I’m mostly thinking about insurance here. I’ve been told conflicting information. I live in Florida.
I live with someone who has a driver’s license and a car, but I don’t have either. I’ve avoided getting one because I have no interest in car ownership, and I feel like if I started driving regularly I’d probably die - I have driven before but I really don’t think it’s something I’d ever get good at.
It’s undeniable that having one would be convenient though - for rare occasions like emergencies at a minimum but also other scenarios.
I know almost nothing about how this stuff works. If I get a license, am I required to acquire and pay for insurance, even if I don’t own a car or regularly drive? Or will the person I live with have to pay more for their insurance? Are there any other costs or downsides associated with it that I might not be thinking of?
Thanks.
The longer you have your license, the cheaper your car insurance will be if you do eventually get a car. From the point of view of an insurance company, having the license and never driving is exactly like having the license, driving a lot, and getting zero tickets or accidents.
I’ve been driving for 30 years, no accidents, and my yearly insurance comes out to a little less than $900. I imagine it would be similar if you just never actually drove a car.
Here in Norway insurance is bound to how long you had your insurance, not the drivers license. If you’ve had the insurance for 7 years without an accident you get the cheapest price. And if you have it for 4 more years accident free you don’t lose the 7 years if you have one.
You don’t need to get insurance just because you have a license. You can have a license and no car.
It could help you as far as some employers will ask if you have one and a few situations like that.
There’s no real downside other than paying for the drivers license test. Even after it expires it’ll still work for an ID.
I waited until an emergency before I finally realized I needed a license. Do everyone, including future-you, a favor by not waiting.
And I had the same fears, but driving is remarkably similar to other skills: you get better through practice.
I have a license but no car. It allows me to rent cars or trucks when I need them, and most rentals either come with insurance or the option to purchase it. There’s no recurring cost.
Absolutely no good reason not to have a license. Be it for the occasional rental or borrowing someone’s car once in a while. Or just being able to drive someone’s car across town if something happened.
