Do high car insurance costs increase the demand or need for food stamps? According to one source, it might. A story in the Flathead Beacon prompted one person to cite the high cost of car insurance (along with other costs and the recession in general) for the rise in the number of food stamps being issued.
True, most of the increase in food stamps is due to the recession, but a survey done by the DPHHS (at my request), showed that in Billings, MT, 18 of 96 food stamp applicants said mandatory auto insurance, DUI costs, or fines, were a reason for needing food stamps. Go to http://www.foodstampstudy.com. That equals 70,000 over the last 20 years in Montana. The DPHHS has never done one survey to find out the numbers on food stamps due to DUI, fines, or mandatory auto insurance (except the Billings survey which was poorly produced. )
I do not see the value of forcing an indigent to buy 200$ of auto insurance and then he goes on food stamps to get 200$ of food stamps. Why not put the insurance company’s office, and the Judges office right next to the welfare office so the indigent does not have far to go.
Is the high cost of car insurance contributing to the rise in food stamps?
What do you think?