While this article’s title may be a poor parody of the famous lines from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, there is nothing comical about the fact that our current economy is in bad shape. Although there may be signs of improvement, the truth is that thousands and thousands of people are unemployed, and finding work is no easy task. Surviving until securing a new job requires persistence, patience, and much faith. Many will look for as many areas as possible to reduce expenses.
It is not only the unemployed that do this. Many seemingly financially secure individuals are also making cutbacks out of concern for what may be in the future. Surprisingly, many drivers have chosen to cancel their car insurance to save money. Is this a wise move to make? Not! Let’s examine the way for a bit.
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The Effect of Risk on Car Insurance Prices
Before continuing, this is a good place to say a few words regarding risk. Risk management is critical to managing car insurance premium costs in the insurance industry. The concept of risk and its idea is relatively easy to understand.
, it can be explained as the chance of something going wrong. From an insurance perspective, the risk is all about statistics and probabilities. Specifically, what would be the probability of a loss concerning some action or category? Regarding repair work, consider this example. Which of the following automobiles would be more expensive to repair in an accident? Do you think it would be a Ford or possibly a Bentley?
The answer is obvious. With such a limited luxury automobile, the risk of higher repair costs will demand that higher premiums be collected to offset such an expense in the event of an accident. With this feeble example, remember that any action or category deemed by the insurance industry to carry higher risk will, in turn, be rewarded with a higher premium to offset that risk.
Now, consider risk from a personal perspective. Remember, we said that, in simple terms, the risk is the chance of something going wrong. The insurance industry employs actuaries to aid in risk management.
These individuals use strong analytical skills, business knowledge, and an understanding of human behavior to design and manage programs that control risk. If you, as a driver, choose to cancel your automobile coverage, you are personally throwing every thought of risk management to the wind. You expose yourself and your family to serious legal risks, untold liability, and potential financial ruin.
There are risks whether you are at fault or not. Let’s consider these.
At Fault Risk and Car Insurance Cost
If you are in an auto accident and are at fault, you could be held liable for bodily injury and property damage caused by that accident. The term ”liable” means you are legally responsible. Consider your legal responsibility if you had no car insurance coverage in such a scenario.
How would you pay if a lawsuit was filed against you by those injured in the accident? The court would say your assets would be used to pay for any damages awarded. If only one person were in the other vehicle, it would be serious, but what if there were more than one? What if the accident also injured a pedestrian? Without automobile insurance, you would be liable for repairing damage to the other automobile, which could cost thousands.
Not at Fault Risk and Car Insurance Cost
What if you were involved in an accident where you were not at fault or were only partially at fault? As the driver, if you have no automobile insurance coverage, the costs of defending yourself against legal action could be very high.
What if you were injured in an auto accident where the other driver is at fault, but their coverage was insufficient to cover your losses? Worse yet, what if that driver had no insurance for the car and no money? Just because you might not be at fault doesn’t mean you couldn’t have serious medical costs.
What about your vehicle? It could have also sustained significant damage, and it will need to be repaired. Without the correct automobile coverage, such repair costs would come from your pocket.
Be Proactive – Get New Quotes for Car Insurance Annually
Don’t act carelessly about your car insurance coverage. After reading the above, you can see that what you risk paying by not having automobile insurance far outweighs what little savings you may recognize if you didn’t have the expense.
Many people become complacent about the cost of car insurance and never review their coverage or make changes. They think it is too much trouble to check their range or get new quotes on car insurance. We all work hard for what we have and can feel pride for what we may accomplish. Don’t risk unnecessary expense or potential loss. Remember that our life circumstances can change, impacting the cost of your car insurance coverage. For example, did you get married or divorced? Did you change jobs, which changed how far you now drive to work? Did you get a new car? These and many other reasons could affect your cost of automobile insurance. Do you want to be sure you get the best car insurance prices? Be proactive and take command of your finances. Review your coverages on at least an annual basis and take the time to get new quotes for your car insurance needs. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Edward Ferrell is a graduate of Auburn University with over 20 years of experience in the financial services and technology sectors. He recently started his own marketing and e-commerce company focusing on niche e-commerce markets.
Edward understands from a deeply personal level that life is filled with challenges. He says that some challenges we face are due to our own good or bad decisions, while other challenges are somewhere down the road, just waiting for us to get there.
