A Critique of the Hindutva Concept of RSS and BJP:

A Critique of the Hindutva Concept of RSS and BJP:

The concept of Hindutva as presented and pursued by the BJP and RSS nexus has a basic flaw in it. It does not account for the new reality of the subcontinent! Now what is that new reality of the subcontinent that the Hindutva concept failed to address? The new reality is that each and every thinking mind of the subcontinent has to reconcile three authorities! These are Hinduism, Islam, and the Modern Western thought!

The fallacy of Hindutva lies in following the Manu's law as it is! Whereas it is quite clear that Manu's law contradicts certain important aspects of both Islam and the modern Western thought! What are those aspects? In order to know those aspects I would like to start from positing the basic tenets of Manu's laws!

Manu's law divides human population into four Vernas or classes according to their virtues! Manu's law rightly identifies that a society functions on the basis of four cardinal virtues! These virtues are Wisdom and knowledge, and Brahman class represents it. The second virtue is of courage and Kshatriya class represents it! The third vitue is the accumulation of wealth and marketing, and the Vaish class masters it. And the fourth virtue is of temperance that the Dalit or the service offering class has to master!

THese four cardinal virtues are necessary for the society! Manu Smitri has asked the society to promote and preserve these virtues! For a society needs a knowledge base, and a law giving class! A defending class embodied in the Kshatriya! A wealth earning class represented by the Vaish! And a service offering class represented by the working or the labor class!

Manu Smitri is brilliant in it that it has instituted laws to perfect these virtues, and advocated a class based society! Manu Smitri, or Manu's law wants to evolve social classes that are reared up to practice these virtues! It is a deep idea, and it requires a lot of discussion to understand its true merits! I have no objection on it!

However, after the advent of Islam, a new virtue was given the cardinal importance! And that virtue is the vitue of Taqwa! Taqwa means to abstain from the wrong doings, and practice the right parh! If we combine Manu's virtues with Taqwa we come across an interesting situation! Islam recognizes that Brahman is for knowledge, Khatriya is for courage, Vaish is for wealth and Shudra is for the services! However, in the course of history these four virtues were compromised! And vested interests stopped the Brahman from the true service of Knowledge! Kshatriya compromised honor! Vaish aspired to rule! And the Shudra aspired to pursue its material desires!

Islamic virtue of Taqwa asks all these four Vernas to sacrifice their ulterior motives for their Cardinal virtues! That is Taqwa! So Taqwa basically askes the Brahman to sacrifice everything else for the acquisition of knowledge! Taqwa asks Kshatriya to abandon anything else for the sake of honor! It asks Vaish to earn wealth for the socirty! It asks the sevice or the proleteriate class to perfect their skills!

It is quite evident that the cardinal virtue of Taqwa is essential for the society! It is a necessary virtue, for in the course of history the Vernas started following other motives! Taqwa is an essential part to be preaced in Hindutva!

The in put of the Western philosophy is also important and unavoidable!

In the Western tradition the believe in the functionalism of the four Vernas! But they say that in the modern times, since every Verna is corrupted, therefore it is no longer important to give the birth right to the classes! Modern West is against the birth right! It says that a Shudra can have an appetite for knowledge far exceeding the whole Brahman class! A Brahman can be a greater Vaish than any Vaish! And you can extend this line of thought to understand the fact that the birth right is no longer relevant! So the Western though promotes merit! It says that we accept the four Vernas but it is not a matter of birth right!

No my point is that! If you want to institute Manu Smitri in today's world, you should promote both Taqwa and Merit!

Merit means even a Shudra can be a Kshtriya! And Taqwa means that a Kshtriya, selected on the merit should religiously follow his merit! This is what I want to say! I will write further on this subject if you ask me questions! But My conclusion is that: Manu, Islam, and the West don't contradict but supplement each other! I invite questions from the reader! And this means BJP_ RSS has to promote all three concepts of  society in the Indian subcontinent!

