When buying car insurance, you are mandated by law to give out your exact current address, right? Not necessarily. There are cases when this is not required at all, for the benefit and the protection of the person purchasing the policy.
Just like Wanda Roman, one of the many American citizens required to purchase car insurance, she was asked to give out her exact current address. However, Wanda could not afford to do so because this would just allow her ex-boyfriend/stalker to discover where she was presently residing. It is precisely because of this and other related reasons that state lawmakers have come up with a bill that allows domestic violence victims to keep their current location privy when purchasing car insurance and other types of insurance, and even when filling out prescriptions. Instead of their present address, policyholders can choose to give out just a post office box number that they can use or even an address of a friend.
State Senator Jeff Klein of Bronx/Westchester sponsored the said bill in the Senate, even promoting it last week during the celebration of Domestic Violence Awareness month. Klein says that with the current law implemented, it is actually too easy for perpetrators to track down the locations of their victims via their insurance bills and even their insurance claims. Klein further shares that there have even been several cases already when domestic violence victims go see their doctors and since their insurance policies are held under the names of their abusers, then the bills and claims are then sent to the abusers themselves. Through this, the attackers can then easily determine the new locations of their victims, thereby putting them in danger once more.
Aside from that, Klein also donated the amount of $30,000 to 3 groups supporting domestic violence victims. New Destiny Housing was the receiver of $5,000; the Pace Women’s Justice Center received $10,000, and My Sister’s Place received $15,000. Both New Destiny Housing and My Sister’s Place operate regional shelters for domestic violence victims, making it easier for them to reach out to the victims themselves. Pace Women’s Justice Center, on the other hand, trains lawyers handling domestic violence cases.
Victims are now airing out their support for the legislation proposed by Senator Klein, saying that applying for car insurance should not be used as a means against them by their attackers. Victims are also saying that it is that particular requirement of giving out their current address that stops them from purchasing car insurance packages. Once this legislation is implemented and enacted, more domestic violence victims would certainly feel safe enough to purchase the car insurance policies they deserve.
