Motorcycle Insurance Articles
Two Types Of Incidents That Can Increase Motorcycle Insurance Premiums
2010-08-31
Nobody likes to deal with an increase of premiums on their motorcycle insurance policies; unfortunately, insurance premiums can rise for virtually no reason at all. Everything from a motorcycle owner's address to gender can affect rates. However, one of the most important factors in the cost of motorcycle insurance policies is the record of the driver. Any sort of insurance incident will have an effect on policies, especially accidents and traffic citations.
Most motorcycle owners are aware of the effect of traffic citations, as insurance quote websites regularly ask for info about citations. If you've received one or two, you've undoubtedly seen your rates skyrocket. With most insurance companies, the degree of the offense is directly proportional to the change in a rider's motorcycle insurance premiums. Motorcycle owners who get DUIs and reckless driving charges will see their premiums rapidly rise. They may find it difficult to find an insurance provider at all, since many companies avoid riders that fall into high-risk categories. Regardless of your offense, you can significantly reduce your insurance premiums by looking for a lower-cost motorcycle insurance policy online, and look into special insurance discounts for riders that take advanced safety courses. Most insurance providers offer discounts for these types of classes; they're not too difficult or time consuming to complete. Spending a few hours in a classroom can be much better than spending hundreds of extra dollars on motorcycle insurance each year.
Making a claim on your motorcycle insurance policy will also lead to increased premiums. This is because bike owners who make one claim are statistically more likely to make a second claim. Again, the amount of the increase will be related to the size of the claim, whether you were charged with any offenses after the accident and whether you were at fault in the accident. If you ride in a no-fault state, you may be penalized with a higher rate regardless of whether you were at fault in the accident. As you might expect, shopping around for motorcycle insurance quotes can help, and you can also help your rates by following the process for submitting your motorcycle insurance claim as closely as possible. Take pictures of your bike and its damage, call the police as soon as possible if you're legally required to do so, and submit the claim and all relevant paperwork in a timely manner. This will help you prove fault and lessen the effect of the claim on your insurance rates, and you'll also improve the chances of a successful motorcycle insurance claim.