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Dostoevsky: The Quantum Mechanics of Emotions

Dostoevsky: The Quantum Mechanics of Emotions

Dostoyevsky is a marvel of Russia! Dostoevsky has shown, through his writings, that humans can fathom the depths of reason without losing the guidance of heart. The great Russian novelist, Dostoevsky, was in fact a mathematician of human emotions. Dostoevsky was a unity of art and higher level mathematics.

Where he shows that he viewd the affairs of human like a Pascal or Al Beruini? When he knits his character through defining his/ her limitations, aspirations, and struggles.

The example of limitations that Dostoevsky beautifully imposed on his characters are economical and emotional , and rational limitations. 

Economical limitations are the most obvious ones! Look at the Characters of Prince Myshkin, Mitya, and Raskolnikov! Donia, Gurushenka, Nastasia and Sonia! These characters are finacially bankrupted , but have great emotional lives. To a certain degree all these characters are difined by their economic worth or worthlessness! 

Money is essential! But money isn't the goal of these characters! These immortal characters live in stark poverty, yet they aren't interested in money: their aims are higher than the gold. Yet it is strange to say that their worse plight, their sufferings are mostly enhanced if not caused by the dearth of money. Mitya needs 3000 roubles, Raskolnikov has no money and has reached his hypondriasis through the route of stark poverty, Prince Myshkin is poor in the initial stages, Donia suffers due to the poverty of her family, and Sonia sells her body to feed the kids of her step mother. Stark poverty is a great source of suffering in Dostoevsky's novels.

Poverty is the route to suffering, yet these magnanimous souls nver run after money! They throw the money in the face of those who want to buy their emotional lives with the help of money. Dostoevky looks too much inspired by the lesson of the Temptations in the New Testament. He has mentioned that incident in the beginning of The Grand Inquisitor. 

Yes! Dostoevsky follows the Christian ideal of a free of temptation love and faith. Where there is a temptation in love, there it becomes worthless! A desire for money cannot be mingled with a desire for love! The result of such conmingling are the characters like the " Fiance of Donia in the Crime and Punishment. The Suitor of Nastasia whom rhagozin insulted in the " Idiot." Even Rakitin is close to such a sinister conmingling of the love for money and love. The result is eternal damnation in the world of Dostoyevsky. 

It is quite clear that money isn't the aim: So Donia doesn't surrender her soul to the lust of Sividrigailov. Raskolnikov didn't allow his sister to Donia to marry the greedy lawyer. He refused the career and money for the sake of true human relations. Nothing is important in this world than human love. 

And yet sometimes reason leaves the love behind, and drives a man crazy! " Ivan was described by Mitya " as a tomb." " Ivan is a tomb" says Mitya.  Why? For Ivan was an embodiment of reason, and it was his reason that ultimately pushed him towards the abyss of madness. 

Raskolnikov was deceived by his reason into an act of utter violence. An act of violence that was a burden on his conscience. " When he was free he was in prison, and when was in prison, he was free! " Says Dostoevsky about Ivan. What was his Prison? In one word , the sting of his conscience. What was his relief? Acceptance of his crime, and go to the prison. The police officer who was following his trail knew that he would eventually confess the crime just because he couldn't bear the perpetual sting of conciense. 

But when the reason reaches its height on its flight under the guidance of love, it reaches the wisdom of Father Zossima, and his disciple Alyosha. THese two embodiments of reason and love are epitome of the Christian ideal in Dostoevsky's world. Father Zossima and Alyosha are always confronted with the paradox of faith, yet they are powerful enough to stand their ground in the face of the attacks of scepticism. Alyosha's faith is always tested, and succeded in defending itself. It was tested by Ivan's reason, by the death of the Saint Zossima, by his own father, by the sufferings of his brothers! And yet it sustains all the attacks. 

Another religious personality is the Idiot, Prince Myshkin. Who this man is? He is an idiot, for he is not selfish, and doesn't guard his self interest. He doesn't have any self interest, not owing to any kind of asceticism, but owing to his mentle illness. He is an idiot! 

And yet his doctor has asked, " Never lie to anyone, and to yourself." This man is a saint in it that he accepts everything that comes to his mind, he never has negative emotions that he could challenge. He only has an acceptance of himself, and he expresses what he feels. Prince Myshkin is like the God's fool whom the God loved. 

