Post contributed by Amanda G.
There are all kinds of good reasons to check your auto insurance coverage. One of the better reasons is one that is seldom mentioned. Auto insurance commercials are all about you, but one of the best reasons to have auto insurance is about protecting the other person that may be involved in an accident.
If you injure another driver in an accident that was your fault, you bear a social responsibility to take care of that person’s financial needs. There is a good chance you don’t have the money for such an eventuality. Your liability insurance takes care of that need if the worst were to happen. When you are about to head out on vacation, here are three other good reasons to make sure your auto insurance is up-to-date:
Someone Besides You Might Have to Drive
Perhaps you are the one who does all the heavy lifting when it comes to family driving. That can be either good or bad depending on the circumstances. It is nice to always know who the designated driver is. But if something happens to that driver, someone else needs to be ready to take the reigns at a moment’s notice.
If your secondary driver has had a less-than-stellar driving record, they might have to carry a special insurance called SR22. You can find SR22 quotes online. This mostly applies to drivers coming off a DUI, too many tickets, and driving without insurance. SR22 is an extra layer of oversight assuring the relevant authorities that you are properly insured.
On these long trips, you want to make sure that everyone in the family of driving age is able to take the wheel should the circumstances arise. It is not safe for you to drive fatigued, nor is it safe to stop for long periods on the side of the road. Make sure your backup drivers are properly insured.
You Will Have to Contend with the Worst Drivers in the World
If you think the worst drivers in the world are on your morning commute, think again. The most dangerous times on the road are all holidays. Christmas, Labor Day, Spring Break, New Year’s: all are deadlier than your ordinary commute to and from work. That is because there are more drivers on the road that are impaired by alcohol and other substances.
Experienced drivers are somewhat used to bad drivers. A bad driver is anyone operating another motor vehicle. But drug or alcohol impaired drivers are another matter. These are not just people who have a little trouble staying in their lane. These are people who do not have the judgement to know that crossing three lanes of traffic without looking is probably a bad idea. You should probably increase your coverage for the times when you are increasing your risk.
Because Bad Things Happen When You Least Expect Them
On a vacation, everyone is thinking about the amusement park, the hotel, the shopping, and the sights and sounds of a new place. No one is thinking about how they are going to survive over the course of the next few months if the main income earner is hospitalized due to a car accident along the way.
It is not just the fact that the car is totaled and you are not sure how you are going to get home. It is the extra help looking after the kids, the mortgage payment, and the time off the other partner has to take from work looking after things. These are line items that may not be covered by your basic policy. At such a time, you will have enough to worry about without having to stress over where the money will be coming from to pay for it all.
Although insurance cannot prevent an accident from occurring, it can provide a great deal of peace-of-mind and practical aid if needed. Accidents happen. Be prepared.
Post contributed by Amanda G.
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