Recommended insurance
The Purpose of this page is:
- To educate you about a fact that could cheat you out of $1,000,000 if a vehicle cuts you off.
- To provide you with an injury attorney's opinion as to the best insurance coverage for a motorcyclist.
- To provide you with the number to call, my personal number, if you are injured in a motorcycle or motor-vehicle accident.
Call Jason A. Waechter (800) 708-5433.
Many accident victims across the country have lost thousands of dollars because they did not understand motorcycle insurance. Many individuals believed they had full coverage when they did not, and others did not realize the major differences in the various insurance coverages available to them.
Most bikers are not insured adequately; many individuals believe they have full coverage when they do not! I strongly recommend you review your insurance policy now; it's easy and it only takes a call to your insurance agent. The following provisions are ones you need to check:
Uninsured Motorist Protection
There are hundreds of thousands of drivers on the road that do not carry any vehicle insurance. If you are injured in an accident with an uninsured motorist, or involved in a hit and run, you collect for your injuries from your Uninsured Motorist coverage in your own policy. This pays for most damages, and comes for your protection in amounts of at least $20,000 for one person in your car and $40,000 in total coverage for all occupants in your vehicle.
Some states require that your bike actually come into contact with another vehicle for you to be able to recover from an Uninsured Policy. The following examples illustrate the ability to collect compensation under different fact scenarios with this contact requirement.
Some states require that your bike actually come into contact with another vehicle for you to be able to recover from an Uninsured Policy. The following examples illustrate the ability to collect compensation under different fact scenarios with this contact requirement.
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A car cuts you off, you swerve to avoid it, hit a pole, and the car takes off. Result: no money for your injury, even if you have an Uninsured Policy, because there was no contact. |
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A car cuts you off just brushing your front tire, you swerve, hit a pole and the car that hit you takes off. Result: you can recover against your own Uninsured Policy assuming you have one. |
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If you are injured in an accident, when you call your insurance company they are trained to document that there was no contact between you and the other vehicle. No contact to the insurance company means saving them tens of thousands of dollars. Don't let them record you. Don't give a statement at all: Call me first. If it is the truth, the insurance company needs to know that the car that took off or caused the accident actually came in contact with your bike. If you do not convey that to the insurance company, you will not be able to recover for your pain & suffering. |
If you do not have this coverage, you and your family could lose thousands of dollars which might be desperately needed. You should carry at least $100,000 to $250,000 in Uninsured Motorist coverage; the more the better... and it's cheap!
Underinsured Coverage
Unfortunately, most wrongdoers who have insurance carry only a $20,000 policy limit. This means that if you or a member of your family are seriously injured, and the value of the claim would actually be $50,000 or $100,000, the wrongdoer's insurance company would only have to pay you the $20,000 policy limit.
Some insurance companies are now beginning to offer the underinsured motorist coverage. Some insurance companies do not offer this coverage. Ask, and if yours does not, switch to a company that has it. This policy means that your own insurance company will pay you the true value of your injuries if there is not enough insurance carried by the wrongdoer. You should carry at least $100,000 to $250,000 in underinsured coverage.
This information is not meant to be a complete discussion of all the technical points relating to auto or motorcycle insurance. It is written in the sincere hope of giving you a better understanding of the law in order to change your insurance, if necessary, and to provide the knowledge to protect you and your family. Contact your local insurance agent to review your coverage and learn how your state's law affects your insurance.