Dostoyevsky's world is amazing! It tells us about strange deals! Barters! Every dealing in the world of humans is a well thought out deal! In Insulted and humiliated a little girl, who has no one to take care of her, refuses the custody of a wealthy man. The reason? The wealthy according to that little girl wanted to adopt her because he had abandoned his own daughter. And to fill that gap he wanted to adopt her! The girl laid bare the true motive behind the intent to adopts her and refused to enter that deal.

Katrina Ivanovna had money, beauty, and she apparently even loved Mitya! Yet Mitya knew that she only loved herself, and refused her! Raskolnikov refused the deal between Donia and his fiancee saying that the only purpose he wanted to marry his sister was her povert and beauty. He wanted a wife who would always feel indebted to him! Such relations do not give happiness! 

Raskolnikov criticized Donia for her pity and support for her step mother's kids. That deal was harshly criticized by him, and yet Sonia didn't break that deal! She continued to sell her body for the survival of the kids. 

In such deals, in their explanation and analysis Dostoevsky seems to solve quantum mecjhanical equations of the emotional life! It is here that the mathematical skills of this master artist come to fore!

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What Your Zodiac Sign Says About You

admin 3 days ago Entertainment, Featured, LifeStyle, News Leave a comment 27,222 Views

4 weeks ago

Sbsy pehlay ARIES (mein khud bhi aries huun)

Aries waloo k andhr jho sbsy bhra maslah hota hai woh yeh k woh ghussa bohat krtay hain aur ziddd bohat krtay hain.
and one more interesting thing hum aries bohat sarial aur Negative type k hotay hain aries har cheez mey negative point dekhtay hain.

Video: (about zadiac signsTaurus Tarus sign k loog bohat ziada overthinking krtay hain palnning krtay hain inhay lgta hai k yeh apni life mey honay wali har cheez relation etc sb ko control kr sktay hain aur yehi inki sb sy bri mushkil hoti hai.

Gemini yeh kuch aisay loog hotay hain jinhay yeh nai ptah hota k inhay life mey kiya chahiyeh jho kuch ink sath ho raha hota yeh usk sath he chal prhtay hain Duniya ko yeh smjh nai ati k akhir yeh krna kiya chahtay hain aur poori life yeh khud bhi isi confusion mey rehtay hain yeh hamesha kisi na kisi fear mey hotay hain aur kisi trha ki change sy bhagtay hain.

Cancer is sign k loog bohat selfless hotay hain yeh loog apney baray mey kuch nai sochtay hamesha dosaroo ki khushi k liye lgay rehtay hain. i think agar insaaan apney baray mey kuch nai sochay gha aur dosaro ko khush krnay mey lga rahay gha toh kabhi na kbhi hurt zaroor ho gha.

Leo is sign k logo mey bohat ziada qualitites hoti hain but unka main issue yeh hota hai k woh robot ki trha act krtay hain woh is bt pagloo ki trha believe kr lete hain k mard ko drd nai hota.

Virgo is sign k logo k mslah bhi kuch kuch cancer sign k logo sy milta julta hai yeh loog dosaro ka sochtay rehtay hain aur inko lgta hai k dosaro ko khush kr k apko khushi millay ghi aur yehi inka sb sy bhra issue hai.

Libra is sign k logo ka mslah yeh hai k yeh kabhi yeh nai btayen ghay k actually inhay chhaiyeh kiya agar koi hurt kr jaye inko toh yeh react nai krtay balkay apney andhr he apney ap sy waar krtay hain.

Scorpio yeh loog thoray selfish hotay hain yeh har kisi pr jaldi trust nai krtay aur na he inhay koi happy kr pata hai.

