Not sure I totally buy the “cheap peace of mind” thing.
Maybe if your car’s new or worth a lot, but for older rides I just can’t justify it. We ran liability-only on our last van—yeah, I worried a bit at first, but after doing the math, it just didn’t make sense. After a year or two, the money saved paid for a couple of those random “life happens” repairs anyway. I guess it depends how much you’re willing to risk, but for us, full coverage started to feel like overkill.full coverage just feels like cheap peace of mind
I get where you’re coming from, especially if the car’s not worth much anymore. The math can be pretty convincing once you factor in how little you’d actually get back from a claim on an older vehicle. That said, I’ve always been a bit more cautious—maybe it’s just my luck, but I’ve had a couple of fender benders over the years that weren’t my fault, and dealing with uninsured drivers is a nightmare. Even with liability-only, you’re still exposed if someone hits you and takes off or doesn’t have enough coverage themselves.
I guess what keeps me leaning toward full coverage is the “what if” factor. Like, even if my car isn’t new, I’d hate to be out several grand if something major happened and I was left footing the bill. It’s not just about repairs either—sometimes it’s about having a rental while your car’s in the shop or covering medical bills that pop up unexpectedly. Maybe that’s just me being risk-averse, but after getting burned once before, I’m not sure I could go back to liability-only.
Curious—have you ever actually had to use your insurance for anything big? Or has it mostly been smooth sailing? Sometimes I wonder if my caution is justified or if I’m just paying for peace of mind that never really gets tested...
Honestly, I totally get the “what if” anxiety—insurance is one of those things you hope you never need but are glad to have when stuff hits the fan. I’ve seen people go years without a single claim, then suddenly a deer jumps out or someone rear-ends them and it’s a whole ordeal. Full coverage can feel like overkill on an older car, but if you’re the type who’d lose sleep over a big repair bill, sometimes that peace of mind is worth it. Personally, I’ve had to use my own policy once for a not-my-fault accident and was really glad I had more than just liability... but yeah, sometimes it does feel like paying for an umbrella on a sunny day.
I hear you on the “umbrella on a sunny day” feeling. I used to think full coverage was just burning money once my car hit 10 years old, but then a hailstorm trashed my hood and windshield out of nowhere. That repair would’ve been a killer out of pocket. Now, I always weigh the car’s value vs. what I’d actually have to pay if something random happened. Sometimes it feels like overkill, but I’d rather sleep easy than risk a surprise bill that wipes out my savings.
I used to think full coverage was just burning money once my car hit 10 years old, but then a hailstorm trashed my hood and windshield out of nowhere. That repair would’ve been a killer out of po...
Honestly, that “umbrella on a sunny day” analogy is spot on. I totally get why you’d reconsider after the hailstorm—it’s always those weird, rare events that make you rethink the math. I usually tell folks to do exactly what you’re doing: weigh the car’s value against the potential out-of-pocket risk. Sometimes full coverage feels like overkill, but if a surprise bill would really set you back, peace of mind can be worth it. Still, if your car’s value dips super low, it’s fair to revisit and see if just liability makes more sense. It’s not always a clear-cut call.