# Why is insurance so hard to get? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [August 12, 2022, 7:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758 "2022-08-12T07:02:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 8:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/82 "2022-08-14T20:47:43Z")
Did OP say he can afford it? Then it’s ok. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2022, 8:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/83 "2022-08-14T20:59:54Z")
> [@LoudThunder](#): > > I take you back to 1966 and a 16-year old male buys a 1954 Dodge with a flat head 6 and three-speed manual tranny [quote=] My first car was a 1954 Dodge Meadowbrook, 2-door, Club Coupé. I bought it from my neighbor, who bought it new with almost every available option (and it came with all its original paperwork, sales slips, window stickers, etc…). The special option was the “Red Ram” Hemi V8 engine (not the huge hemi, but a “baby hemi,” 241 cu in, rated at 140 HP. It came with a three-speed, column shifter… [/quote] Huh? You owned both a flathead 6-cylinder '54 Dodge and a Red Ram V-8 '54 Dodge as your “first car” when you were 16? > [@Nevada\_545](#): > > $1200 in 1966 is equal to $10,900 today. Yup! ---
**Author:** ![LoudThunder](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/loudthunder/32/27769_2.png) [@LoudThunder](https://community.cartalk.com/u/LoudThunder)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2022, 3:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/84 "2022-08-15T03:52:36Z")
> [@Nevada\_545](#): > > Are you suggesting that 140 horsepower was the reason for high insurance rates in 1966? No, I do not think anything about that car contributed to the cost of the insurance, it was strictly me a 16-year old male… I had plenty of friends driving newer cars, chevys with 283s and 327s and Fords with 289s, 351s, and 390s, and Mopars with 318s and 383s and they all seem to be paying about the same as me if they were in the assigned risk pool also… > [@VDCdriver](#): > > You owned both a flathead 6-cylinder '54 Dodge and a Red Ram V-8 '54 Dodge as your “first car” when you were 16? Nope you got me, it was 50-years ago and I’ll claim it was a senior moment. My first car was the Red Ram Hemi 54 Dodge. As I wrote earlier about the Insurance I have today, I kind of collect vehicles, I’ve got 5 of them now and I collected cars back them and I also had a 54 Dodge Wayfarer as well as others… The Wayfarer was a bigger car, a knock about, really rusted out but it had a good engine and I played with that one a lot. When I wrote earlier about the insurance cost back them, I stick to my senior moment, stream of consciousness, as I reflected back on the old days. That’s also one of the reasons my wife does not want to ever get rid of her '85 Corolla. As she says, when she wants the window open, there is only one hand crank, not 6-buttons, to lock doors, open the right or left front window and two more to open either back window. When she wants to listen to the radio, there is just the on/off/volume knob and the channel select knob. All of which can be done by feel, you do not have to play touchy-feely and stare at the touch info screen to find the radio… But I can’t fault you, it proves you read my post. Except for the engine mix up, I hope you enjoyed it because it brings back sweet memories of time gone by… I may not be griping about the cost of insurance, but I sure am Pi$$ed about having to pay a special tax on my 2019 Toyota and 2020 Honda because they are classified as “High Mileage” which means Virginia thinks it’s unfair that I’m not buying my fair share of gasoline to pay my share of the highway tax. And they really sock it to EV drivers since they do not buy any gasoline. ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2022, 11:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/85 "2022-08-15T11:10:17Z")
> [@LoudThunder](#): > > I may not be griping about the cost of insurance, but I sure am Pi$$ed about having to pay a special tax on my 2019 Toyota and 2020 Honda because they are classified as “High Mileage” which means Virginia thinks it’s unfair that I’m not buying my fair share of gasoline to pay my share of the highway tax. And they really sock it to EV drivers since they do not buy any gasoline. Good for them. Why shouldn’t you pay your share of highway taxes? ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2022, 1:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/86 "2022-08-15T13:51:51Z")
I also think that taxes on plain hybrids (not plug-in) or other high mpg vehicles that just use gas are wrong. That eliminates some of the incentive to buy a high-mpg vehicle. The whole goal should be to reduce gas use. Instead of taxing cars that achieve that, add a couple of cents to the gas tax. Plug-in vehicles, on the other hand, get around the fuel tax and should have something to help pay for road use, say X cents per mile, equal to the fuel tax on a high-mpg vehicle. Say that’s 40 mpg and the fuel tax is $0.80 per gallon - that would equal $0.02 a mile. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2022, 4:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/87 "2022-08-15T16:13:44Z")
See my whole goal in life is not to reduce the use of gas so some of us will never agree with others of us. Natural resources should be used to improve humanity not just to be left in the ground till the end of time. We still have to pay for roads and public facilities one way or another. So with changing times, the schemes need to be altered some. Each state does it differently though and some make more sense than others. I will never assume that legislation will make sense or be fair. ---
**Author:** ![wolyrobb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wolyrobb/32/45497_2.png) [@wolyrobb](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wolyrobb)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2022, 1:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/88 "2022-08-16T01:35:16Z")
Might be the same as Washington’s Alternative fuel fee where you pay a surcharge every year of $75 for a hybrid, going up to $225yr for an EV. My dad throws a fit every year over paying $75 extra to register the Prius which he wouldn’t mind if the fee was based more on the 8,000mi/yr mom drives on average. ---
**Author:** ![wavyonwheels](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wavyonwheels/32/17969_2.png) [@wavyonwheels](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wavyonwheels)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2022, 3:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/89 "2022-08-17T15:49:07Z")
> BlockquoteObviously, it is less costly to add a teen to his/her parents’ policy, but even that added coverage isn’t cheap. > Blockquote Which is why in my best estimate, most families just insure the car and do not explicitly add their younger progeny. For better or worse. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2022, 3:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/90 "2022-08-17T15:59:36Z")