Sagittarius inmey chota sa khoof hota hai yeh har kaam ko krnay sy pehlay ziada tension mey aa jatay hain yeh kafi kaam is liye nai krtay k kahee yeh ghalat na ho jaye

Aquarius yeh loog hamesha past mey rehtay hain yeh kabhi apney past ko bhool he nai sktay

Pisces in logo ka dil sb signs k logo sy ziada khoobsorat hota hai lekkin hamesha yeh loog ghalat logo ko select krtay hain. aur in logo ko khushiyooo sy ziada dukh pssnd hota hai

Capricon in logo ka mslah yeh hai k yeh loog har cheez ko toh competition smjh lete hain bss goals bna lete hain k bss in goals ko achieve krna hai. aur yeh loog life k fun ko kabhi bhi enjoy nai kr patay (mostly 80% capricon not all) inko lgta hai k yeh kabhi haray nai so jis insaan ney kabhi haaar nai dekhi woh kabhi jeetnay ka maza nai utha skta life mey har cheez competition nai ho skti ap frnds relatives relationship etc k sath kabhi competition nai kr sktay agar ap sb har choti sy choti bt ko haar manna shuru kr dhain ghay toh is trha ap life mey khud bhi dukh mey rahain ghay aur dosaro ko bhi dukh dhain ghay.

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11 Beautiful Actresses who Left Bollywood And Chose their families.

May 13, 201

It is very usual for Indian actresses to work even after marriage. Indian Actress doesn’t want the tag of married to be detrimental to their careers in any way.

#1. Sonali Bendre

Her initial distinguishing strength was with a thing melody Hamma in the film Bombay. Amid her movie vocation, Sonali has worked with every one of the Khans in Bollywood, nonetheless, as a performing artist, her notoriety remainder would never get an inch nearer to these biggies. She wedded film performing artist executive, Goldie Behl on November 12, 2002, and left the film business. After marriage, Sonali has seen again on the silver screen in 2003, doing an exceptional appearance in Kal Ho Na Ho. She had a unique appearance in the film Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai Dobaara! too, which in Sonali’s words will most likely be the last time we will ever observe her again on 70mm screen. She made her little screen make a big appearance in 2014 with the TV indicate Ajeeb Daastaan Hai Ye.

#2. Saira Bano

She was an extreme diva whose one sight would take anybody’s heart away. Saira Bano was a built up on-screen character, however, she cheerfully surrendered the spotlight to delight in her part as a spouse and a homemaker. She was 22 years of age when she wedded her fantasy man, the unbelievable on-screen character, Dilip Kumar in 1966. She chose not to work after marriage as she thought their marriage won’t work because of Dilip Kumar’s steady going for shoots. In her own particular words:

“I have no regrets of not doing too many films post my marriage.”

#3. Babita

She acted in just 19 movies before she exited Bollywood for good. The celebrated Kapoor family were against the possibility of Babita working in Bollywood after marriage. She was 23 years of age when she wedded Randhir Kapoor. Be that as it may, they isolated just a couple of years after Karisma and Kareena were conceived. After around 20 years of detachment, Randhir and Babita fixed things up once more.

#4. Neetu Singh

She began her career as a youngster craftsman and went ahead to work in numerous Bollywood movies as a lead on-screen character. Neetu Singh was just 14 years of age when she began dating Rishi Kapoor, and at the unimportant age of 21, she got married to him. Their wedding was the greatest and most anticipated event of tinsel town around then. Post-marriage, Neetu resigned from the film business. In her own particular words:

“I wanted to devote all my life to my family.”

#5. Meenakshi Sheshadri

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9 Solid High Risk Homeowners Insurance Companies

Updated on April 27, 2016

Source

Earthquakes,typhoons, hurricanes, floods and fire are disasters that occur unexpectedly. High risk homeowners insurance provides financial respite from the effects of these incidents.There are numerous companies that specialize in high risk homeowners insurance. The following are some of the major insurance providers for this insurance policy.

1. US Insurance

US Insurance is a Texas-based insurance provider that specializes in high risk homeowner’s insurance covers. It allows its clients to search for competitive rates with regards to high risk insurance covers. The other benefit of taking an insurance cover with this company is its expeditious process. It instantly connects customers to its numerous agents after filling an application form.

Earthquakes,typhoons, hurricanes, floods and fire are disasters that occur unexpectedly. High risk homeowners insurance provides financial respite from the effects of these incidents.There are numerous companies that specialize in high risk homeowners insurance. The following are some of the major insurance providers for this insurance policy.

