Seatbelt Laws...

[Unit 5302]

Originally Posted by bigred90gt

How is it that you think that someone not wearing their seatbelt, will increase your premiums? If you get into an accident, and claim it on your insurance, YOUR premium goes up, not mine.

I too dispise the seatbelt law. Speeding laws are justifiable, DUI laws are justifiable, wreckless endangerment laws are justifiable, but seatbelt laws are just ignorant. If I do not wear my seatbelt, it does not effect anyone but me. If I get into an accident, I die, not you.

That being said, I wear mine everywhere I go. I used to live in an apartment with a corner store right across the street, when I drove there, I wore my seatbelt. It was so close, I could have hit it with a football if I so chose. I have had it engrained in my head since I was old enough to remember that seatbelts are improtant. My dad used to tell us, when we were too young to know any different, that the truck wouldnt start without all the seatbelts buckled.

Typical. Just like people that go to the doctor constantly to get their fair share out of their medical insurance, the lack of macro economics consideration is quite present with your logic.

Insurance companies base their rates on historical experience. You getting into an accident and suffering a far greater injury because you weren't wearing a seatbelt causes the insurance company thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. That payout becomes part of their claims experience and is paid for by all of their insureds. Since auto insurance is required by law, I am forced to pay more money for your stubborn and rather ignorant decision. Have you ever looked at what your "uninsured motorist" portion of your insurance policy adds up to? We're not talking peanuts here.

If you cause an accident that resulting in $50,000 worth of damage, the insurance company is not going to increase your rates $50,000 are they? You don't pay for your insurance coverage. You pay for a portion of the entire pool of insureds coverage, and in return, the insurance company agrees to cover you.