> [@wavyonwheels](#): > > Which is why in my best estimate, most families just insure the car and do not explicitly add their younger progeny. For better or worse. If they do that they likely won’t be covered. ---
**Author:** ![wavyonwheels](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wavyonwheels/32/17969_2.png) [@wavyonwheels](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wavyonwheels)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2022, 4:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/91 "2022-08-17T16:00:34Z")
Perhaps this where OBD type monitors that insurance companies are now pushing. You do stupid sxxx and get stupid rates. Of course the validity depends on the algorithm used by the company. I don’t imagine I would benefit from such a device 😐 ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2022, 4:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/92 "2022-08-17T16:10:34Z")
My insurer wants to know the percentage each driver uses the cars on the policy. I’m sure they aren’t alone. ---
**Author:** ![TheOldDays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/71c47a/32.png) [@TheOldDays](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TheOldDays)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2022, 4:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/93 "2022-08-17T16:23:22Z")
A neighbor backed out of his driveway and hit a new F-150 truck parked in the street. It was a 2mph collision. Damage to the F-150 was $3,800! The front bumper fell off, the quarter panel caved way in, broke the headlight, trim, marker light. Truck is a plasticy piece of junk that self destructs at the slightest bump. That’s just one reason for the high cost; talk your politicians about the other costs… PS\> Your inability to afford to drive a car will “save the planet from climate change”…yeah, think about that…and remember that movement = freedom…tyrannical governments restrict movement…see North Korea…think about whom you vote for… PSS\> Look at insurance company crash test videos. They do bumper damage tests; 3mph “crashes” resulting in $1,000’s of dollars in damage; some cars are built out of rice paper. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2022, 4:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/94 "2022-08-17T16:56:02Z")
The **bumper** fell off, I need pictures of that, no picture, I call shenanigans. All common vehicles use headlight assemblies, the days of $3.00 sealed beams are long gone. ---
**Author:** ![TheOldDays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/71c47a/32.png) [@TheOldDays](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TheOldDays)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2022, 6:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/95 "2022-08-17T18:30:37Z")
" I call shenanigans" LOL! Ok, Grandpa! [Watch this 22mph](https://youtu.be/WTUHIXsYoPo) “crash” destroy the front end of this $50,000 Audi. [F-150 collapsing like a tin](https://youtu.be/2XkH4Ss8shE?t=69) can at relatively low (40mph) speed…likely cut off the lower part of your legs! [![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/0/8/0844ff33bd33cc5700436b62cb6fe53bd73f9aef.jpeg "First IIHS test of aluminum-body F-150 - IIHS News") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XkH4Ss8shE) ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2022, 6:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/96 "2022-08-17T18:43:29Z")
Well cars are now designed to crush like a tin can whether we like it or not. The theory is that as the crush zones collapse, energy is absorbed and not transferred to the cabin. Results in destroying vehicles in low speed crashes but hey, we’ve got lots of money. As far as the bumpers go, quit calling those rubber covers bumpers. They are not bumpers. The bumpers are underneath. The covers just cover up the bumpers to make the car look good. I’m on the fence on this. I really liked my 59 Pontiac indestructible bumpers and never had an accident to test crush zones. I’d really hate to destroy a $50,000 vehicle though at 40 mph. I think maybe we should teach people to drive more rather than redesigning cars to make them feel safe. Just IMHO ---
**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2022, 7:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/97 "2022-08-17T19:01:15Z")
> [@bing](#): > > I think maybe we should teach people to drive more rather than redesigning cars to make them feel safe. Just IMHO Agree.---- ---
**Author:** ![Haider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/48db29/32.png) [@Haider](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Haider)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2022, 7:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/98 "2022-08-17T19:08:56Z")
Hey, thank you for responding on my post I really appreciate it. So yeah, I was quoted around £8000 odd (cheapest possible) for a reliably small car that was fairly cheap as well. Made the post originally as I was generally curious as to why young drivers get it hard. Thankfully some other posters let me know why and it makes perfect sense to me now. It was just a post of genuin curiosity that’s all. But again, thank you so much for the reply. ---
**Author:** ![longhorns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@longhorns](https://community.cartalk.com/u/longhorns)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2022, 8:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/99 "2022-08-17T20:45:57Z")
For car insurance, contact (your state) Farm Bureau and save a bunch. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2022, 9:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/100 "2022-08-17T21:02:46Z")
> [@longhorns](#): > > For car insurance, contact (your state) Farm Bureau and save a bunch. I doubt if that is true everywhere . ---
**Author:** ![bscar2](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar2/32/2468_2.png) [@bscar2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar2)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2022, 11:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758/101 "2022-08-17T23:15:44Z")
> [@bing](#): > > I’m on the fence on this. I really liked my 59 Pontiac indestructible bumpers and never had an accident to test crush zones. I’d really hate to destroy a $50,000 vehicle though at 40 mph. I think maybe we should teach people to drive more rather than redesigning cars to make them feel safe. Just IMHO I’d hate to be in the 59 Pontiac in the 40mph crash against that $50k modern car. [![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/e/7/e79406357f1ade085fefed33d131be59874e25c6.jpeg "1959 Chevrolet Bel Air vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu IIHS crash test") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_r5UJrxcck) [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758.md?page=4) [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-is-insurance-so-hard-to-get/185758.md?page=6)