1. US Insurance

US Insurance is a Texas-based insurance provider that specializes in high risk homeowner’s insurance covers. It allows its clients to search for competitive rates with regards to high risk insurance covers. The other benefit of taking an insurance cover with this company is its expeditious process. It instantly connects customers to its numerous agents after filling an application form.

2. Liberty Mutual

Liberty Mutual is another American insurer that provides insurance for high-risk homeowners. What is strikingly advantageous about the company is its variety of insurance packages. These packages include identity fraud and flood insurance. It also boasts of a quality account management system that ensures efficient delivery of insurance coverage services.

3. Amica

Amica has earned a lot of recognition for the professionalism and courtesy involved in its services. It has a support service center that provides comprehensive information on issues concerning high risk homeowners insurance. They also offer safety discounts that provide financial relief to its clients.

4. Country Financial Insurance company

Just like most providers of home insurance, Country Financial boasts of several homeowner insurance packages. It is also financially solid; this scenario guarantees its ability to cover claims sufficiently. The insurer comprises insurance experts who provide valuable guidance to clients on high risk homeowners insurance.

5. State Farm Insurance

The State Farm Insurance Company rolled out its operations six decades ago. It deals in a wide range of homeowner insurance covers. It is quite beneficial since it enables owners of high risk homes to conduct online insurance quotes on their high risk homes.

6. Progressive Insurance

With Progressive Insurance Company, owners of high risk homes can get discounts on their policies. This is the icing on the cake considering that it charges low premiums. Also, the insurer tailors its insurance policies to match the needs of its clients. This makes it possible for homeowners to insure themselves from specific disasters like typhoon or floods.

7. American Family Insurance

The advantage of American Family Insurance is its efforts towards sparing clients from unpleasant surprises. It contains experts who provide precise information to high risk homeowners on its numerous policies.

8. Erie Insurance

This insurance firm enables high risk homeowners to compare insurance quotes of their homes. Erie insurance also possesses a competent account management system. Its numerous research options allow homeowners to conduct extensive research on high risk homeowners’ insurance packages.

9. Allstate Insurance Company

The Allstate Insurance Company has a wide net of agents that help homeowners to decide on the right coverage. Their agents also offer valuable advice on the regulations that govern the insurance sector in all the states. This is undoubtedly one of its greatest strengths. Moreover, it contains numerous high risk homeowners’ insurance policies that are individualized.

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Steps to Get Your Long Term Disability Approved

Updated on February 9, 2011

When my doctor told me I couldn’t return to work, I was glad I had made the decision a few years earlier to purchase long term disability (LTD) insurance through my employer. I thought I was set – piece of cake. It wasn’t as easy as I thought it was going to be, however.

First of all, you have to realize that your LTD carrier is in business to make money. What they’d really like to do is to collect premiums and never pay out benefits. Of course, they wouldn’t be able to do this long and stay in business. For one thing, they’d be faced with a gazillion lawsuits. So they do pay, but most are very selective about which customers receive disability benefits.

They want proof. They won’t just take your word about your disability. You can’t just say, “I can’t work anymore. I hurt.” This won’t cut it. They want x-rays, MRIs, CT scans, blood tests – stuff like that. Unfortunately, not every disabling condition can be proven with such tests. For example, some back ailments, joint pain, fibromyalgia, and chronic pain can’t be identified with traditional tests. Some emotional and mental conditions fall into the same category. This is where your doctors come into play.

Let’s use fibromyalgia as an example. No matter how much pain you’re in, this condition cannot be proven with a blood test or x-ray. Most general practitioners actually know little about it, so you need to be seeing a rheumatologist who specializes in fibromyalgia. His word and findings will carry a lot more weight with the insurance company than will those from a GP. If your disability is caused by something like panic disorder or clinical depression, you need to be seeing someone who specializes in that. Get the picture?

