Danica Patrick wins Nationwide pole at Daytona; gives naysayers something to chew on

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A moment of silence, if you please, for the “Danica Patrick gets gifts she doesn’t deserve” argument. Cause of death: Patrick’s triumphant capture of the pole for Saturday’s Nationwide Series Drive4COPD 300.

Here it is: You have to either accept that Patrick is a bona fide, legit stock car driver, or you have to buy a conspiracy that the entire Nationwide field, including Daytona 500 and Sprint Cup champions, laid down for her.

“Anytime you show that you have a fast car, it’s encouraging for people to want to help you,” Patrick said. “That starts to earn you some respect and credibility.”

The pole comes just 24 hours after Patrick walked away from a brutal crash in the Sprint Cup Series’ Gatorade Duel 150, a qualifying race for Sunday’s Daytona 500.

Patrick posted a speed of 182.741 mph, besting Trevor Bayne by only seven one-thousandths of a second. As driver after driver tried and failed to match her time — the field includes Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski — Patrick fidgeted nervously in the garage, talking with Earnhardt and Stewart. Cameras swarmed her as the results became official.

[Related: Why Danica Patrick can win the Daytona 500]

“That’s so cool for her to start her season that way,” Bayne said. “They were looking for a boost, and that’s a good kick in the butt.”

In and of itself, the pole won’t mean much at Daytona other than a choice pit selection. As soon as the green flag drops, drivers will jockey for position, and everyone will take a turn at the front. Still, Patrick has demonstrated that she can wheel, and as much as the drivers appreciate the attention to the sport, they acknowledge that she belongs exactly where she is.

“In the last 24 months,” Elliott Sadler said, “she’s by far the most improved driver we have across all three series.”

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Danica Patrick wins Nationwide pole at Daytona; gives naysayers something to chew on

Impact On Car Insurance Rates After Divorce

After divorce, generally your car Car Insurance Rates After Divorceinsurance rates would go up marginally 1% to 1.5%. If you as a couple have two separate car insurance policies then the entire process is quite easy. You just remove each others name from your respective individual plans. That’s it! However, if the car insurance policy is held jointly then there are certain things which need to be taken care off. What we need to first understand that the goal of a divorce is not only to get separate but also to ensure that all the assets and jointly held financial commitments are taken care off. There are certain basic principles which we need to understand when we consider car insurance after divorce. These are

If the car insurance policy is jointly held, then one cannot remove the other person without his/her consent.

Liability on short term car insurance is still shared between the couple if you are living on the same address after divorce. You can only remove the name once you have separate addresses.

Insured person to be listed on the title is a must for most of the car insurance companies. After divorce, the first thing a couple does is search for separate accommodation for one or the other. If a person is living in a different place then he can only be on the car insurance policy as additional insured. As a general rule of thumb, the person keeping the car insurance policy should be the named individual for the title.

Either of the two people, who are insured, have to get a new car insurance policy. The primary reason to mention this point is to ensure that there isn’t a gap and you are without insurance. Get a new policy before removing your name from the existing plan.

To sum it up, unless and until, you divorce is officially final on paper, do not initiate the process of removing ones name from the jointly held car insurance policy.

Indirect Impact Of Divorce On Car Insurance Rates Due To Credit Score

Divorce proceedings result in rather cumbersome financial proceedings which have a direct impact on your credit score. If you hold financial commitments jointly then it’s you who needs to decide if you wish to remove one name from the account completely. Why would you do that? Reason being, after divorce, generally people tend to become unwilling to pay for any jointly held financial obligations. Your divorce does not change your contract with the lender in any way. If one of the account holders do not pay then it will affect the credit score of both the individuals. Hence to avoid such vindictive behavior in the future you may want to separate each others name from the account. Auto insurance policy can be considered as an example of one area where such problems could arise. If the separating couple does not determine the responsibility of auto insurance payments then credit score will be affected.

Before Finalizing On A Divorce, Revisit Your Insurance Needs

If you are the one who wish to keep the car insurance policy after divorce then by just calling in your auto insurance provider you can remove your ex-partners name. This will not be a hassle.

Once the divorce is finalized, the financial situation changes for both the individuals. You may want to look at your coverage limits and deductibles and alter based on your individual requirements. The primary objective is to obtain the cheapest car insurance plan, however it might not be the right plan to suffice your coverage needs. Compare plans to get to the bigger picture and then decide. You can also use anonymous car insurance plan to get quote you can here.

There are certain discounts which are only applicable to couples which might not be valid anymore and you may lose them. Like multi car and homeowners discounts. On the contrary you may become eligible for some new ones. So your car insurance rates might be increased slightly depending on your individual requirements.

If you are completely moving out to a new zip code after divorce then also you might see a change in your car insurance rates which would depend on your new area. Updating your new garaging address with the insurer is a must. Also update the commuting distance with car insurer.

If you have children who are able to drive legally at the time of your divorce, then their name should be included in the car insurance policy of the legal guardian. If the couple has joint custody then children should be listed at the address where they will reside. Children can be listed on both the individual car insurance policies if you wish to.

Another slightly complicated option is to stay in a group policy along with your ex. Before opting for this, consult an car insurance agent for complete details.

In the current world you would find many car insurance companies utilizing quite a number of factors to decide on car insurance premiums except marital status. So an individual’s conditions in terms of obtaining car insurance before and after divorce would more or less remain the same.

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