No one expects to be in an auto accident. A few lucky individuals never are. And some unfortunate folks have more than their share. Chances are you will find yourself as either the crasher or the crashee at some point in your driving career. As for myself, I had covered both ends of the spectrum.
In my youth, I couldn’t go around the block without running into something: trash cans, curbs, mailboxes, parked cars. At one point, it cost more for liability only on my Ford Pinto than did full coverage on my parents cars combined! My parents were quick learners. They soon made it my responsibility to pay for premium increases due to accidents or speeding tickets. Did I mention I was a speed demon? As soon as I realized my entire paycheck was funding my erratic driving habits, I learned to shape up and fly right. Or drive straight, as the case may be.
Twenty years later, I found myself a magnet for every wayward, erratic, speed demon on the road. I couldn’t go to the store without someone backing into my car. On the highway, I would inevitably be run off into a ditch. Every over-the-fence homer at the ball park would find my windshield! But my insurance policy always paid up. Not a single claim was denied.
Skip ahead five more years. Random accidents involving my vehicle had ceased. Then, driving home from work, I merged into a left turn lane. One minute I am turning on my left signal light. The next minute, I am choking on air bag fumes. A driver without a license, driving someone else’s uninsured car, crossed three lanes, turned against traffic and ran in front of my car.
It quickly became apparent that I had broadsided him. The front end of my vehicle literally caved in the side of his car. He was taken away in an ambulance, but more as a delay tactic to keep from going to jail than because of injury. I was uninjured as well, but very annoyed as the air bags busted my favorite pair of sunglasses.
My SUV was totaled. The other driver and the owner of the car were pursued for compensation towards my repairs, but with little result. As I said before, the man that hit me did not own the car, nor did the owner of the car have insurance. Fortunately, I had the foresight to include rental car insurance on my policy. As a result, I was able to drive while finding a replacement. The money I received for the value of my car was very fair and allowed me to put a nice sized down payment on a new car.
My auto insurance policy has been called on many times in a variety of circumstances. Every time, the coverage allowed me to continue on without a hitch. No lost wages due to lack of transportation. No replacing an auto at my own expense. Insurance policies can be expensive and are the punchline of many a joke, but without them we all would be left hoofing it to work.