Here’s the latest reader rant, along with my response!
Dennis writes: I joined Liberty HealthShare over a year ago. I’m 63, in good health, it costs $199/mo, $500 annual deductible. I never go to the doctor (most are drug pushers). I love cutting out the government and the insurance companies (mafia is a great analogy). Only thing better would be finding a local medical group that offers the $50/mo plan advocated by Sean Hannity, which I’m on the lookout for. Great column, as usual!
My reply: $200/month is $200 too much for me! I tend to not buy things I don’t feel the need for or want. Such as insurance. Like you, I never go to the doctor and am in great health; hence no need of poultice peddlers. So why would I – voluntarily –Â spend $200 month on something I don’t need? It would be exactly like signing up for a car payment for a car I don’t need. . . .except I’d least have the car. Something tangible. What do I get in return for insurance? Nothing. The money is gone, forever. And it is a lot of money, even at $200/month.
That’s $2,400 a year – out the window. Over 20 years, that is $50,000 out the window.
Is it any wonder why the average person can’t come up with $500 in cash to cover a minor emergency, such as a croaked refrigerator – and has to put it on a credit card (go into debt) to deal with it?
Insurance is a con. All of it.
. . .
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The UM study found the average Detroiter spends $5,414 annually on car insurance. With the median household income in Detroit is $26,249, that is a huge burden for some of the poorest people in the country to bear
Clover of the day!!!
https://youtu.be/x0hnTSNQfck
That is epic! Sure they know, and just don’t even give a shit,lol! I can only imagine the conversation, or lack thereof, going on inside the SUV that’s doing the dragging!
Hi Graves,
I took a pic last year of some imbeciles – determined imbeciles, I will give them that – who stuffed a wrecked full-size motorcycle into the trunk of a Toyota Camry. Well, the back half of the bike. The rest was hanging off the bumped, secured in placed with… nothing.
Car insurance premiums in Houston have skyrocketed this year post-Harvey for drowned cars. I’m with AMICA and have literally every discount possible and our premium rose $300 this year. Tried to find a lower rate with Nationwide that even had less coverage, it was even another $300 more than the new outrageous AMICA bill.
Hi Brazos,
I am trying to figure out a way to dump my car insurance, too. I already dumped my house insurance – and that saved me $1,600 annually (almost makes up for the Obamacare vileness).
Insurance is among the worst deals extant for the prudent, responsible and healthy.
Which is why it has to be made mandatory, of course.
Eric: What about “Farm Use” tags? I see these everywhere in the Shenandoah Valley, usually on old trucks, but even some old beater sedans. I also have seen these more than once on $$$ Suburbans and Tahoes in Middleburg. My inner Bernie Sanders does flare up when I see these, b/c they are getting one over on the Man, while I am paying full freight. Antique tags too, maybe.
I like the Farm Truck tag and use it on nearly everything. That pickup in the parking lot with a Ranger Trails trailer on it dripping water. Just getting some fish to stock my tank…and I have.
That pickup with the farm tag sitting in the parking lot where the big rigs are stored…..just getting some money to buy some cattle. The farm truck sitting there in the bar parking lot, self-explanatory.
That pickup would have a home-made tag if I thought I could get away with it. Molon Labe, onna them expensive personalized tags.
Hi Tom,
Yes, indeed!
I can use them, because I do have a farm, or at least plausibly so. Land and chickens in a rural area. Voila!
And I have antique tags on all my bikes except one… and it is getting there!
A: DMV will not issue Antique tags unless you have 1 standard registered vehicle already in your name. There was a rule allowing you to claim use of another person’s standard registered vehicle, but they may have abolished that one by now.
B: You can pay DMV their $500.00 Uninsured “extortionist”, “opt-out” fee, which only keeps DMV from assaulting you for “choosing” not to buy auto insurance.
C: Antique and Farm Use Tags issued by DMV only exempt those vehicles from State Inspection, not insurance coverage.
