Motorcycle Insurance Coverage: What Riders Need to Know
January 5, 2025- Categories: Motorcycle Accidents
A motorcycle gives you a sense of freedom that you simply can’t get when you’re in a car. But as you might imagine, the risks associated with motorcycles can make insurance more expensive and more complex. Here’s what you need to know about the types of motorcycle insurance coverage and how to choose the right one for you.
Types of Motorcycle Insurance
It’s More Like Car Insurance Than You May Think
If you’ve never had to choose motorcycle insurance coverage before, you might be surprised to see how similar it is to car insurance. While different insurers offer various kinds of add-on coverage, the primary types of motorcycle insurance are liability, comprehensive, collision, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
Liability Insurance
Liability insurance, which is also called bodily injury and property damage, or BI/PD, pays for injuries or property damage you cause to others in a motorcycle accident. It won’t pay for your own injuries or damage to your property.
Collision Coverage
If you only have liability insurance and you cause a crash, any repair costs to your bike are on you. When you have collision coverage, your insurer will pay for crash-related damage to your motorcycle regardless of who caused it.
Comprehensive Coverage
Your motorcycle doesn’t have to be in an accident to suffer damage. Comprehensive insurance can cover many kinds of damage outside of your control, including fire, vandalism, and weather-related damage.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage
If you’re hurt in an accident someone else causes, their liability insurance is supposed to cover your injuries and damage to your vehicle. However, if they don’t have insurance — or if they don’t have enough — getting these expenses covered can be difficult or impossible. If this happens, your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage kicks in.
Motorcycle insurance is similar to car insurance. You still need to carry minimum liability insurance, and you have the option to add comprehensive, collision, and uninsured motorist coverage.
What Are California’s Minimum Insurance Requirements?
It’s never a bad idea to have other kinds of insurance coverage, but California requires only liability coverage. Currently, you must have at least this much liability coverage:
- $15,000 for injury or death to one person
- $30,000 for injury or death to multiple people
- $5,000 for property damage.
However, on January 1, 2025, those minimums are set to increase. These are the new liability insurance minimums:
- $30,000 for injury or death to one person
- $60,000 for injury or death to multiple people
- $15,000 for property damage.
In many states, mandatory insurance minimums fall short of the actual medical costs of injured people. California’s new minimums are a step in the right direction, but, if you can afford it, you might consider carrying additional liability insurance.
Factors Affecting Motorcycle Insurance Premiums
Insurance companies set insurance premiums based on the risk they believe you pose to them. The more likely an insurer thinks you are to get in a crash, the higher your premiums are going to be. These are some of the major factors impacting the cost of motorcycle insurance:
- The type of bike you have (and its value)
- Riding experience
- Age
- Where you live
- Speeding/traffic tickets
- DUIs
- History of accidents and other insurance claims.
Usually, speeding tickets, DUIs, and accidents that happened long ago have less impact on your premium.
The right motorcycle insurance can help cover your injuries in a crash. But if your accident was caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to further compensation. Please get in touch with Neale & Fhima APC at 888-407-2955 for a free consultation.
Tips for Choosing the Right Motorcycle Insurance
Wondering how to pick the right motorcycle insurance for you? Here are a few quick tips:
- Compare quotes from different insurers.
- When choosing deductibles, consider how much you could realistically pay in the event of an unexpected accident.
- Decide whether you want to insure aftermarket accessories.
- Read the fine print to make sure a policy offers the coverage you need.
- Decide whether you want a “lay-up” policy that suspends most coverage in the off-season.
Make sure to take your time when buying insurance. If you’re in a crash, the right coverage makes all the difference.
What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident
Protect Yourself and Your Insurance Claim
No one gets on a bike thinking they’re going to get into a crash. However, it’s a good idea to know what to do if you’re in a motorcycle crash.
Get to Safety
If you are able to, you should get yourself out of the road and to a safer location as soon as possible.
Call 911
Next, you (or someone else at the scene) should call 911. This is important for a couple of reasons. Police will arrive and make a report of the accident, and medical personnel will be able to assess and treat you and others at the scene.
Never Admit Fault
Even if you think you caused the accident, never say “sorry” or admit you were at fault. This is important at the scene, but it’s also important afterward — including on social media!
Document the Scene if Possible
If you can, it can be helpful to take some photos of the accident scene.
Get Information from the Other Driver(s) and Witnesses
Make sure you get the other driver’s insurance information. It may also be helpful to get contact information for anyone who witnessed the accident.
Seek Medical Care
Make sure you seek medical care even if you think you’re unhurt. Some kinds of serious injuries don’t show symptoms at first.
Talk to an Attorney
You should always call a personal injury attorney before you speak to an insurance company. A lawyer can look out for your best interests and help you determine what you should do next.
Have You Been Hurt in a Motorcycle Crash? We Can Help.
When you’re on a motorcycle, crashes that would cause minor injuries for someone in a car might cause catastrophic injuries for you. It’s entirely possible for your own errors to cause a crash, but, often, motorcycle accidents are caused by other drivers and by road defects. We can help you identify which parties might be liable for your injuries and pursue compensation from them on your behalf.
If you’ve been hurt in a motorcycle crash, the attorneys at Neale & Fhima APC are here for you. Please get in touch online or give our office a call at 888-407-2955 to set up your free consultation.
Attorney Aaron Fhima
Aaron Fhima is a trial attorney who has secured numerous settlements and verdicts against large corporations and some of the largest auto manufacturers in the world. Representing consumers and injury victims throughout the state of California, Aaron’s practice areas include personal injury, and lemon law litigation. Aaron has a long record of success taking on large defense firms; and he doesn’t hesitate to take cases to trial when necessary to enforce his clients’ rights. [ Attorney Bio ]
