From: derek strine (minimade@worldnet.att.net)
Date: Sun Sep 22 2002 - 12:16:40 PDT
I hesitate to get into the fray...BUT..my...$.02
I take a slightly different approach. I want my Insurance Co attorney(s)
to fight hard on my behalf, and not write a check , then leave my to defend
myself against the other Insurance Co's Atty, and at the lowest reasonable
cost. I "self-insure" to my comfort zone, then gladly share the rest of
the risk with the pros, and try not to use the coverage at all. If I need
coverage, I want the best guys on my side.
Derek
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul A. Thomas" <bluewhale@jaxkneppers.com>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 22, 2002 2:07 PM
Subject: Re: [MV] Insurance was Re: [MV] any aircraft on this list?
> Hi Ron et al:
>
>
> > Insurance companies are whores, but a necessary evil. They only bet on
> > sure things.
>
>
> As I handled all claim types for the first 10 years out of school in
> multiple states I'd like to offer my .02:
>
> They don't bet on sure things. They are not allowed to by the states,
> otherwise people with a ticket could not get insurance. New Jersey used
to
> be a good example: 20 years ago more than half the people there chose the
> 'assigned risk' category because insurance companies did not want to cover
> people for the rates the state allowed. Those insurance companies who did
> business in NJ had to take their percentage of the assigned risk pool or
> leave the state. Many chose to leave the state.. same in Mass, Ca, Fla.
>
> > I try to avoid pitfalls when dealing with my insurance company by going
> > for absolute minimums required by the law.
>
> This is a choice, but ... Carrying 15K for damage to other vehicles is
> something that makes the hairs on my neck stand straight up. ( depends on
> your state: some states let you keep one dwelling and one vehicle after
the
> bankruptcy court is finished with you ). Say I'm driving my deuce, and try
> to reach a map on the passenger side. I force a 7 Series into a nice
> Peterbuilt, which rolls. Property damage alone is over $100K right
there.
> As you noted, it's a personal choice: I wanted to get the other view out
as
> most people don't like the very possible threat of losing their sofa's,
> paintings, whatever because they didn't consider paying a few hundred
> dollars more per year for their policy.
> ( Have you ever looked at an umbrella policy? I used to have one which ran
> me $190 per year, brought my limits up for auto and personal liability to
> $1,000,000. )
>
> > If I get in an accident, I will be left hanging in the wind
>
> NO WAY. Not unless they can show you knowingly committed fraud. Calling
> it a pickup MIGHT fall under that category, but if the policy says 2.5 Ton
> pickup, you might win in that ANY idiot, especially an underwriting idiot,
> knows there are no 2.5 ton pickups. As long as you, the vehicle owner,
> don't lie to them in writing then they have to honor the policy terms. If
> they do not you nail them for Bad Faith and whatever lawyer you choose
> sends you candy and flowers for the rest of your life. So many MV's can
> not be classified properly: Shoot, the DMV's can't do it! Certainly the
> insurance companies won't be able to. Thus we would get the benefit of
the
> doubt IF we tried to conform. Calling a M35 a 'stake' truck for
> instance. Same size, capacity, etc. And they have to know the year of
the
> truck or they won't write it, thus there was a real attempt to properly
> classify the vehicle by the owner.. if the insurance company doesn't
> request photo's ( which many in Ca do now ) or ask appropriate questions
> then they have to honor that policy once issued. Period.
>
> > We have to use them because the prostitutes we call 'elected' officials
> > know what is best for us.
>
> No, we have to use them because the asshole who nails my car and puts me
in
> the hospital again should pay for it. Else I would have to track him/her
> down and beat the money out of them, thus causing a feud, thus requiring
> more cops to shoot the people on both sides of the feud. I am not
> following your logic here. You don't have to carry collision on your old
> vehicle. You have to carry something to protect ME and Joe Public from
> damage YOU might cause.
> Oh. Just occurred to me. Were you one of those on the 'driving is a
> privilege" side in the recent thread?
> IF it were a privilege then insurance would be something nice to carry, to
> protect others in the almost impossible event that 'I' caused an accident.
> I only read parts of that thread, as it seems a moot point to me. ( list
> please bash me if the following is wrong ): AFAIK, NO courts in the US (
or
> the world for that matter ) consider driving to be a privilege. If the
> courts, which rule on and make law, say it is not a privilege then it's
> not. If I can't afford a Ferrari I shouldn't drive one. State
inspections
> supposedly make sure my Ferrari is safe to drive. If it doesn't pass, I
> can't drive it thus protecting others from my poor mechanical
> skills. Insurance serves a similar purpose: to 'protect' others from my
> choices/actions.
>
> It works for me. And for most people who have been hit by others on the
road.
>
> Ron: I apologize if this heated up too much. You help a lot of people
> here. But kids just starting out quote the ideas you espoused here to me
> from time to time, never having considered the thoughts I just wrote. They
> do so because it is less expensive, and because it's cool to flaunt the
> system. ( well OK, it IS fun to flaunt the system ) This is until one
of
> their friends or they themselves get caught. Then it's 'why didn't anyone
> tell me'. As most of the ones I encounter are bright enough and not prone
> to gang banging I try to offer both sides to this type of argument ( You
> did, but how many people are willing to lose everything they have at the
> drop of a hat? )
>
>
> Paul
>
> (tucking soap box away, pokin down the road)
>
>
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