Before you immediately stop reading, I promise this isn't a lecture on safe driving. Yes, my accident was possibly avoidable, yes, it’s wise to drive about 5 miles per hour on the highway in heavy rain, yes, my accident was like a scene straight out of Waterworld, and yes, I look exactly like Kevin Costner.
However, this post isn’t about the accident itself. I’m actually going to talk about the aftermath. After all, isn’t insurance not about crashes but about what happens after a crash?
Standing on the side of the highway, waiting to have my blood pressure taken by a medic, I realized that I was stuck. I was several hours on foot from my apartment and even farther from my workplace. I'd be lying if I said that I would have rather walked home than call a coworker for a ride.
Unfortunately, my ballet flats were muddy puddles and my Star Wars tee shirt smelled like burnt rubber and gasoline, so I didn’t have the emotional fortitude necessary to walk more than 10 miles. I grudgingly fished my phone out of the Bermuda Triangle (layman's terms: my purse), and explained to my colleague over the phone, "Hi, Brooke. Can you pick me up? My car's on fire."
Unfortunately that's how the next few months panned out. In between job titles and apartments, I didn’t have the time to find a new vehicle. My friends drove me to and from work, while I searched the housing section of Craigslist. I finally signed a rental agreement, but even with low rates, the amount of money in my bank account started falling faster than Peter Sellers on a banana peel.
I frantically searched for a new car, but I had no idea what I was doing. It didn’t help that cars salesmen, while trying to talk me into buying something that I didn't want, found it appropriate to address me as "little lady". Standing at 5'9", I wondered how they were unable to see the irony in that pet name. I would grit my teeth, I thank them for their time and walk out with no car keys in hand. Eventually, I found a vehicle and was able to return the rental, but by that time, my bank account was so empty that I swear I could hear an echo every time I checked my balance.
Yesterday I bought car insurance again, and this time I didn't take any chances. I went with the works - liability, collision coverage, comprehensive protection and rental and towing insurance.
(also see: what to check for when buying a used car)
I followed the advice that while you might have to pay a few extra dollars, extra protection makes life a little easier when life seems extra hard. If I had rental insurance at the time of my stormy accident, my situation would have been much less of a hassle.
As my mom (also frequently unable to see the irony in her own words) would say about purchasing extra auto insurance, "It's like saving up for a rainy day."
by Kelly Casey, Guest Blogger
Recent Mover to Charlotte, NC - Kelly gives advice on those things you forget in a move.
