Lack of Motorcycle Insurance Can Really Hurt You!

Safe riding can only get you so far - What happens if you get involved into an accident and the other party doesn't have enough insurance? Watch this to see how to protect yourself by obtaining the proper motorcycle insurance!

Collision Coverage Insurance on a Motorcycle - Do I need it? by Attorney Fran Haasch

I would like to start this article by saying thank you and Happy Holidays to all the loyal readers of Born To Ride; my sincerest wishes for health, prosperity and happiness in the coming new year.

Last months article addressed potential problems if you were involved in a motorcycle accident and the driver causing the accident did not have the appropriate insurance coverage to repair the property damage to your motorcycle

So, what can you do to protect yourself in this situation? Collision Coverage. Collision coverage on your own insurance policy will pay for the damage to your motorcycle or vehicle. When you are purchasing this coverage please carefully consider the deductible that you choose they generally are in amounts of $250.00, $500.00 or $1,000.00. If you decide to use your own insurance for your Property Damage (PD), your deductible will be subtracted from a reimbursement check you are issued to cover the damages. Some insurance companies will subrogate against the at-fault insurance company, which means your insurance company will attempt to collect your deductible for you which can take up to several months. If you have custom parts on your motorcycle, i.e. pipes, chrome accessories or custom paint, you may want to purchase extra insurance coverage in addition to Collision. Custom Accessories or Optional Equipment coverage will cover these extras. As a rule of thumb, figure out how much you have invested in customization to your motorcycle, for instance, if you have $5,000.00 you would want to purchase $5,000.00 in custom coverage.

If damages to a motorcycle or vehicle are approximately 80% of the value of the motorcycle or vehicle the insurance company is allowed, under Florida Law, to declare that motorcycle or vehicle a total loss. Insurance companies pay book value, not necessarily replacement value or what you might owe to your lien holder. What can you do to protect yourself in this situation if you owe more than the bike is worth? Gap Insurance, which will be the topic of next months exciting article.

If you have any questions about your insurance coverage or need any additional information regarding a motorcycle or automobile accident please contact our office at (727) 784-8191. We will be happy to answer your questions free of charge. You may also find any back articles on our website under the Born To Ride tab.


Attorney Fran Haasch
Palm Harbor
www.lawfran.com

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• motorcycle insurance
• insurance polcies
• allstate
• usaa
• state farm
• geico insurance

[mooosestang]

@rdhr151 Yes! You should really have Fl insurance. You are breaking Floridas Financial responsibility law when you operate a motorcycle without insurance. just because you can register a motorcycle without insurance, doesn't make it a good idea to operate one without it.

[777Burnett]

@rdhr151 Do you have FL insurance? If so, your coverage will travel with the motorcycle.

I would make you are in compliance with the rules and regulations for the state of California. States have their own laws when it comes to insurance. A good example would be FL's no helmet law. Just because FL doesn't require helmet use doesn't mean CA does not.

[rdhr151]

if i'm riding my motorcycle in california (in the military) but am a legal florida resident....am I required to have insurance?

[NashleeSanders21]

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