What Does My Motorcycle Insurance Cover?
Posted on Apr 23, 2021
Motorcycle insurance offers coverage in the event you experience motorcycle loss, accident, damage, or theft. It includes liability insurance in the event you’re responsible for another individual’s property damage or injuries. These policies offer coverage for motorcycles, “crotch rockets’ or fast street bikes, choppers, mopeds, and Segways.
How Does Motorcycle Insurance Work?
This insurance is like auto insurance in that it provides you with financial coverage for damages or injuries incurred while you drive your vehicle. A standard motorcycle policy also includes liability insurance which will pay for damages to others you cause, as well as coverage for your bike. If you have more than a single motorcycle, you could buy a multi-bike policy, and you might even get a discount from your insurer.
But, if you ride a different bike, like when you borrow one from your friend or while traveling, your insurance might not fully cover you. Usually, your liability insurance will follow you and work like a primary or secondary coverage should you be involved in some type of accident. But, if you have any questions regarding your policy and what it covers when you’re on another bike, you can check with your independent insurance agent.
How Much Motorcycle Insurance Do I Need?
How much motorcycle insurance you require will depend on what type of bike you have and how you plan to use it. For instance, if you like riding fast bikes like supersport motorcycles or racing bikes, it will cost you more to insure your motorcycle.
Also, you might want to increase how much motorcycle liability insurance you have, and your medical care and hospital coverage since motorcycle policies in New Jersey do not include personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. Most policies do not provide coverage for medical expenses.
Any motorcycle with a very high horsepower-to-weight ratio is made to maneuver and speed, which means riders tend to ride fast. Therefore, these riders have a higher risk of severe injuries and potential incidents that could cause others injuries.
You might also want to increase coverage if you plan on racing dirt bikes. The crowded tracks and close-quarters racing could put you at a higher risk of:
- Damage to your bike
- Injury
- Causing injury to competitors
- Damaging others’ equipment
The requirements for motorcycle insurance vary by state; therefore, you’ll want to carefully work with your insurance agent, who can tailor up a policy that will best cover you and protect your financial well-being.
Does My Motorcycle Insurance Cover Other Riders?
Your motorcycle insurance might help pay for medical expenses, repairs, or other property damage if you allow a friend to borrow your bike and they crash it. The coverage will depend on your policy’s coverage. If your friend has their own motorcycle insurance, their policy might cover the costs resulting from the accident.
Will My Motorcycle Insurance Cover Me on Another Bike?
If your policy only has state minimum liability, you shouldn’t expect full coverage if you’re riding a different motorcycle. In some cases, your carrier won’t transfer coverage to other bikes that you’re riding simply because that particular bike is already being covered by another person.
Does Motorcycle Insurance Cover Passengers?
When it comes to property damage and bodily injury coverage, the only huge difference between auto and motorcycle insurance is specific motorcycle policies include extra coverage — guest passenger liability. This type of insurance offers protection for a passenger who’s injured on your bike.
In certain states, motorcycle liability insurance is also required to include passenger coverage, which will protect anyone riding on the back of your bike. However, motorcycle insurance providers that don’t include passenger insurance typically will provide it as optional coverage.
What Doesn’t Motorcycle Insurance Cover?
Depending on your specific policy, certain motorcycle uses might not be covered. In these cases, you might be able to have your policy’s coverage extended through an endorsement or rider, or you may need to buy a separate policy.
- Competition and Track Days: Certain motorcycle insurance policies will cover track days; however, this isn’t always true. If you plan on riding your bike competitively or on the track, you’ll want to first check with your insurance provider to see if you’re covered in these situations.
- Commercial Use of Your Bike: If you use your bike for business purposes like a courier, your policy might not cover you while you’re on the job. If this is the case, you’ll want to think about obtaining a commercial vehicle insurance policy.
How Much Does Motorcycle Insurance (Full-Coverage) Cost?
While the cost of your coverage will depend on various factors, including your age, driving record, and motorcycle, full-coverage bike insurance is usually much more expensive than a basic policy that only has liability insurance.
Quotes from other policies that include the required liability insurance, comprehensive and collision insurance can be more costly than simply buying the state minimum of PIP and liability insurance.
The primary reason for this is that motorcycle riders are believed to be at a greater risk of getting into accidents by insurance providers than auto drivers. This means your insurance provider assumes you’ll likely end up filing a collision claim at some point, and so they charge higher rates.
