The Truth About Motorcycle Accidents (reprinted) {LONG}

[jk750]

Originally Posted by Hondahawk_09

Also - we are all sharing opinions here, just because you are a prick doesn't make yours right.

No need to flame another member to get your point across. You've been warned.

[Hondahawk_09]

I got a little carried away. I'll retract the comment.

[jk750]

[the robtica]

I agree with most, if not all of what Endoman said mainly because I work for an Insurance company and I know that 90% of people have NO IDEA what coverage they have, until its time to put in a claim. From there, they expect to be reimbursed in full for whatever the claim was about, even if it's not covered. They then proceed to complain, "WELL WHAT THE HELL DO I PAY INSURANCE FOR?" Simple, to be covered in the event of a catastrophic, life threatening covered peril were to strike. Obviously things that are rareities, things that are your fault (to a certain extent), things that are listed as EXCLUSIONS in the policy declarations THAT YOU RECEIVE IN THE MAIL EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU RENEW YOUR POLICY, are NOT and WILL NOT be paid out/covered. Plain and simple.

I mean really, how long does it take to review your policy and call your agent asking a few questions? 5 minutes, 10 minutes? This is the time you could be on the phone asking questions while waiting for your food to heat up in the microwave vs watching TV and getting filled with garbage that has no bearing on your life in the event of an accident.

A few of those details in that article were a little bit off too. I'd imagine it varies from state to state but in Las Vegas, where I work and live, we @ Allstate, offer you a motorcycle policy that has coverage for PIP up to 10,000if not 5000. Obviously not ideal but it's something vs what he said to be "nothing". We also offer "Optional equipment" coverage, which would cover all your added accessories up to 30,000. All the rest you all already know. Liability, Prop Dam, UM/UIM, Comp & Coll.

For a lot of companies, the purpose of having a physical office is to ENSURE you all know what you have by going over it in person with you. At my office we have you initial circles to show that you understand what coverages you accept and what coverages you reject. Most if not ALL insurance companies have all the necessary forms WHICH YOU MOST LIKELY DO SIGN OFF ON, to show that you know what limits of insurance you are getting. So really, there shouldn't be any reason as to why people complain so much other than bad customer service. If anything you should be kicking yourselves in the butt for not taking better coverages. As endoman said, if you can't afford proper insurance, you can't afford riding. It's a necessity.

[MJ939]

People look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them I pay $1700/year for my coverage. But when I got hit, Progressive took care of everything with no trouble.

They, and other companies I assume, offer something called "Med-pay" which acts just like PIP (to cover your injuries). PIP in it's pure form is not allowed for motorcycles in NJ. This med-pay is technically a completely separate insurance policy on top of your motorcycle insurance..

I was happy to go back to Progressive once I got a second bike, and this time pay even a little more to increase my coverage.

[the robtica]

Originally Posted by MJ939

People look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them I pay $1700/year for my coverage. But when I got hit, Progressive took care of everything with no trouble.

They, and other companies I assume, offer something called "Med-pay" which acts just like PIP (to cover your injuries). PIP in it's pure form is not allowed for motorcycles in NJ. This med-pay is technically a completely separate insurance policy on top of your motorcycle insurance..

I was happy to go back to Progressive once I got a second bike, and this time pay even a little more to increase my coverage.

That's where its at man, good work.

[peoples1234]

Originally Posted by the robtica

That's where its at man, good work.

Anything to keep you in business, right?

[the robtica]

Originally Posted by peoples1234

Anything to keep you in business, right?

ahhah, you know it! Although I don't get paid directly off of commission from our clients, I get paid from my boss.

[gixxxer600]

Alot of good information, I think peoples real life stories explain the most in this thread though


ALSO: If a person has very good personal medical insurance, what would be adequate in motorcycle insurance coverage? aka:What would prevent him/her from being screwed in the event he or she caused a wreck?

[Dogtown]

Great information...I have studied motorcycle accident data for years, it is a part of our sport that demands our full attention.

