Imagine you go to the pump, and either a) the gas company gives you the option when you pump or b) when you pay they say "Would you like insurance with that?" for a few extra cents per gallon (or liter, whatever). Now, for each gallon you get insurance coverage for a specific amount of time (or miles) from the purchase time/mileage.. If you built a "credit card" for the insurance company and standardized the communication protocol, then you could have the charges payable to your favorite company. This would also allow for a VISA-like infrastructure, and states might even mandate it as a simpler way to make sure everyone was insured. With such a simple mechanism, I would bet many states would just make it manditory, and just swipe your insurance card to apply to the correct policy (or use a pin number or something)
-- bigattichouse, Aug 21 2004

Good idea. If this was baked, there would actually *be* a reason for gas prices to be so high.
-- Machiavelli, Aug 21 2004


This would save a lot of hassle but there'd be no way of making sure people drive with insurance.
-- harderthanjesus, Aug 21 2004


Some states have proposed this. It may pass, eventually.
-- whlanteigne, Jan 08 2013


We have a 50% price difference for insurance from one driver to the next based on their driving record. How the pumps factor this? If one doesn't use a cc?
-- Brian the Painter, Jan 08 2013



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