Motorcycles are fun vehicles. They’re fast, they’re loud and they’re perfect to show off with friends. But what if a spin around the block turns into a collision with a moving car? What happens if someone else crashes your motorcycle?
The first thing that’s important to attend to is to seek medical assistance for anyone involved in the accident. After the immediate incident is taken care of, you should call your Choice One Insurance agent. Although this is a scary situation, your motorcycle insurance should cover you. Each state has specific motorcycle requirements. Liability insurance is typically one of these requirements. For motorcycle insurance, there are three main types of liability insurance:
- Bodily Injury Liability Insurance: This provides compensation to the victim if you cause bodily injury while operating the insured motorcycle.
- Property Damage Liability Insurance: This provides compensation to the victim if you damage their property while operating the insured motorcycle.
- Guest Passenger Liability Insurance: This is unique to passenger vehicles, such as motorcycles. It provides protection if your passenger is injured on your motorcycle.
Your liability insurance should be able to cover other riders in most instances. But there are exceptions. A motorcycle insurance claim may be denied if you allow a driver onto the bike who:
- Is obviously inebriated or otherwise under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Doesn’t have a valid license
- Is an excluded driver
You may exclude some drivers from your policy that are not allowed to ride the vehicle. If you choose to let one of these drivers operate your motorcycle, they likely won’t be covered.
What If Someone Steals Your Motorcycle?
Permissible drivers are typically covered. But what if someone takes your motorcycle without permission?
So long as you have comprehensive coverage, you should be covered. This is an optional coverage that provides compensation for damage to your motorcycle due to fire, wind, theft and vandalism. Make sure your bike is stored somewhere safe to deter thieves. Any negligence on your behalf may lead to a denied claim.
In any case, you should carry the right amount of insurance to protect yourself, your passengers and other drivers. Along with comprehensive and liability insurance, you should also carry collision coverage and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Collision coverage provides compensation if your bike is damaged due to a collision with another vehicle or object. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage provides compensation if you wreck with a driver who doesn’t carry insurance.