Motorcycle Insurance Articles
How Motorcycle Insurance Quotes Offer Information On Motorcycle Accessories
2010-09-24
Motorcycle insurance quotes are first and foremost generated to ensure the motorcycle operator has adequate protection and safety coverage while operating a bike on the open road. What is less commonly realized is that motorcycle insurance is also a great source of information on the types of accessories many operators choose to add on to their bikes, and how those accessories may impact insurance quotes. This is why it is so important to have a thorough understanding of what the motorcycle insurance policy covers, what are considered to be motorcycle accessories, and how those are handled as far as the cost and applicability of the motorcycle insurance once it is purchased.
Some motorcycle accessories are covered in the standard comprehensive and collision coverage of motorcycle insurance quotes. These accessories are characterized by their "off the shelf" nature - that is, they were installed at the time the bike was manufactured, and were sold with the bike as a package deal when it was purchased from the manufacturer. These off the shelf features are largely considered standard accessories - such as handlebars, levers, sissy bars, fenders, trailer hitches, sidecars, visors, and electronics equipment. Here, it is important to understand how the insurer treats replacement of these motorcycle accessories should the need arise - in other words, will covered repairs use new or refurbished replacement parts should the motorcycle be involved in a crash, theft or loss.
There are other accessories which are considered add-ons and an insurance company may offer to cover the additional cost of replacing these unique extras. It is important to verify up front what is and isn't covered. Find out the cost of additional coverage to cover unique accessories and whether it is even possible to obtain coverage to protect valuable add-on accessories. Custom paint jobs, trike conversion kits, electronic enhancements, custom handlebars, visors, sissy bars, custom plating or siding, custom sidecars, safety riding apparel, and mower blades, power blades and winches are all common custom extras that an operator may wish to add and then protect.
Here it is also important to know how the process of accessing insurance benefits works. Does the operator get to choose who does the repair work and what kinds of parts are used? Does the insurance company have specific contracts with only certain accessories manufacturers and repair facilities and requires that all the work be done there? This may or may not be agreeable to the operator who may have invested hours and hours and thousands of dollars into building a dream bike. Asking the right questions while shopping for insurance can yield an excellent policy that is right for both bike and owner.