<VV> Un-Insured Insurance

[Tony Underwood]

At 11:59 PM 4/18/2011, chaz at properproper.com wrote:
 >Not sure what it is in your state, but "Uninsured motorist" in
California means that you are covered (for whatever your policy states,
varying your premium, too) if and un-insured driver hits YOU.


In Virginia, it means exactly what it says:


If you do NOT have a vehicle insurance policy on your vehicle, you 
may purchase tags for it IF you pay an uninsured motorist's vehicle 
fee.   It's 500 bucks.  It does NOT provide you with any state 
sponsored "insurance".  In the end, it's actually little more than an 
excuse for the commonwealth to pad its coffers.

Really.   That's just what it is.  The money provides NO compensation 
at all, although at one time that HAD once been the principle 
*intended* reason for the fee... but it never did become that.   It's 
simply collected in lieu of the vehicle owner purchasing an adequate 
liability insurance policy, directly from the vehicle owner.


I'm not familiar with any "insirance" that lets YOU be un-insured
(whatever that would mean ?)


I never said it was ANY form of insurance or insirance either.   ;)


 >In California, the odds are 3 to 1 (not too much kidding) that if you
get hit, the other guy (or gal) will not have insurance (if they even
have a license !)


California demands you have insurance in order to license a motor vehicle...

You say that it's 3 to 1 that if somebody hits you, they're not gonna 
be insured?   Didn't THEY pay the state of CA anything like an 
uninsured motorist's vehicle fee?   (I know... there's nothing like 
that in CA)  Does their vehicle registration demand they be covered 
by insurance?   Did they lie about it in order to get tags?

Doesn't CA check these people out?   And those who drop insurance... 
don't they get reported to the CA DMV?   They do here in VA.   Also, 
here in VA if you DO lie, they yank you through a keyhole and then 
draw and quarter you financially and sometimes judicially if an 
accident is involved.   And again:

In VA, if you chose to pay the uninsured motorist's fee, and you are 
in an accident that's your fault (or anybody's fault if the 
commonwealth atty is in a foul mood),  you are liable for paying 
compensation any way their insurance company can get it from you via 
law suits that can attach just about anything you own or will ever 
own.   In effect... you're pwned and owned.




OK people, just so there's no additional misunderstanding on what a 
VA "uninsured motorist" is:




Uninsured Motor Vehicle Fees

The Virginia Uninsured Motor Vehicle (UMV) fee allows a motor vehicle 
owner to register an uninsured motor vehicle. At the time of 
registration, the motor vehicle owner must certify whether the 
vehicle is insured or uninsured.

If the vehicle is uninsured, the motor vehicle owner is required to 
pay to DMV a $500 uninsured motor vehicle fee in addition to normal 
registration fees. Payment of the $500 fee does not provide the 
motorist with any insurance coverage. If involved in an accident, the 
uninsured motorist remains personally liable. This fee is valid for 
twelve months but may be prorated for a shorter amount of time.

Motor vehicle owners who falsely certify that they have insurance and 
are found by DMV to be uninsured face stiff penalties. In addition to 
facing suspension of all driver and registration privileges, 
compliance includes payment of a $500 statutory fee, a $145 
reinstatement fee and filing proof of insurance for three years. 
During the three-year period, insurance companies cooperate with DMV 
by providing notification if a policy is canceled. This requirement 
to maintain proof of insurance enables DMV to ensure that these motor 
vehicle owners maintain liability insurance on their registered vehicles.


 From the horse's mouth.

And YES it IS a pretty DUMB law...

...unless you realize that the commonwealth of VA collects a LOT of 
cash this way.   A LOT.



tony..