor = no money.

Hence all the beat-up cars driving around.

[Speed of Sound]

hhhmm. Im torn on this one. Someone needs to prove thier point to me, cause im not sure.

[Bono]

Insurance is state run over there?
Wow, what totalitarism.

[muon2]

Insurance is state run over there?
Wow, what totalitarism.

No, insurabce is privately run. However, to operate a motor vehicle you must carry a minimum amount of insurance. It's not really any different than saying if a carnival wants to run in a city park, the operator has to show proof of a minimum amount of liability insurance.

[© tweed]

No.

Poors can't pay for it.  So now we keep them off the road?

[A18]

Quit using opebospeak.

[dazzleman]

hhhmm. Im torn on this one. Someone needs to prove thier point to me, cause im not sure.

I think auto insurance should be mandatory.

Operating a car is tremendously risky, both to the driver and to the others who happen to be in his/her path.

In order to protect those unknown people who happen to cross the path of many drivers every day, in the best possible way, those drivers must be able to handle the potential financial consequences of their actions behind the wheel.

Some states allow a person to post a bond with the commissioner of motor vehicles, in lieu of insurance.  In either case, if a person hits your car or, worse, injures you, you have a right to expect some type of compensation from that person.  Insurance allows this to happen if the person who hit you is unable to provide compensation on his/her own.

There is a more subtle effect, too, in the sense that the knowledge that irresponsible driving will cost you financially will lead most people to be better drivers.  Good drivers without a lot of tickets or accidents will pay less for insurance than those who go around hitting things or people (though I shouldn't define 'good drivers' as those who don't get tickets since I do get tickets on occasion ).  A big part of the cost of tickets is not the fine, but the added insurance cost a driver may get whacked with for 3 years (though I have through some stroke of luck avoided this with all my tickets -- you can if you are lucky and know how to play the system right).

In any case, I think it would be chaos to allow people to operate vehicles that can easily cause hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage, without requiring them to put in place some mechanism to cover the cost of any damage they may do.

[bgwah]

My parents tell me a few months before I was born they ran a red light and crashed. Had it not been for the fact they braked strong enough I would not exist as a human

Also, my mom crashed at an intersection on September 11, 2001.

In December 2003 my dad skidded on a twisty highway when it was snowing, causing him to hit a tree, which ironically stopped him from falling off a precipice (it was the Malahat for Gabu).

Aren't you Asian?

[True Democrat]

No, and Pennsylvania needs to change that law right away.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

Absolutely not.

[??????????]

Yes. If you knew how many uninsured mexicans are driving around here and who are lousy drivers you wouldn't blame the state for making us carry insurance. Its also good to carry uninsured insurance as well.

[dazzleman]

Yes. If you knew how many uninsured mexicans are driving around here with no insurance and who are lousy drivers you wouldn't blame the state for making us carry insurance. Its also good to carry uninsured insurance as well.

I completely agree, States.

BTW, how's everything going, man?  We haven't spoken in a while.  Who are you going for in the NFL playoffs?  Of course, I'm going for the Pats.

[??????????]

Yes. If you knew how many uninsured mexicans are driving around here with no insurance and who are lousy drivers you wouldn't blame the state for making us carry insurance. Its also good to carry uninsured insurance as well.

I completely agree, States.

BTW, how's everything going, man?  We haven't spoken in a while.  Who are you going for in the NFL playoffs?  Of course, I'm going for the Pats.

Patriots I suppose but if the Colts got it it wouldn't matter to me either way. I'm a college fan more then No Fun League.

[Dave from Michigan]

yes