Liability only

codrus wrote:

Robbie wrote: Do you guys buy umbrella?

I have umbrella coverage. That typically requires buying the liability policy up to the max value, but they don't care about comprehensive or collision. One additional benefit to having collision is that even in situations where it's not your fault, you can file with your own company and get the car fixed without having to fight anyone. Then you let your insurance company (or their lawyers, if necessary) fight with the other guy's insurance company in subrogation where you don't have to worry about it.

And after they're(ins) done squabbling on the repair......voila your premium suddenly/mysteriously has incurred a bump$$$ WTF???

759NRNG wrote:

codrus wrote:

Robbie wrote: Do you guys buy umbrella?

I have umbrella coverage. That typically requires buying the liability policy up to the max value, but they don't care about comprehensive or collision. One additional benefit to having collision is that even in situations where it's not your fault, you can file with your own company and get the car fixed without having to fight anyone. Then you let your insurance company (or their lawyers, if necessary) fight with the other guy's insurance company in subrogation where you don't have to worry about it.

And after they're(ins) done squabbling on the repair......voila your premium suddenly/mysteriously has incurred a bump$$$ WTF???

I have never had this happen.

Klayfish wrote:

WilD wrote: This is going to vary by state. I'm in MI and I generally carry collision and comprehensive on cars I purchase while they are still valuable and it would really hurt to try to replace them if they get balled up. I have never actually caused an accident, but I am very concerned about liability, so carry additional coverage there as well. The prospect of working hard just to become some bottom feeders lottery ticket is not appealing.

Michigans' insurance laws are really wacky, very unique compared to the other 49 states. So yeah, you want to have good coverage.

The reason I have full coverage on the Tribute (worth about $3k, the difference from liability is about $400 annually) is because I spend at least 1 weekend a month in Michigan. And yes, we have been in an accident while in Michigan.

I've always had liability only on my cars, but after the clusterberkeley with the Samurai I've been thinking about doing something different. Not sure exactly what, but one thing that's for sure is that the other party's insurance can and probably will find a way to wriggle their way out of spending any money on getting your car fixed. They use laughable vehicle values that have zero relationship to street value. And that's assuming there even IS an other party's insurance.

I think I'll call around about agreed value policies for the cars soon, I might switch over if it's not too much more.

Strizzo wrote: usually when a car gets down to "throwaway" status value-wise, full coverage is just a few bucks more a month anyways, so if something happens, you're at least not out the cost of the car.

THIS. Liability is like 80%-85% of the cost of coverage. Collision is maybe 10%-15% more and comprehensive is that last 5%. I've never saved enough extra on C&C over the required liability to make it worth skipping it.

Try getting comprehensive on a "Repaired Salvage or Reconstructed Title".

While I'm certainly happy with the truck, this will be the first and last vehicle I own that has been reconstructed.

759NRNG wrote: my naivete thinking the other driver is fully covered and their ins. will take care of my plight????

That's all good until the driver that punts you into the concrete divider on the freeway drives off into the sunset, never to be seen again. Happened to me in my 996 and if I hadn't had comprehensive cover I've been out of pocket to the tune of $20k...

At least out here comprehensive is very cheap compared to liability and underinsured/uninsured motorist so it's almost not worth not carrying it with a reasonably high deductible.

mtn wrote:

759NRNG wrote: And after they're(ins) done squabbling on the repair......voila your premium suddenly/mysteriously has incurred a bump$$$ WTF???

I have never had this happen.

Nor have I, and I've had at least 3 or 4 repairs done this way.

The last time was when a 16-year-old on a learner's permit backed her mom's minivan into the door of my legally parked, unoccupied Audi. It took EIGHTEEN MONTHS for USAA to agree that it was their insured's fault and that they should cough up the money on that one. I'm really glad that it was State Farm fighting them in subrogation, not me trying to do it directly.

I'm really not sure how they hoped to win that one.

This isn't a Twister throwback thread?

I keep full coverage on obey vehicle. The rest get liability only.

In reply to N Sperlo:

Where you been!?

pheller wrote: Try getting comprehensive on a "Repaired Salvage or Reconstructed Title". While I'm certainly happy with the truck, this will be the first and last vehicle I own that has been reconstructed.

I've never had a problem with this. Must vary by insurance company or something.

Anyway I have full coverage on everything but a few. For those few I went with comprehensive instead of liability. Comprehensive paid off for me when that damn tree limb smashed my Suburban (some of you may remember that thread).

759NRNG wrote: In reply to Strizzo: Also living here in the Htown area what part of my theory to save $$$$ on Ins. especially the no-fault angle is skewed....my naivete thinking the other driver is fully covered and their ins. will take care of my plight????

Liability only in Houston and especially Harris County is playing with fire. when i moved here in 07 State Farm wanted to bump my rates by like 1/3. I was told by my agent that harris county has the second highest rates in the state, only behind El Paso County, due to all of the uninsured drivers. there are very few scenarios where you can reasonably justify liability only.

My experience is you won't need insurance until a week after switching to liability... Yeah I've got a black cloud that follows me.

Aside from that insurance companies can suck it. I should be able to save or invest money equal to the states minimal insurance requirements. If I have to pay them by law they are getting as little as I have to pay.

Currently I only pay liability and invest in tires instead.

Cotton wrote:

pheller wrote: Try getting comprehensive on a "Repaired Salvage or Reconstructed Title". While I'm certainly happy with the truck, this will be the first and last vehicle I own that has been reconstructed.

I've never had a problem with this. Must vary by insurance company or something. Anyway I have full coverage on everything but a few. For those few I went with comprehensive instead of liability. Comprehensive pail of for me when that damn tree limb smashed my Suburban (some of you may remember that thread).

State Farm (at least in my area) won't write anything but liability on a branded title vehicle.

On another point, Cotton, are you sure you meant "instead of liability"? Because liability is the only insurance required to license a car. They don't care if you're covered, they care if you can cover the people you might hit.

It depends on the value of the car. I dropped the full coverage on the Jetta and Grand Caravan because neither are worth much. Maybe 2-3K each. The latest MINI I bought has full coverage as it is still worth a fair amount.

I read somewhere the rule-of-thumb cut-off is about $5000. If the car is worth less than that, carrying full coverage isn't worth it.

Liability only on the beater truck, wifes car has comprehensive. Wagon is stated value with collision. Comprehensive is a requirement for anything i own and care about. Windows for the zephyr are exspensive.

Agree with Ian, although as someone previously posted, full coverage on a beater isn't very much more.

So I generally keep full coverage on all my cars/bikes.

Duke wrote:

Cotton wrote:

pheller wrote: Try getting comprehensive on a "Repaired Salvage or Reconstructed Title". While I'm certainly happy with the truck, this will be the first and last vehicle I own that has been reconstructed.

I've never had a problem with this. Must vary by insurance company or something. Anyway I have full coverage on everything but a few. For those few I went with comprehensive instead of liability. Comprehensive pail of for me when that damn tree limb smashed my Suburban (some of you may remember that thread).

State Farm (at least in my area) won't write anything but liability on a branded title vehicle. On another point, Cotton, are you sure you meant "instead of liability"? Because liability is the only insurance required to license a car. They don't care if you're covered, they care if you can cover the people you might hit.

Yeah, I worded that incorrectly. It's liability plus comprehensive, which is the part that covers acts of nature, theft, fire, etc.