See your doctor on a regular basis. Make sure he documents everything. If he tells you that your MRI shows extensive nerve damage, have him write it down. The LTD folks aren’t going to read your MRI, and according to them, if it’s not written down, it didn’t happen. Every time you make a visit to a doctor’s office, emergency room, chiropractor, physical therapists, acupuncturist, clinic, psychologist, psychiatrist, counselor, or massage therapist, ask for a copy of any notes and tests. Take them home with you and make yourself another copy. Keep one set of everything in a large envelope and the other copy somewhere else. Keep one of the sets of copies next to your phone so that you’ll have the information readily accessible when your LTD representative calls with questions.

Fax everything to your long term disability company, AND send a set of copies via registered mail. They’ll request copies from your doctor, but from my experience, some doctors’ offices are slow about sending these. Also, sometimes the LTD carrier will say they were never sent, even though your doctor assures you that they were.

If your doctor is supportive of your claim, he’ll most likely be willing to write a narrative for your long term disability company and for Social Security. Most physicians charge extra for this, but it’s worth the price.

Keep a record of all the drugs you take and how much you spend on them every month. These include prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications. Also, be sure to document any adverse side effects from meds. You might take a drug that relieves your pain but makes you so dizzy that you have to lie down. Or maybe it “knocks you out.” Your goal is to show the insurance carrier why you can’t work.

Keep a journal of your illness, and be specific. “On March 2, my back hurt so bad that I had to take 2 pain pills (specify the drug) and stay in bed for 12 hours.”

When you fill out forms for your long term disability insurance company, be honest. Don’t exaggerate your illness or condition. Don’t say that you’re in excruciating pain 24/7 – they won’t believe you. Also, be specific. Saying “I can no longer lift a gallon of milk, so I have to buy milk in quarts now” is better than saying, “I can’t lift much.” Explain how your disability has changed your daily routine: “We had to hire someone to add handicap rails in our bathroom, living room, bedroom…”

Keep in mind that LTD insurance companies differ greatly, and even within the same company, representatives differ. The first guy I dealt with was a real butthead. He made it perfectly clear that they had no intention of approving my long term disability claim. He softened up a bit after he discovered that I was not going to be intimidated. He got me approved, but he was slow about following through. He soon disappeared. Maybe he was fired for being so nasty or so slow? Anyway, the next representative was nice, helpful, and very professional. She got my checks started quickly.

Once you’re approved for SSDI, you’ll get a very large check from the government that includes all your months of back pay. You have to inform your LTD carrier of this. In most cases, you can’t get LTD and SSDI in full. For example, if you have a group LTD policy through your employer, your disability benefit is based on a percentage of your normal salary. Let’s say that amount is $2,500 a month. You’ll get that amount monthly until your SSDI is approved. If your SSDI monthly amount is $2,000, your LTD payments will be reduced to $500 per month.

Here’s what often happens: When you get that first SSDI check that includes months of back payments, the amount could be as much as $35,000-$45,000 or more – depending on how long it took you to get approved. Don’t get excited – you have to pay that back to your LTD company. That’s included in the agreement with most long term disability insurance companies. A lot of times, the LTD company will try to settle with you. They’ll let you keep all that money if you agree to release them from future liability and payments. If you keep the cash, you won’t receive any more payments from your long term disability claim. I can’t advise you on this. You’ll have to carefully weigh the choice for yourself.

If you have a legitimate disability claim, be persistent and proactive. Don’t give up. If all else fails, hire an attorney who specializes in disability claims. An experience disability lawyer will know all the ins and outs of dealing with LTD companies, and you won’t have to pay him unless you win. True, he’ll get a chunk of your payment, but that’s a lot better than receiving nothing at all. Search online for the best disability attorneys - a not-so-good disability lawyer generally charges the same amount as a great disabilty attorney, so why not use one of the best?

I strongly advise anyone who’s employed or self employed to purchase long term disability health insurance. The premiums are modest, and if you pay them yourself, the benefits you receive are tax free. Unless a good policy is offered through your employer, I strongly suggest doing some comparison shopping. A good place to start is by getting quotes online.

Read more about long term disability and Social Security by clicking the article links below.

