I am a touring rider and I trust the opinions and judgment of my fellow touring friends here so here goes: I don't have uninsurred motorist coverage on my policy - I am thinking that this is something I need especially for the bodily injury portion. I would like some feedback from the forum on this. Folks thank you for any advice.
Brent.

 

I am in the insurance business, so I may be biased. That said, the coverage is not expensive at all and is worth it.

IMFletcher

 

Buy the UIM on your auto policy, it is less expensive, and you only need to buy it once.

In fact, if you have UIM on your car policy AND a motorcycle policy, should a claim be made the 2 insurance companies many direct you to claim from the other....

the insurance (unless it has specific exclusions) covers you from a driver who does not have insurance, and covers you whether you are driving, walking down the street, sitting on your porch etc. any situation in which property or personal damages are incurred.


getting a claim paid may not be easy- last time i was hit buy an UIM, I went out of pocket to cover medical and repair my bike while my insurance company ( foremost) screwed me around.
A shyster lawyer from the motorcycle mag, represented me, and 3 years later I finally got paid back.

one of foremosts' positions was that the UIM from my auto policy or my homeowners or my employers medical should cover costs first...

Fun.

Mike

 

Inexpensive perhaps, but why is it needed if one has good collision coverage. Does it not only save you having to pay your deductible since your collision coverage will pay to repair your bike? Seems like double coverage.

Having said that, I have it. But I'm not sure why.

Oops. I just checked and I don't have it on my bike but have it on three other vehicles. All vehicles insured with GEICO. I need to call them and go over my policy (pending what I learn on this thread).

 

It's about how losses are coded. Sure, you can use your collision coverage; however, the deductible may be higher and collision is generally for at fault incidents.

One more thing on UM....it also comes into play if the other guy doesn't have enough insurance. Say they carry minimum limits, but you have damage that exceeds that liability coverage. In that case, your UM would kick in.

IMFletcher

 

Thanks for the info. My concern is the event I am hit by a uninsured or underinsured motorist (in Georgia the minimum liability is only 25,000) and I have hospital costs of 100,000 or so. Is this out of my pocket if I do not have UI coverage or does something else kick in such as collision or my health policy?

 

I am a Personal Injury Lawyer. Uninsured/underinsured coverage is the most important coverage you can have, especially if you ride a bike. You are buying protection for yourself against every cager out there with minimum or no insurance. If they, and they are the most negligent and most drunk drivers, cream you, you and your family are **** out of luck unless you have high UM/UM. I've seen it happen time and again and it's tragic. Get the highest limits you can.

 

Thanks for the information.

 

Check your auto policy (if you have one) to see if the UM/UIM (uninsured / underinsured) coverage carries over. I have Allstate, and the UM/UIM coverage from our auto policy carries over to the bike.

UM/UIM is very important, since most states let people drive with utterly useless 10k/30k liability coverage. Get in an accident with one of these nitwits, and you've probably used up all of their coverage just being taken to the ER and seen by a trauma doc.

It really sucks to have $70,000 plus in medical bills from an accident the other guy completely caused, and all he has is $10,000 in liability coverage, a wrecked '88 Escort and $50 bucks to his name. Happened to a buddy of mine.

Matt