I still skip some of the “extras,” but uninsured motorist is one I keep, even if it’s annoying seeing that line on my bill every month.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually taken a different approach—maybe it’s just my luck, but paying for uninsured motorist coverage always felt like betting against myself. Here’s how I broke it down:
Step 1: I looked up the actual stats for my area. Turns out, in my county, the percentage of uninsured drivers is lower than the national average. Not zero, but not as high as I’d assumed.
Step 2: I calculated what I’d pay for that coverage over five years versus my out-of-pocket risk. For me, the math leaned toward just setting aside a little emergency fund instead.
Step 3: I did add some “extras” like medical payments and collision, since those help no matter who’s at fault. That way, if something does happen, I’m still covered.
Not saying your neighbor’s situation isn’t rough—it is. But sometimes the numbers just don’t add up for everyone. I guess it depends how much risk you’re willing to take on. For me, skipping that line item on my bill feels right... at least for now.
I get the logic behind skipping uninsured motorist—honestly, I wrestled with that myself for a while. I drive a pretty high-end car, and when I first bought it, my instinct was to cut anything that felt “extra.” But then a guy in my building got sideswiped by someone who took off, no insurance, nothing. His car wasn’t even close to new, but the headache he went through trying to get repairs covered was brutal. That stuck with me.
I did the math too, and yeah, in my area the stats aren’t crazy high for uninsured drivers. Still, I guess part of me is just paranoid about the “what if.” Maybe because replacing a fender on my car costs more than some used cars out there... The emergency fund idea makes sense though—if you’re disciplined about it.
I don’t love seeing that charge on my bill either, but after watching what happened to my neighbor, it’s one of those things I just begrudgingly keep. Not saying it’s the right call for everyone—just what lets me sleep at night.
I get where you’re coming from, but I actually lean the other way on this one. I’ve always been a numbers guy, and when I dug into the data for my state, the percentage of uninsured drivers was pretty low—like under 5%. For me, it came down to risk tolerance and how much I trust my own driving habits and area. I keep a pretty healthy emergency fund, so if something did happen, I could cover repairs without too much pain.
One thing that tipped me was realizing how much those “just in case” coverages add up over time. If you’re disciplined about saving (which not everyone is, fair point), sometimes self-insuring makes more sense financially. That said, your neighbor’s story is a good reminder that luck isn’t always on our side... Still, for now, I’d rather put that money toward maintenance or upgrades than insurance I might never use. Maybe I’ll regret it someday, but it’s a calculated risk I’m willing to take.
That said, your neighbor’s story is a good reminder that luck isn’t always on our side... Still, for now, I’d rather put that money toward maintenance or upgrades than insurance I might never...
I get the appeal of self-insuring, especially if you’re disciplined and the stats are on your side. Still, even with a low uninsured rate, it only takes one bad day. I’ve seen “just in case” coverage pay off big for folks who never thought they’d need it. Sometimes peace of mind is worth a little extra.
I used to think the same way—why pay for something you might never use? Then my cousin got rear-ended by an uninsured driver last winter. The hassle and out-of-pocket costs were way more than a year’s worth of premiums. That changed my mind pretty quick.