Motorcycle Insurance Articles
Passenger Coverage Under Motorcycle Insurance
2010-08-18
There are several types of coverage available when searching for motorcycle insurance quotes. Because of the personalized nature of motorcycle coverage, it's important to carefully examine any potential plan to ensure that all possible situations and damages are covered. Passenger coverage in particular is an oft-overlooked but vital part of any insurance package that should be thoroughly researched before making a buying decision.
When searching for motorcycle insurance quotes, it can be daunting to see the total cost of full coverage. In most cases, full coverage is not absolutely necessary unless the motorcycle is a specialty bike or there are other extenuating circumstances. Instead, usually only a few types of insurance coverage including uninsured coverage, collision coverage, service coverage and liability coverage are necessary. Perhaps the most important of these in terms of potential liability is passenger coverage.
Without passenger coverage, you are financially responsible for anything that happens to a passenger on your motorcycle and any resulting injury. You are also responsible for any required long-term care or loss of services occurring after the accident. It's no surprise that passenger coverage comes highly recommended - the potential out of pocket cost of an accident can be devastating, even more so when a passenger is involved.
In some cases, motorcycle passengers are covered under standard bodily injury and property damage liability clauses. But often, they are not. Unlike car insurance, where passengers are automatically covered, additional coverage for motorcycle passengers is often needed. Because of this, it's important to check with potential insurers to find out how their policies handle passengers. If passenger coverage is not included in the bodily injury and property damage liability clause, it is necessary to purchase additional coverage.
Also, it's important to learn about the regulations in your state regarding passenger coverage. Insurance laws vary from state to state, and depending on the state, certain types of coverage are required for motorcycle owners and riders. When you begin to search for motorcycle insurance quotes, ask for state-specific information and learn about what you'll need to purchase to be compliant in your state.
As with other types of insurance, when gathering motorcycle insurance quotes, it's important to remember that factors such as the insured rider's age, the type of bike being insured and the amount of use the bike will get can affect the costs of the coverage.
If you do choose to not include passenger coverage in your motorcycle insurance plan, it's imperative that you not allow any passenger on the back of your motorcycle. This seems like common-sense, but it's necessary to ensure that you're not liable for any accident that occurs.