We’ve come a long way. When I moved to the Lone Star State in the late 70’s, nearly every pickup truck had a gun rack mounted in the back window with a big ole rifle on display for all the World to see. Then I moved to Northern California, where every pickup truck had a wine rack mounted in the back window. Not really. I just thought I’d try it out. Not funny? Well, let’s move on then. One thing that has certainly changed in Texas (that has been an ever-looming problem) is making sure that all drivers carry insurance and are therefore “financially responsible.” It’s called the financial responsibility program. In the past, it was easy to fool law enforcement regarding auto insurance coverage. You could get a new policy, pay the first month’s premium and never bother to pay the remaining premiums. But you’d still have an insurance card that showed coverage for 6 months. Then, when that date passed, move on to another insurance company and do the same thing. Now, with the Texas Sure Program, police computers are linked up to a network with insurance providers. So they know if your insurance is valid or not. No liability insurance carries a hefty fine as well as the possible impoundment of your vehicle. You must pay a $260.00 surcharge, annually, for three (3) years and it remains on your driving record FOREVER. There are still people driving around with no liability insurance. And, those of us who are financially responsible are all paying extra for uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage because of those people.
So, “Yay” for modern technology. We all understand that insurance rates are climbing. And, with the economy, it’s difficult to pay high insurance rates. You can always take a Comedy Defensive Driving class taught by real comedians to get an insurance discount for three (3) years. Not only will it lower your insurance rates, but it’s also a nice refresher course. There are also websites that will give you several quotes at once so you can compare rates. As I mentioned, you must keep a current insurance policy. But you don’t have to pay Neiman-Marcus prices for liability insurance. Who wants to spend a bunch of extra money on insurance when you have better things to spend your money on? (such as Jack Daniels).
Until next week…be financially responsible.
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist
The Financial Responsibility Program – Comedy Defensive Driving