When was the last time you looked at the coverage you are carrying on your motorcycle? If you are hit by another driver who does not have insurance you will not be able to collect any payment for your lost wages, medical bills or pain, and suffering. You could protect yourself if you tell your insurance agent you want “Uninsured Motorist Protection.”
Here in New Hampshire, insurance is not required for owners of motorcycles, or for any vehicle, for that matter, unless certain things happen that would cause the Department of Motor Vehicles to step in and require that an operator have coverage. If insurance is selected, the minimum liability limits of insurance coverage is $25,000.00 per person, and $50,000.00 for all people involved and injured because of the actions of the insured. That may seem adequate to a person who just laid out many thousands of dollars for a new shiny motorcycle, but if you are the one injured, there may be a gaping hole in the coverage that might protect you.
Uninsured Motorist coverage in New Hampshire covers the operator of the motorcycle if the person at fault who caused the crash and bodily injuries is not insured. You may think these coverages are not important or not necessary for you to have. They are! Most of motorcycle crash cases that I have handled involve massive and devastating injuries to motorcyclists who were doing the right thing in the operation of their motorcycle, but through no fault of their own, were not seen before another car or truck caused a collision with that motorcycle and sent it flying. If you are going to spend thousands of dollars to buy a shiny new or used motorcycle, the additional expense involved in protecting yourself is a small price to build into your self-protection program.
Operators have suffered broken bones, loss of body functions such as sight, hearing, digestion, and paralyzing spinal injuries. If the only protection you have to take care of yourself is the limited amount of insurance that the at-fault, uninsured driver has, then you may find yourself unpaid for your losses and expenses. You also may become dependent on others for your future care and well-being. You may find yourself living on benefits from such places as Social Security Disability, which may be minimal compared to what you were previously earning, and Medicaid for your personal and medical care. You can protect yourself from that happening.
Most companies will issue policies in the amount of $250,000.00 per person and $500.000.00 for liability insurance and uninsured coverage for your motorcycle. With that base policy, the operator could also secure at least a $1,000,000.00 umbrella insurance policy, which will kick in if the base $250,000.00/$500,000.00 limits have been exceeded. More than that coverage is recommended, but this is at least a start on self-protection. You may be the safest driver on the road, but that will not keep others from causing you harm. Don’t put this off or think you do not need this coverage. Protect yourself!