Why is car insurance mandatory?

This thought was posted on Thinkaloo on 24 February 2008 by member ozsurfie

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I can understand why you need a car diploma to drive and why you must always carry it with you. I don't understand why car insurance must also be mandatory to have. If the reason is to always pay for any damaged caused in an accident, then why doesn't the law ask us to have insurance for anything that we do that might cause damage?

For example if I go out on a dinner and I get poisoned because of the meal I ate, then under the car insurance logic why isn't the restaurant owner required to have food poisoning insurance and reimburse me for any hospital expenses I incur under the law?

I think car insurance should not be mandatory under the law. Does anybody know the reason for which it is? What do you think? Should it be mandatory?