What Motorcycle Insurance Coverage is Needed
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What Motorcycle Insurance Coverage is Needed
Motorcycle Insurance Policies are not all the same, and you may find it a little confusing at first about which insurance cover you actually need for your motorcycle, and which are optional. The requirements do vary from state to state so you’re always advised to check out the particularly laws for where you live and ride your bike, but we’ll take a look at some of the minimum requirements. Most states require motorcycle riders to have basic liability insurance at the very least, but what are the other options?
- Liability Insurance – covers not the damage to you and your motorcycle, but the damage which you and you motorcycle might inflict upon others and their property. If you are deemed to be the cause of an accident, then the liability part of your policy will pay for the damages. This might include cover for passengers but not always so check it out if you want that to be included.
- Collision Insurance – if you want to be covered for any damage to your motorcycle too, then you’ll also need to have collision insurance for your motorcycle. This will pay for any damage which occurs to your motorcycle (minus the deductible of course), so even if the accident and damage is your fault you’ll be covered for repairs.
- Comprehensive Insurance Cover – covers your bike from all other types of hazards, even if you’re not driving at the time. It’s for stuff like theft, fire and vandalism.
- Underinsured / Uninsured Motorist Cover – will provide protection for you if you’re involved in an accident with a biker who doesn’t have any, or not enough insurance. This optional cover can be useful to pay towards things like medical bills, loss of earnings etc, both to yourself and, potentially, your passenger. Your motorcycle would be covered too, thankfully.
You must have motorcycle insurance before you can legally ride on the roads, and, although the majority of states only require you to have basic liability insurance, it’s up to you if you want to take on some of the optional extras above. Don’t be tempted to take out more insurance than you need, but make sure that you do have adequate cover for your personal needs.
