Though Uninsured Motorist coverage is optional, here are a few reasons why you should consider adding it to your policy.
When you choose what type of motorcycle insurance coverage you need for your bike, consider that situations involving a car versus those that involve a motorcycle can result in very different outcomes. Since you’re much more exposed on a motorcycle, injuries from a motorcycle accident can be drastically different than injuries sustained when you’re sitting in the relative safety of a car.
Because of this, we suggest you consider the types of coverage you select for your motorcycle insurance policy even more carefully. For example, you may overlook or decide to forego Uninsured Motorist coverage, but here are a few important reasons why you might want to consider adding Uninsured Motorist Coverage to your motorcycle policy or increasing your current coverages.
What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
Though it’s commonly referred to as Uninsured Motorist or UM coverage, the formal name is Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. UM/UIM protects you in situations that involve an at-fault driver who doesn’t have insurance or doesn’t have enough insurance to pay for injuries you may sustain.
Uninsured Motorist coverage pays for injuries and related expenses you incur that the at-fault party is legally liable for. The amount paid is subject to the limits of Uninsured Motorist coverage that you choose and may include expenses such as medical treatment and lost wages.
Underinsured Motorist coverage pays for the amount of injuries and related expenses that aren’t covered by the at-fault person’s insurance. In other words, Underinsured Motorist coverage is designed to cover the gap between the other person’s liability limits and the amount of your injury expenses, up to the Underinsured Motorist limits you select.
How Uninsured Motorist Coverage Works
Here’s an example: A driver without insurance rear-ends your motorcycle while you’re sitting at a stop sign. The bike falls on your foot and fractures it, causing $6,000 in medical bills. Your Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist limits are $20,000/$40,000. Since the other driver is uninsured and your bills total less than the $20,000 of UM coverage you have, your bills will be covered under your motorcycle policy.
Why Should You Choose Uninsured Motorist Coverage?
Injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident can total much more than a few thousand dollars. That’s why it’s important to consider what types of medical coverages are available to you.
Some health insurance companies may not pay for your medical bills if they’re the result of a motorcycle accident. Be sure to check with your company to verify what its policy is.
Depending on your state, you may have the option to choose Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and/or Medical Payments (MedPay) coverage for your motorcycle policy. These coverages will cover medical bills regardless of who’s at fault for an accident. However, you also can choose Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage for instances in which another driver who doesn’t have insurance — or doesn’t have enough insurance — is at fault for an accident.
To see how much a motorcycle insurance policy with Progressive — America’s No. 1 motorcycle insurer — would cost with Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage, call us at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE or get an online quote 24/7.
Source: https://www.progressive.com/understanding-insurance/entries/2009/9/1/why_your_motorcycle/
