Motorcycle Insurance Articles
The Need For Bodily Injury Coverage In Motorcycle Insurance
2010-11-17
Motorcycle insurance rates depend on a wide range of factors, some of which can be changed and some that cannot. Age is an example of something that cannot be changed and, the fact is, the younger a driver is the more expensive his or her insurance premiums will generally be. Bodily injury coverage is something required by the laws of nearly every state in the US and this requirement is something that cannot be changed. Bodily injury coverage is a type of liability protection for you, in the event that you cause an accident and someone else is injured. It does not, however, cover you for bodily injury. That requires a different type of policy.
Liability coverage is the least expensive form of motorcycle insurance and is usually the bare minimum required by law. Motorcycle insurance rates for liability protection only will be significantly less than for a full coverage or comprehensive policy but the benefits will also be substantially fewer. Liability policies are only meant to cover the other guy in the event of property damage, bodily injury or death as the result of an accident deemed to be your fault. This type of policy protects you from being sued by the injured party, but only up to the limits of the coverage.
Liability limits are generally expressed as a set of three numbers such as 15/30/10. Each state has its own minimum amounts required, but a policyholder has the option of increasing these minimums if desired which, of course, will also increase the cost of the policy and premiums.
In the example above, 15 stands for $15,000, which is the limit the policy will pay for bodily injury per person. The second number, 30, stands for $30,000 which is the limit that will be paid for total bodily injury per accident. The last number, 10, is the limit paid per accident for property damage. Any amounts above the limits of a particular policy will be the responsibility of the at-fault driver.
Medical pay coverage can be added to a policy for the purpose of covering your own medical costs as the result of an accident, regardless of who is at fault. It can also be used in conjunction with other medical insurance coverage in order to fill any gaps in protection.
Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage can also be added to a policy to pay medical costs (and lost wages) to you in the event you're in an accident that's not your fault, but in which the at-fault driver is uninsured. Each of these additional forms of coverage will increase your motorcycle insurance rates but should be considered as part of a comprehensive policy.