Read more about health and disability:

• Foraminal Stenosis, with Great Video Tutorials
  I have foraminal stenosis. Ever heard of it? I hadn't, until a few years ago, when I found out that I have it. Id been having a lot of tingling, numbness, and pain in my neck, shoulder, and left arm. I...
• The Importance of Long Term Disability Insurance
  Do you have long term disability insurance? Take it from me you need it! I dont care how healthy you think you are, you never know what the future holds. You could come down with a long term illness or...
• How to Get Social Security Disability
  Note: If you're trying to scam the government with a false claim of an injury, illness, or condition, read no further. This article is to help people who are legitimately unable to work a full time job...

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Only Having Liability Insurance on Your Car

Updated on April 27, 2016

My beloved car. I carry only liability insurance on it, but I have taken measures to ensure I can fix it if need be. | Source

I Used To Have Full Coverage Insurance

I didn’t always only have liability insurance on my car. I once had full coverage.

It all began when I started reading Dave Ramsey’s book Financial Peace. He made a point about how so many people who struggle financially often have two new (or newer) cars sitting in their driveways.

People often squeak by, with no savings and have credit card debt. Many of these same people also have new cars with auto loans. If you have any kind of a loan on a car, full coverage insurance is generally compulsory.

Then I was reading another book about How To Survive Without a Salary. The author makes a point about the ridiculousness of having full coverage on a car that isn’t worth much.

I began thinking about the value of my manual two-door hatchback. I was paying full comprehensive and collision insurance and I had long ago finished making payments.

My husband's truck. We also only have liability insurance on it - it's nearly 20 years old. I LOVE how it was built to last. | Source

What Will Your Next Car Be?

•  A new Car - life is short!
•  A new, but very stripped down car.
•  A newer-used car.
•  Eh, as long as I carry liability insurance on it, I don't really care.

See results without voting

New Cars Require Full Coverage Insurance

I bought my car new. Usually in my tendency to save money and be green, purchasing a new car wasn’t something I considered lightly. But, I had had a small Volkswagen car that had been in five accidents (they weren’t my fault). I traded that in for a Subaru that later leaked oil and I had to replace 5 rear-wheel bearings. Those repairs were not cheap.

I finally decided to get a new car that I knew hadn’t been in an accident and was under warranty for repairs. I got a small, gas-efficient stripped-down Focus. I love my car.

Because I was making payments on it, I carried full coverage insurance. The value of the car far exceeded any cash that I had lying around.

When you’re making payments, lenders require that you have full coverage. In the event of an accident, fire, or theft, the insurance companies will still be able to collect on any amount you still owe. The full coverage insurance covers repair costs for your car and will also give you a check for your car’s value should you total it.

But, what happens when you finish all those payments?

I kept full coverage for awhile. In fact, I kept it on until my car’s value depreciated to about $5000. That was in late 2010.

After that, I called my auto insurance company and canceled my comprehensive and collision insurance.

Why would I do that when the insurance company would pay to repair my car if it was in an accident?

Why I Canceled My Full Coverage

I had two reasons. First, I wanted a lower insurance premium. Canceling my full coverage saved me $600 a year.

Second, I now could afford car repairs. I was now willing to repair my car up to the cost of its value and had saved the cash to do so.

Thus, if the condenser for the air conditioning went out, I could fix that. If the motor stopped running, I could afford to repair it. However, if repairs exceeded the value of the car, I knew it would be time to get another car.

The thing is, I may get a new car again in the future. I am eyeing the electric cars on the market because you can get tax rebates for such purchases.

Our "spare" car. This one is a great vehicle, but it mostly sits. We don't have it licensed or insured, but if we needed to fix one of the other cars, we could easily add it on to our insurance policy. | Source

New Car and Drawbacks

But the drawbacks of having a new car are serious. For most of us, buying a new car entails car payments. You pay interest on those car payments.

Thus, a car costing $20,000 will cost you $27,000 after paying it off for 5 years at an interest rate of 7%. 20,000 x (.07/12) x 60 = 7,000. That’s a lot of extra money with which you could do a lot of things: an extra vacation, a remodel on the house, or even a down payment for a new car.

