Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84 exptools; site ihlpg.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!ihlpg!jcjeff
From: jcjeff@ihlpg.UUCP (Richard Jeffreys)
Newsgroups: net.legal,net.auto
Subject: Re: Uninsured motorism
Message-ID: <1074@ihlpg.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 13-Aug-85 13:40:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihlpg.1074
Posted: Tue Aug 13 13:40:19 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 17-Aug-85 14:25:41 EDT
References: <202@SCIRTP.UUCP> <378@kontron.UUCP> <586@ttidcc.UUCP> <748@lsuc.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 62
Xref: watmath net.legal:2055 net.auto:7640

> > > What if you or I were hit by an uninsured driver?
> > > We could tally huge medical bills with no means
> > > to pay for them. I think you can never confiscate
> > > someone's automobile liability insurance because
> > > others will often suffer the most.
> > 
> > Which brings up an important point.  This can happen to you
> > NOW!  My attorney has handled many cases where
> > innocent people were severely injured by uninsured drivers
> > and were unable to collect. ...
> 
> Which suggests that, in jurisdictions where motorists are allowed
> not to have insurance (that's most of them in North America, isn't it?),
> insurance companies should sell policies that protect you not only
> against your own liability but also against that of the uninsured
> driver who runs into you.

Explaination of a hypothetical case followed

> I favor mandatory liability insurance for drivers, but this seems to
> be a workable alternative.  I've never heard of such policies actually
> existing anywhere.  Do they?
>				 Mark Brader

In the UK we have a law which states that drivers must have a minimum of 
"Third Party" insurance. If an accident happened the insurance company would
pay all costs to a third party who had been involved in the accident.
(assuming that the driver, who was the third party, was in no way to blame)
The guy who had "Third Party" insurance would not be able to claim for
medical costs for himself, or for the damage sustained to his car.

We also have a coupe of other categories of insurance, "Third Party, Fire
and Theft", which is as stated above, but having the advantage of coverage
for, as its name suggests, fire and theft of the car.

The third category would be "Fully Comprehensive", which as it's name also
suggests, covers virtually everything from all medical costs to all injured
parties to paying the cost of a new windshield which got cracked by a stone.

If you do have an accident, and find that your insurance has lapsed, not only 
could you be in financial trouble because of law suits, but the police would
also like to have a few words to you about driving without insurance.

BTW. you know thoes little stickers you put on your license plates, well, in
the UK we have something similar, but to obtain them (at the Post Office)
you need to show them a vaild certificate of insurance, along with an MOT
(Ministry Of Transport) certificate, which has been obtained after a
qualified mechanic has looked at your car and deemed it safe to drive for a
period of one year. (I believe a similar thing happens in some states).
It is the need to show proof of vaild documents that helps make sure that 
the cars on the road are both mechanically sound and insured.

-- 
 [ It's not the end of the world....no it's not;
                  If it's the end of the world, well so what ? - Marti Webb ]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
||      From the keys of Richard Jeffreys ( British Citizen Overseas )      ||
||              employed by North American Philips Corporation              ||
||              @ AT&T Bell Laboratories, Naperville, Illinois              ||
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
||  General disclaimer about anything and everything that I may have typed  ||
------------------------------------------------------------------------------