MOTORCYCLE INSURANCE
ON THE ROAD?
V
GET PROTECTION
ery few things bring the thrill
and excitement of riding a
motorcycle. That stands true
whether you use your bike
as a daily rider or you are
looking to become the next Jack Kerouac
and go on a cross-country adventure. As
with everything, though, there are some
precautions one should take before
jumping on that bike and riding off into the
great unknown. Health and safety are one
consideration, and probably the one that
springs to mind immediately. The other, of
course, is insurance.
Just as a jumping off point, most states
require liability insurance for motorcycle
owners. As with other vehicles, this
insurance covers the injuries or damage
that may be caused to another individual
if you are at fault in an accident. States
have minimums, but it almost always pays
to go above and beyond those (especially
considering the low cost of most liability
insurance).
Beyond that, there are a number of other
coverage options available, including the
following:
•
Personal Injury Protection: This is
meant to cover medical bills for you,
any passengers you may have, or any
pedestrians that may be injured in an
accident, no matter who is found to
be at fault.
• Collision: Damage to the motorcycle
is covered (minus deductible) if
resulting from a collision.
• Comprehensive: Used to cover losses
to motorcycles occurring from things
other than collisions (such as theft).
• Medical Payments: This isn’t available
in every state, but it is meant to
cover your medical bills. It does not,
however, cover lost wages or other
costs like personal injury
protection would.
There are some add-on options available
as well, such as trip interruption
coverage, roadside assistance, transport
trailer coverage, and coverage for custom
parts. Which of these, if any, you may
want or need is, of course, up to you.
They are not required and are often not
even necessary, but that doesn’t mean
that they aren’t nice to have around
when you actually do find yourself
needing them.
Your motorcycle is important to you and
so is your health. Before you decide to
go out for a joy ride, why not take the
time to make sure you are covered in the
event that something happens? Even the
safest cyclist in the world can’t control
every variable, especially other drivers,
and when you only have your clothes
and a helmet to protect you, the peace
of mind that you have the coverage you
need is worth every penny. +
BY: JEFF STALOCH
NESBIT AGENCIES
Jeff Staloch has over 11 years of experience
in the insurance business, primarily
focusing in the areas of commercial risk
management and agri-business. Jeff
currently works closely with his team
at Nesbit Agencies to help develop risk
management plans for the manufacturing,
construction and agriculture industries.
Jeff’s favorite part of his job is helping his
clients manage risk so their business can
thrive. He can be reached at jstaloch@
nesbitagencies.com or 507-625-5558
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