US Taiwan Defense Command: Auto Insurance In Taiwan

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Auto Insurance In Taiwan

Page 88 of the Taiwan Report, the newcomers guide to living in Taipei, described the procedures for registering and operating a motor vehicle in Taiwan. It stated the minimum insurance requirements as well, and said that your insurance had to be through a company that had a claims agent in Taiwan. I didn't own a car during my tour at USTDC, but I'm wondering if anyone who did can recall what company he/she was insured by. Also, where was your agent located -- in the compound, in Taipei or elsewhere?

Does anyone recall how much you were paying for insurance in Taipei back then? I remember that as a young airman with a clean driving record, my car insurance rates in the States were through the roof. I was stationed in Sacramento when I turned 25 and got married in the same month and my car insurance rates plummeted. It was like I magically became a model citizen overnight.

*** UPDATE ***

Sarj Bloom just submitted his insurance card from 1961-62.

5 comments:

Sarj Bloom said...: I saw something in my old files and I believe it was something Marine...
I'll go back and look maybe I can find it again. I don't know if it will have the cost with it. I remember it to be pretty cheap maybe $80 per year??; 10 April, 2010 18:39
Anonymous said...: Maybe Taiwan Fire and Marine? That seems to ring a vague bell.

Les D.; 10 April, 2010 18:59
Sarj Bloom said...: what is the date of the Taiwan Report? Some of the things sound like it could relate to the early 60's and other sound like much later?
I don't remember having an inspection and I'm sorry to say I don't remember going to Keelung to pick it up. Man you are making me think too much.; 11 April, 2010 08:34
Don said...: That issue of the Taiwan Report was printed in 1973. There was at least one earlier issue from sometime in the 1960s that I saw on eBay a while back, but I don't know if there were any others.; 11 April, 2010 08:47
Bill-USACC said...: Bill-USACC

I forgot out car insurance. I went to my memory bank and in 1973 I got the insurance through the Fire & Marine company. Seems that I registered the car and got insurance on the compound, then went to Keelung and picked it up.
Drove it back to the compound and got inspected. I think that happened at the gas station and went back to PMO to give them the paperwork.
Of course I could be wrong!!!; 11 April, 2010 19:47

Overview

The United States Taiwan Defense Command was a sub-unified command which reported directly to the Commander-in-Chief Pacific (CINCPAC). The command was composed of personnel from all branches of the U.S. armed forces and had its headquarters in Taipei.

Operational since November 1, 1955, USTDC was a planning headquarters for the defense of Taiwan and the Pescadores. In the event of hostilities, the Commander, USTDC, would have assumed an operational role and coordinated with the Government of the Republic of China in the defense of Taiwan and the Pescadores. In the event of such a contingency, three existing service commanders would have reported to the U.S. Taiwan Defense Command commander. The 327th Air Division commander would be the air component commander, the Taiwan Patrol Force commander would be the naval component commander, and the Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) would be the Army component commander.

In addition to planning and peacetime responsibilities, the Commander of USTDC was assigned as the Single Senior Military Representative of Commander-in-Chief Pacific (CINCPAC). As such, he served as CINCPAC's single military spokesman on Taiwan -- exclusive of the miliitary assistance program -- and assumed responsibility for coordinating administrative and other policy matters for all U.S. armed forces on Taiwan on behalf of CINCPAC.

After twenty-three years, five months and twenty-six days of operation, the U.S. Taiwan Defense Command held its final flag retreat ceremony during the afternoon of April 26, 1979. Marine SSG D. J. Gemmecke lowered the colors for the last time.

Rear Admiral James P. Linder, the last USTDC Commander, departed Taiwan on April 28, 1979, accompanied by his wife Patricia.

Today there is no trace of the large American military compound on Chung Shan North Road in which USTDC was located. The area now contains a modern art museum, a park and a large sports stadium.

I am not a historian, but I do recognize that history unrecorded is history lost. My objective here is simply to record some of my own experiences as an Air Force enlisted man during my assignment to USTDC from 10 June 1973 until 4 September 1974, and to provide a platform for others to do the same.

Feel free to comment on any of these entries or to e-mail me with your own experiences and photographs. My e-mail address is displayed at the top and bottom of this column, or you can comment on any of my entries by clicking on "Comments" directly under each one.

Don Wiggins
SMSgt (Ret), USAF
Arkansas, USA
USTDC, J-12

Regarding Photographs

To the best of my knowledge, all photographs on this blog are either in the public domain or are displayed with the permission of their owners.

Owned photographs remain the sole property of the individuals who provided them. They are not to be downloaded, copied or reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of their owners.

Send all requests for consent to me, through the email link at the bottom of this column, and I will pass them along to the owner of the photographs.

If you see any photographs here, past or present, which you believe have been inappropriately posted, contact me at the email address shown at the bottom of this column and they will be removed.

USTDC

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Auto Insurance In Taiwan

5 comments:

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