D: Vehicles registered with original model year or “vintage” plates also require insurance, and are only State Inspection exempt.
E: Any Non-DMV Issue “farm use” tags are not legally recognized, however, cops will generally not stop those vehicles if they are not on the Interstate and give the appearance of a “work” vehicle. Put them on a sedan or bike and you will very likely be pulled and have the vehicle impounded by police.
Essentially, any non-DMV registered vehicle operated on the public road is not legally recognized and is subject to seizure, even if it is insured. It is their racket, and they have all the bases covered, trust me. What you successfully get away with by going undetected is another matter, but your luck will eventually run out, and they will prosecute with prejudice. As part of my profession, I keep up with these things as often as I can, but DMV has a tendency to change their “rules” on a whim, so it could be even worse at any given time.
F: Although not a “crime”, DMV will now charge an additional $10.00 fee for re-registering you vehicle at any time after the expiration date of its’ current tags.
G: Do not ask ANY DMV Employee about any fringe, or obscure rules as they will “invent” answers that suit the individual opinion of whomever you ask. Many of my customers have been told by DMV employees that they must get a State Inspection before registering their vehicle in Virginia for the first time. In fact the law only requires “vehicles registered in the State of Virginia” to be inspected. DMV workers interpret this, as well as other VA State Statutes, to be whatever they personally believe, regardless of the law.
H: DMV IS NOT afilliated with, nor has any role in the VA State Inspection Program. Administration and Application of the State Inspection is solely under the direction of the VA Sate Police, and VA DMV is very agitated about this fact. VA DMV, believing it should have control of ALL aspects of ALL motor vehicles, has attempted many times to pressure the VA General Assembly to put the program in their hands, but has been denied, so far.
DMV bears no responsibility for vehicle safety on the roads in VA. Those are the responsibilities of VDOT and the State Police. Therefore the General Assembly has rightfully denied DMV control of those matters. It may not always remain so.
However, DMV workers frequently advise people on State Inspection matters, especially if their answers influence a person’s decision regarding their vehicle registration, with answers that are often contrary to VA State Inspection Statutes. VA DMV is merely a “revenue collection agency” and although they do have their own LEO’s, they are not a law enforcement agency. They do, however, make every attempt to represent themselves as such.
I have had DMV actually admonish me personally, and my business, for educating and informing my customers as to the State Statutes regarding Vehicle Registration and State Inspection requirements where applicable. Although they are only posturing, it merely illustrates DMV’s frustration over NOT being “in charge” of “all things regarding motor vehicles whatsoever”.
Tom, I don’t have an “inner Bernie Sanders”, but I have Farm Use tags on my ’68 Ranger. You still have to have insurance, but you don’t need an inspection. Best of all, you can buy a tag at the feed store for $3 and it’s good for as long as it holds up to sunlight.
Hi Ed,
Since I only drive locally, I am giving thought to Farm Use tags for my 2002 truck. It’s actually legit, since I do have land and animals. And it would save me the $60 annually wasted on “registration.” I stopped “registering” my ’03 Kawasaki back around 2013. That alone has saved me several hundred dollars. These small things do add up.
DMV has authority over the Insurance of Motor vehicles only because it is primarily a “revenue” issue. Neither Insurance, nor license plates, nor the lack thereof, has any bearing on your vehicle’s actual road worthiness.
The VA State Police have, in the past, actually told the General Assembly that they would abolish the Safety Inspection Program should DMV be granted any authority or control regarding such. Should an Insurance Policy actually have the ability to cause or prevent a motor vehicle accident, then the State Police would likely be in charge of that as well.
This is also why DMV is charged with administering the EPA Vehicle Emissions Program, and is allowed to hold License Plates hostage in regards to “emission test compliance”, in certain designated VA Counties surrounding the D.C area.
The “quality of emissions” has no bearing on vehicle or occupant safety, and is therefore not administered by the State Police, nor is it part of the Safety Inspection Program.