You’re out on your own now. Finally away from Mom and Dad and the restraints of home. In college, you can make your own rules, your own schedule, and have pizza and beer for every meal if you want. However, when you took that step out into the world, you more than likely incurred some new responsibilities, as well. You now so your own grocery shopping, clean your own place, and pay your own bills, including your car payment and insurance. Why did I pick that out specifically? Every year, the amount of students, ages 18-25, in car accidents tend to be the largest group in this category. Here are a few things you can do that will keep you prepared should this debacle find you.
Keep Your Insurance Up to Date
It is now the law, in most states, that you must carry car insurance. When buying a new car, you are no longer even allowed to drive it off the lot without it. Unfortunately, several people, many young college students, allow the payments to lapse after the first month of coverage. Then, as it happens in life sometimes, you have a fender bender or worse. You find yourself with no coverage. Medical bills will pile up, you may not be able to replace the vehicle or repair it, you may find yourself responsible for the other party’s bills and, in most cases, no matter what happened, you will receive full legal blame, because you had no insurance. Sound appetizing?
Take Pictures!
In the awful event that you actually end up in an accident, after making sure that everyone is ok and that there is no impending danger from any vehicles involved, take pictures. Lots of them. This will allow you to prove to the insurance company, and to anyone else that would like to know, what damage was done or not done. Pictures can save you money on repairs and make good forensic evidence for proving fault, if necessary.
Have Legal Representation
In many cases, more than in prior years, both parties involved have insurance. Information is exchanged and life goes on. However, there are several thousands still driving without insurance. If you should be so lucky as to find one, it would serve you well to have legal representation on standby. These kinds of cases tend to take some time to sift out. Get a jump on things and be prepared.
Following these simple tips in your new lease on life could save you time you already don’t have between work and classes and could save you money that would be better spent on tuition or that guy/girl you met at the library while you were studying last night.
