Motorcycle Insurance Articles
Dangerous Driving And Its Effect On Motorcycle Insurance Premiums
2010-11-18
Motorcycle insurance rates don't increase because someone at the insurance company doesn't like a policyholder. They go up because dangerous driving habits have been posted on a driving record, and that is all it takes to get the insurer to think hard about how to treat that actual or potential policyholder. In most cases, a motorcyclist with driving record blots can count on getting hit with higher premiums. Even worse, if the insurance company thinks the motorcyclist is too reckless, his policy could be canceled and that presents its own kind of problems.
Cancellation of a motorcyclist's insurance policy doesn't cure itself overnight. A cancelled policyholder must find a company that will accept his business - and that will almost certainly come with elevated premium costs. Then there's process involved with informing state motor vehicle agencies about what's transpired. This cannot be ignored, it won't go away by itself, and it's important that all requirements needed to restore driving rights are handled with determination.
Are there any ways to perhaps keep motorcycle insurance rates from getting out of hand? Not all policies issued by competing insurance companies are financially in the same ballpark. Some can be very steep, almost as if the insurance company is reluctant to take on motorcyclists as policyholders. But there a few things to consider that could help trim some of the costs.
Package insurance needs into a cover-all plan. That can include health insurance, life insurance, homeowner's insurance, automobile insurance and motorcycle insurance; all wrapped up in a single bundle. With this plan in effect, it gives an insurance company the opportunity to offer discounts to policyholders who complete their insurance needs with one firm. So, even if a motorcyclist's dangerous driving record means higher premiums, they are likely to appear less since the policyholder gets an overall cost decrease that eases some of the motorcycle driver's increased insurance expense.
Another possible money saver for motorcycle insurance rates involves deciding how much deductible should be added to a policy. Many motorcycles are not worth more than several hundred or a few thousand dollars. It might be advantageous to either drop a policy's deductible altogether, or establish a deductible that doesn't increase premiums very much. Remember, the lower the deductible, the higher premiums will be. Raising the deductible will result in lower insurance rates.
It's unlikely that a dangerous driving record can be overlooked without the bad driver making a genuine effort to change road behavior. If changes are slow in coming, count on insurance companies to know about it and expect to be out extra dollars.