Plus, there’s the fact that you’ll have to pay for full coverage insurance throughout the life of the loan. An extra $60/month for 5 years (which is what I had on my Volkswagen when I had it) = $3600. That’s a lot of money in insurance costs. Now, you have an extra $7000 you’re paying in interest, plus the cost of full coverage at $3600. That’s $13,600 worth of extra costs over 5 years for the car!

You also have to think about how a car depreciates. As soon as you drive it off the lot, chances are, you now owe more than it’s worth. This happened to me. After about the third time someone hit my Volkswagen, I started thinking that I needed another car. I was driving a dent magnet. Unfortunately, the value of the car was less than what I owed. I had to wait another year and a half (and two more accidents) before I could finally trade it in and come out ahead.

I’ve all but convinced myself always to buy a car where I’ll need liability insurance only. Basically, liability insurance will cover the cost of repairs for the other person’s car if I’m in an accident and it’s my fault.

My policy may even help to cover medical costs, but it’s up to the individual policyholder. Insurance companies and policies are different - it's always a good idea to check with your insurance provider about the specifics of your situation.

Having a car with liability insurance means that I have a cheaper car in the first place and I don’t have to pay nearly as much in insurance costs.

I may have to fork over money for repair costs. That part is a gamble. But, chances are good that I won’t have to pay repair costs or that they won’t be that costly.

When Should You Cancel Full Coverage Insurance?

It’s definitely up to you as an individual to determine whether to carry liability insurance only on your car. Would you be comfortable footing the bill for the repair costs? Would you rather pay your insurance company to take care of that for you?

A good guideline is to determine the value of your car. I stopped carrying full coverage when its value was at $5000 because I am comfortable paying for repairs up to that value. It’s not worth the extra $600/year for me.

It also helps that my husband is great with cars – he rebuilds them. Thus, if I get into an accident, I have his truck as a backup, as well as a third car that he’s working on. It stays parked, but if I had to, I could put plates on that and add liability insurance easily.

No, it’s not as glamorous to drive around an older car. We’re programmed to like new and innovative things in our society. I’m not saying whether that’s good or bad, but if you’re a money-saver like I am, you don’t always win the “ooohs” and “aaahs” with your friends and family when you’re driving an unassuming older car.

You have to think about what’s more important to you: to be out of debt and save more money or to drive a sleek new car. Either way you pay, just in a different way.

Do You Only Have Liability Insurance On Your Car?

•  Yes, and I always will.
•  Yes, but I still want a new car.
•  No, but I will consider dropping it when my car's value is low enough.
•  No, and I am willing to pay extra for the full coverage.
•  No, I need a new car with all the bells and whistles, thank you very much.

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Lower Your Insurance Premiums

Indeed, it is up to you, the individual, to determine whether you will carry full coverage or liability coverage.

Weigh the cost of the premiums against the value of your car. If a car is worth $3000 and your comprehensive and collision insurance is about $200/year, you've paid 1/2 the value of your car in insurance premiums in one year. But, if you total it, the insurance company will give you a check for the value of the car at the time (which is often lower than you would think), minus the deductible. That $3000 car might be worth $1500 if you totaled it, plus the deductible. That could amount to a total of $2000.

To save on premiums, you can also raise the cost of your deductible. By going from $500 to $1000, your rates have the potential to drop dramatically. Just be sure you can handle the amount of the deductible should you ever need to pay it.

Something else to consider is the fact that if you only have liability insurance, you must purchase the extra insurance if you ever rent a car. Your insurance will not cover you - generally - if you are in a rental car. Each policy is different, however. Check with your insurer to be sure.

Final Thoughts

When I bought my Focus, I intentionally looked for a stripped-down version. They're much easier to work on that way. They're also everywhere, so it's easy to find parts for them.

It's also nice if you have someone who's good at working on cars in the family. My husband is my insurance policy. All jokes aside, we can find parts we need and my husband can install them and/or tweak them.

If you have the space, buy a very cheap alternative car. My sister has two used older cars. When one breaks down, she can still use the other one. That way, she won't have to depend on the insurance company to come through for repairs and deductibles.

I admit it's great to have a sleek new car with all the bells and whistles. However, it's more important to me to save up for a trip to Spain or a ski trip to Patagonia than it is to have a new car.

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