Between 20-25% of drivers are uninsured.
Posted by: info | June 21, 2007
There is no exact number or percentage of uninsured motorist. Based on the insurance industry estimates, about 1 in 4 or 5 drivers on the road are uninsured. An uninsured motorist is considered a driver with one or more vehicles that doesn’t have at least the state minimum auto insurance coverage requirements. This should be a warning to all drivers.
When buying an auto insurance policy, drivers have an option to get uninsured motorist protection. Some drivers refuse to carry this coverage based on price. These drivers would rather pay a lower premium than to buy this protection. However, most of these drivers are probably not aware that 20-25% of all drivers are uninsured. Adding uninsured motorist protection doesn’t cost as much as one might think. With all these facts, every driver should as least get quotes for adding the coverage. This would give every driver the knowledge and exact cost of having this protection.
Think about the damages an uninsured driver can cause. If struck by an uninsured motorist, a driver runs the risk of having their vehicle totally destroyed. This can cost you thousands to replace. Most of us would not be able to replace a vehicle if it was totaled. A driver can avoid these risk by paying the extra money an insurance company charges for buying this protection. Now is it worth it?
What is being done about the high amount of uninsured drivers and who is doing it? Many states have started or in the process of designing a new data management system. This system will hold the names and vehicles who fail to carry at least the state minimum auto insurance requirements. Insurance companies will update the data management system at least once a week. So if a driver has an auto insurance policy that gets dropped or cancelled, the insurance company will notify the company who operates the system. The department of insurance and transportation are also very involved with the entire process.
The department of insurance and transportation will have records based on insurance reports, registration and inspection tags. States are also enforcing stiffer laws and increasing fines for uninsured motorist. In some cities and states, police officers have started to tow vehicles, ticket and arrest multiple offenders for not having insurance.
The system will allow officers to enter the vehicle’s license plate or driver’s license number to determine if the driver is insured, during a traffic stop. The state will also be able to check the system when a driver registers their vehicle or gets it inspected. This is a strong effort to reduce or even stop uninsured motorist in their tracks. After all, if America can insure that every driver carries insurance, there will no longer be a need for uninsured motorist protection.
Posted in: Insurance, General |
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