[conmanF4]

I have allstate and i get insured up to 10,000..... I'm not surprised though, every1 wants to rip riders off to make an extra buck! it's just another way to screw us over! Lawyers, insurance companies..... we won't ever win!

[08gsxr750]

Originally Posted by Hondahawk_09

I have heard this opinion on multiple threads and I have to say IMHO, it is DEFINITELY the wrong attitude. Riding isn't about being safe and following all the rules or we'd all be in nice safe trucks, or on Honda GoldWings. This is a sports-bike thread. Yes ride safe, at least have minimal insurance (that's why it's called minimal) but mostly riding is about the thrill, the wind, the smells, the sounds - some of us scrap together the money for the essentials because we love to ride. And when we can't afford the most pricey coverage and we get in a wreck, it seems to me we start over, scrape together the money, and ride again. If it were really about having full coverage and 100% safety (which isn't possible without taking cars and big-rigs off the streets), motorcycling for most of us, would be something we watch on TV like NASCAR.

When insurance trys to rip you off it is a problem. Happens in car, boat, and trailer policies too. Getting coverage is a problem.
It's the responsibility of the rider to choose what coverage he can afford and be responsible for the concequences. It's just hard to be knowledgeable these days without a lawyer present when you sign to read and translate the documents and that's why I think this sticky is so important. I'm on Gieco's minimal coverage right now but I'm going to review my policy and coverage to know exactly what I'm into. And discovering I should get, but can't afford, a more expensive policy will by no means stop me from riding.

I agree w/him because full cov. for me is 8000 a year on an 08 750 but thats not gonna stop me from doing what i love 2 do more than anything,riding is my true love,and not to do so would just plain b shitty

[Enzo_Guy]

Originally Posted by Merlyn

Now it seems that somewhere in there the insurance company is double dipping: they get paid once with your monthly premium and once from your settlement. A handful of states have had court rulings that say that the insurance companies cannot be paid twice. Among them,: Pennsylvania, Virginia, Missouri, Arizona, and Georgia. Also, in March of this year a Maryland appeals court ruled that the state's HMO Act prohibited managed-care companies from pursuing subrogation at all. Currently, there are as many as a dozen class actions challenging subrogation in nine states, including Florida, Texas and Illinois.

As twisted as Maryland is, they usually do a nice job with automotive related laws (especially emissions waivers and historic plates). Maryland may have screwed up taxes, personal defense laws, and gun laws, at least our traffic laws are based off of general common sense. We actually have tight restrictions on new drivers, requirement of insurance on all tagged vehicles (some very hefty fines are associated with messing this one up, not to mention if you get in an accident you might as well leave the country because lawyers here will get every dime from you), and in general here the cops (at least the AA county ones that I run into) are actually concerned with the well-being of motorists. Our speeding tickets are rather cheap (in comparison to Virginia), but god forbid you get reckless driving or DUI because you won't be seeing a car for quite a while. Maryland has messed up a lot of things (including our roads around DC, I have nightmares about the Beltway) but our traffic laws are pretty effective and logical as far as I have seen.

[Child-of-Bodom]

I don't understand why people get comprehensive insurance... It's like gambling-but the stakes are reversed, the chances are that you will pay out more than is ever returned to you. This statement HAS to be true because it's the only way an insurance company can make money.
Furthermore it's the same with liability: most people don't ever use it, yet they pay out obscene amounts of money for it. The sad truth is these insurance claims are not much better than filing bankruptcy; I mean, shit, if you get fuck over, you get fuck over: file and start over the best you can, but why pay out the ass for shit that probably will never happen?
I personally have a dumbfuck huge-ass policy because my parents could be liable for me as I'm a student, but if it was just me? fuck that, make me "legal"

[raven105x]

Originally Posted by Child-of-Bodom

It's like gambling - but the stakes are reversed, the chances are that you will pay out more than is ever returned to you. This statement HAS to be true because it's the only way an insurance company can make money.

In my opinion the above quote sums up both the concept & the causality principles of this thread. +1