Motorcycle Insurance Articles
Different State Requirements For Motorcycle Insurance Documents
2010-09-05
All states require motorcycle owners to have motorcycle insurance policies. Federal law essentially withholds highway funding for states that don't, and since the 1980s, every single state in the United States has held motorcycle and car owners to an insurance requirement. However, state requirements are very different from one state to the next. Some states operate under no-fault insurance systems, while some operate with tort systems. Some states have high minimum requirements, and some have low state requirements. In fact, motorcycle owners are even penalized differently and held to different standards when it comes to keeping documentation of insurance while riding.
Most states require a simple insurance card from motorcycle owners as proof of insurance, but the requirements of these cards can be different. Some states require the coverage limits of the motorcycle to be listed on the insurance card, while others simply require the insurance provider's name and the policy number of the bike. In any case, if you drive without documentation that can prove your insurance, you can be fined heavily-- assuming you have insurance. If you don't have insurance and you risk riding anyways, you could face severe consequences including the loss of your motorcycle license. Penalties are the worst for repeat offenders and uninsured motorcycle owners who are involved in accidents.
The good news is your insurance company makes it easy to keep the proper documentation on your person at all times. Most insurance providers won't offer a policy unless the rider buys the state requirements for insurance, and they'll send out policy cards that prove that you're insured. Keep these with your bike at all times. Store them in a safe place, and as soon as they're expired, replace them immediately. This will help you to avoid a ticket and avoid any legal trouble if you're involved in an accident. You may want to print off an extra copy of your motorcycle insurance policy card, just in case you ever misplace the original copy. Many motorcycle insurance providers even offer insurance cards online; so if you ever lose a copy, you can always go to your computer to print another one off.
Driving without insurance or without proof of insurance isn't a very good idea and there's no reason to risk an expensive traffic citation. Before you hit the road, make sure that you're carrying the correct proof of your motorcycle insurance policy--call your insurance company or your state's DMV and find out what you'll need to prove your insurance before your next ride.