Motor Expo 2026

"... To make insurance worthwhile after purchasing it, many people tend to think of buying car insurance and using it to its full potential, just like going to an all-you-can-eat buffet: eating as much as possible, choosing the most expensive items. It's the same with car insurance; they will relentlessly claim everything to make it worthwhile. Bumping into this, scratching that, repairing their own car, then the other party's car, many times a year. They drive carelessly, claiming it's their right to make claims because they've bought insurance. Making claims is possible, yes, but doing so means you don't know how to use insurance effectively, and it won't be worth it!...”

Nowadays, no matter what we do, we always consider "value for money" first. For instance, before buying a car, we must ask ourselves what we will use it for... The objectives for its use vary. Some buy a car just to drive around, some buy it to drive to the market, some buy it to drive to pick up/drop off their children at school, some buy it for family trips and vacations in other provinces during holidays, some buy it as a spare car in case their main car breaks down or goes to the garage for repairs, so they have another car to replace it or to drive interchangeably sometimes. Meanwhile, some buy it for commuting to work, and some buy it as a tool for their profession, for trading or transporting goods to customers. 

However, there are also many people who buy certain car models to keep as collector's items or cherished antiques, which they admire. For example, at vintage car shows or general car exhibitions each year, certain beloved car models are displayed by their owners, or used as props in some films or scenes. The problem is, how do you make it worthwhile? Where does the word "worthwhile" lie? What is it compared to? 

Now, let's look at it from the perspective of car insurance, or any type of insurance, which is similar to investing in a car. Buying insurance definitely requires paying premiums. Therefore, before purchasing, you must clearly define your objectives: what do you need, how much money do you have to pay or invest, what benefits will you receive, and to what extent do these align with your needs and objectives? 

For example, mandatory motor insurance (Por Ror Bor). The objective of the law is to provide coverage to everyone who suffers harm from a vehicle, whether they are the driver, a passenger, another occupant, or a pedestrian. They will receive legal protection from mandatory motor insurance. However, there is a limited initial coverage amount not exceeding 50,000-100,000 baht. It aims to primarily alleviate physical and life damages caused by vehicles, but does not include criminal damages, bail for drivers in criminal cases, damage to the insured vehicle itself, damage to other vehicles, and damage to third-party property. 

If we only purchase mandatory motor insurance (Por Ror Bor) as required by law, we must accept the remaining risks ourselves. If we believe we can handle it because we are excellent drivers, have never been in an accident involving people or other cars since birth, and our car has never had dents or scrapes from collisions, then buying only Por Ror Bor insurance would be the most worthwhile and economical option. 

But if you think Por Ror Bor alone might be a bit risky, because you've previously rear-ended someone, and you see collisions on the road every day, making it seem unsafe and not worth the risk, then adding a little extra to the premium for Type 3 insurance might be more worthwhile. If, by chance, you collide with someone, the insurance will help compensate, bringing peace of mind. As for your old car, if it has a few minor scratches, never mind. You can still repair it once every 2-3 years. It's better to save the money from expensive insurance premiums and use it for your own repairs. In this case, Type 3 is sufficient. 

But if your car is new and you're afraid of it being stolen, you can choose to pay a higher premium according to your financial ability. For Type 2, it adds coverage for car theft and fire. 

For Type 1, it includes coverage for repairing the insured vehicle itself from scrapes, collisions, and rollovers. This is known as all-risk coverage, which is generally popular. However, we must accept that the premium will be more expensive. If you believe the risk is high, Type 1 might be the appropriate choice. 

Furthermore, you can also increase or decrease the premium when purchasing insurance for the first time, or for the first year and subsequent years, by adding or reducing conditions in voluntary insurance types 1, 2, or 3, such as: 

Adding conditions for bail coverage for drivers in criminal cases 
Adding conditions for higher personal accident coverage for the driver and passengers in the insured car beyond mandatory motor insurance (Por Ror Bor), including additional medical expenses, can also be purchased by stating the objective and paying a slightly higher premium. 

As for reducing the premium, it can be done by purchasing insurance with a named driver, which provides a discount of 5-20% depending on the driver's age. Purchasing insurance with an agreed-upon deductible for the first loss can reduce the premium by 1,000-5,000 baht. 

Additionally, if you have a good driving record from your previous year's insurance with the same company, you can get another 20-50% discount on your premium. If all discounts are combined, it can be considered a significant saving, making it the most worthwhile purchase. 

To make insurance worthwhile after purchasing it, many people tend to think of buying car insurance and using it to its full potential, just like going to an all-you-can-eat buffet: eating as much as possible, choosing the most expensive items. It's the same with car insurance; they will relentlessly claim everything to make it worthwhile. Bumping into this, scratching that, repairing their own car, then the other party's car, many times a year. They drive carelessly, claiming it's their right to make claims because they've bought insurance. Making claims is possible, yes, but doing so means you don't know how to use insurance effectively, and it won't be worth it!...

Because we buy a car to use it, we should be able to use it for all 365 days, not have it in the garage for 3 or 6 months. Besides not being able to use it, a car that has been in many accidents, had many claims, and many repairs also gets damaged extensively, depreciating its value when reselling. In the renewal year, the insurance premium will be adjusted upwards, making you pay even more. This way, it's guaranteed that using insurance won't be worthwhile. The word "worthwhile" therefore means paying less and less, being economical, but still getting maximum benefits in all aspects. It's not about becoming more expensive the more you use it, or decreasing in value the more you use it. Is that worthwhile? Isn't it? 

Cr. FORMULA MAGAZINE