Obtaining motorcycle insurance is not as easy as picking up the phone and giving your information. In fact, there are as many degrees of coverage for motorcycle insurance policies as there are for regular automobiles!
Liability insurance for motorcyclists covers injuries and damages that you cause to others in the event of an accident. It will not pay for repairs to your bike or for your medical expenses, nor will it cover injuries to your passenger. Some motorcycle drivers purchase additional guest liability coverage, which will protect any passenger in the event that they are injured. Insurance policies and state laws vary in regard to guest liability insurance requirements.
Collision coverage, as it applies to motorcycle insurance policies, is basically the same as general auto insurance policies. The insurance carrier will pay for damage to your bike should you be eager in an accident. In most cases, this policy will only reimburse the book value of your motorcycle before the accident occurred.
Comprehensive coverage for motorcycles protects the driver from other types of loss, such as damage during transport, vandalism, theft, fire, or other circumstances. In the case of a comprehensive and collision motorcycle policy, insurance carriers will only pay for factory standard replacement parts or standard paint jobs. If you have made after-market modifications, and most motorcycle drivers do, your insurance company will not pay for their replacement. Sidecars, chrome parts, or custom paint jobs will be your loss, and your responsibility to repair or replace. If you would like to have these items included in your policy, you will need to ogle additional motorcycle insurance policies which will cover after-market equipment.
The same underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage rules apply to motorcycles as they do to cars. If the other party is at-fault for an accident, and the accident causes damage to you or your motorcycle, this type of insurance will cover most, if not all, of the damage, lost wages, and bodily injuries. Some insurance carriers include property damage coverage with the uninsured motorist inclusion, while others require this coverage to be purchased separately. In this case, it is best to ask your insurance provider specifically about any policy differences, before the necessity to use your coverage occurs.
Sources:
Conversations with my insurance provider (I currently drive a motorcycle myself)
personalinsure.about.com/od/rvmotorcycle/a/aa061604a.htm
www.allstate.com/motorcycle-insurance.aspx
www.howtodothings.com/…/a3226-how-to-get-a-motorcycle-insurance-quote.html
Filed under Automobile Insurance Information by on Jan 21st, 2011. Comment.



