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Mandatory vehicle insurance

By Stan Milam ( Contact )   February 11, 2008

Every legislative session there is a proposal to mandate vehicle insurance.

Most insurance carriers oppose the measure arguing that responsible drivers are already covered, and mandating insurance would bring high-risk drivers into the pool thereby increasing insurance rates. What do you think? Should all drivers in Wisconsin be required to carry insurance?

reader COMMENTS (14)
etmom
Feb 26, 2008 at 10:38 a.m.
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All I have to say is protect yourself. Review your auto insurance with your agent. Understand what coverages you have and know your limits. Uninsured & Underinsured does not cover your vehicle. It provides coverage for bodily injury. Read the consumers guide to auto insurance http://oci.wi.gov/pub_list/pi-057.htm

bbeechler
Feb 25, 2008 at 2:22 p.m.
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pretty sure most companies offer "uninsured motorist insurance" as part of your policy...and at a minimal cost

benthinkin
Feb 18, 2008 at 2:27 p.m.
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If you are carrying under insured and un insured coverage then you are already paying higher premiums beause of the irresponsible that don't carry insurance. What I am suggesting is that they start paying...

deltafox5674
Feb 17, 2008 at 9:16 a.m.
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I don't think that mandatory insurance is the answer either. I just had and accident on 1/23 and the person that hit me totaled my truck and injured me. By the way, he was from Illinois, and has the state minimum insurance. His policy is only good up to 25000, my truck total alone was over 28000. My point, I have uninsured, and under insured coverage. The accident wasn't my fault at all, and my company is paying the difference. My premiums won't go up because it was not my fault. My premiums remain affordable because of my driving record. Mandatory insurance isn't the answer because the limits are set too low, are very expensive for high risk drivers, and would (and is proven in many states) raise premiums for everyone else who is responsible enough to get insurance.

TCB
Feb 15, 2008 at 5:58 p.m.
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Suppose everyone had to buy mandatory "food insurance" to protect restaurants against nonpaying customers who skipped on their bills, and the government got to decide what constituted a "permissible meal" that all restaurants had to offer, and it also established a huge "Connector" to enforce the rules on restaurants, food insurers, and customers.

Then everyone could see that it would be an enormous boondoggle. The cost-shifting from the nonpaying customers to paying customers wouldn't go away - instead, it would explode under new taxes, bureaucratic waste and mismanagement, and predictable special interest lobbying to get their particular pet foods included in the basic meal plan.

These adverse economic consequences would be a direct result of the government violating the rights of individual customers and restaurants, by forbidding them to freely contract between themselves what meals they wished to purchase for what price to their mutual voluntary consent.

Compulsory insurance is based on collective punishment, a perverted form of justice found where troops patrol streets and spitballs go splat. It punishes both the insured and uninsured for the misdeeds of politicians.

hannah
Feb 15, 2008 at 12:56 p.m.
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liability on a pos is not that much. unfortunatly some of their priorties are mixed up i believe. rent, movies,out to eat, cd, cigs,nails,tan then no more left for ins.

benthinkin
Feb 13, 2008 at 5:52 p.m.
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How about mandatory jail if you cause bodily injury while driving an uninsured vehicle and fail to pay full restitution in a timely manner.
I am sick and tired of picking up the tab for others who are not responsible.

lt2211
Feb 13, 2008 at 3:55 p.m.
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Hundreds of people drive with a revoked license, even with a mandatory insurance law, hundreds more will drive without insurance. If one of them hits you, you get nothing. They get a ticket for no insurance, but that doesn't help you recover your damages. Mandatory insurance is pretty much a "feel good law" that does little, other than running up your insurance premiums.

localmatters
Feb 13, 2008 at 2:46 p.m.
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Requiring insurance will do nothing but increase everyone's premiums. Wisconsin liability insurance is one of the lowest in the country. Illinois? One of the highest (they require everyone to obtain insurance). If you properly insure yourself, there is no need to worry. I like it the way we have it rather than having my premium padded by those who cannot afford insurance due to poor driving records. For those who currently cannot afford insurance, they are taking a risk. Fortunately, if you hit me I'm properly insured...you'll have to deal with the damage on your car on your own however.

whybesad
Feb 13, 2008 at 1:35 p.m.
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If your in poverty how can you afford a car?

martha
Feb 13, 2008 at 11:52 a.m.
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I also have been hit by uninsured motorists and it is frustrating--but let's not forget that one reason people don't carry insurance is poverty. If you are earning minimum wage your choice may easily be between housing and insurance. Lets not criminalize poverty.

spedtke
Feb 13, 2008 at 9:36 a.m.
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I was hit in November by an uninsured driver who also had a suspended license. She was only 17!!!! How do you get a license suspension that young? Anyway - I have yet to recover anything from that incident and had to bite the cost. Insurance should be mandatory in Wisconsin. No insurance = hefty fine. No payment = revokation and jail time.

jkwinch
Feb 12, 2008 at 4:36 p.m.
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I fully believe that auto insurance should be mandated. I have been bitten, and I know of many others who have as well, by being hit by those without insurance. The idea that it isn't good because "mandating insurance would bring high-risk drivers into the pool thereby increasing insurance rates" is a ludicrous statement! Of course it would be a little worse for THE INSURANCE COMPANIES, but it would be far better for you and me when we get hit by the uninsured!! It should be a law that a vehicle can't be registered or licensed with proof of insurance.

lt2211
Feb 12, 2008 at 11:48 a.m.
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Mandated insurance is a bit of a bureaucratic boondoggle that usually doesn't reduce the number of uninsured drivers but adds tons of administrative costs to the Insurance companies and the state. This trickles down to the average person as much higher insurance costs and increased state record keeping costs. Wisconsin would be better off without it.

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