One of the best things about turning 25 was the significant decrease in the cost of my car insurance. From one tick of the clock to the next, I was suddenly considered a “stable driver.” That made sense to me, since by then I had been driving for 10 years in various conditions and pretty much knew what I was doing (i.e. don’t swerve to miss a dear, turn into the skid, etc.). The next time in my life I was expecting any kind of discount was when I was eligible to join the AARP. Apparently however, car insurance can go down once again WHEN YOU GET MARRIED.
I’m all for the cost of car insurance being higher when you are young – you are just learning how to operate a car, you don’t have a lot of experience behind the wheel, and let’s face it, you’re pretty much an idiot through college. Everyone has done stupid stuff in a car when they were younger, no matter how responsible a person and driver they were. When I was a freshman in high school, we once squeezed 8 girls in a VW bug for a cross town trip. And the bug was missing half the floor!
So the age thing I get, because even I was a stupid driver when I was younger, and I’m generally a pretty responsible person. I am not sure how me being married or not is a reflection on my stability as a person. According to Insurance.com, “Married people are considered safer and more stable because of their new commitment and responsibilities, and this can translate into discounts.”
Here’s the thing, I have the exact same responsibilities as married people do. I have to support myself, pay bills and taxes, and follow the laws, just like they do. And I have to do it on one income. How do two people signing a $50 piece of paper make them more responsible or committed than me, the single person? Or what about the people who choose to live together and not get married? Or what about couples that are not legally allowed to be married?
Stability is something that should be measured by driving records, credit reports, paying taxes, etc. There is no magic stability fairy who shows up on your wedding day to go *poof* now you are stable! If you were a terrible driver before getting married, chances are you will remain a terrible driver afterwards unless you take steps to improve that (and signing a marriage license is not how you become a better driver).
Age is something that is equal to us all. Every year we all get older and at some point, we all turn 25 earning our much desired and (hopefully) warranted decrease in insurance rates. Marriage doesn’t make a person stable and it isn’t equal to everyone. I don’t understand how this isn’t discrimination to a growing population of people who choose not to get married or those who are not legally allowed?
Admittedly, this is one large rant about how I am pissed off that although I am one of the most responsible and stable people I know, I am potentially being discriminated against because I choose not to be married. That being said, if I ever decide to get married, I’m obviously going to try and gets my rates reduced since I will be “safer and more stable” due to my “new commitment and responsibilities”. I’ve been cheap far longer than I’ve been mad about car insurance.
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