As we begin to thaw out from this long, cold, wet winter, we are all no doubt eager to welcome spring and get back on our motorcycles and ride.
The most important thing you need to do before getting back out there is to check your policies to make sure you are adequately insured – this will allow Pennsylvania motorcycle accident attorneys to get the most for you in an accident claim.
For those of you who read my column often I am not going to beat a dead horse and explain motorcycle insurance in detail as I have done so many times.
For those of you who are unsure what coverage to best protect you, your bike and your passengers, feel free to contact my motorcycle accident law firm and I will personally discuss this matter with you.
Motorcycle Insurance Situations that You May Overlook
Any experienced Pennsylvania motorcycle accident lawyer will tell you it is important to know under what situations you may, or may not, be covered for a motorcycle accident or incidents involving your cycle, and it is best to know beforehand.
Let’s start with, Travel
If you have plans to travel to another country with your motorcycle, it is very important that you contact your insurance company to find out if they will extend coverage on your bike while riding in that country. Just like most auto policies, once you take your bike into another country there are often exceptions that void any and all coverages on your motorcycle.
If you are planning a long trip within the United States, you can check with your insurance carrier about “trip interruption” coverage which will cover your transportation, food and lodging if you get stranded during your trip.
Towing
Many insurance companies will not provide liability and/or collision coverage to your motorcycle if you have placed it onto a trailer and are towing it behind your vehicle.
Additionally, if you hire someone to transport your motorcycle, your insurance company may have exclusions allowing them to avoid liability if your motorcycle is damaged while in the process of being towed or transported. Further, do not automatically assume that whoever is transporting your vehicle has insurance that will cover your motorcycle while it is in the process of being transported.
If you do not check into this situation before having your motorcycle transported, you may find yourself in a situation where there are no valid insurance policies covering your motorcycle while it is in the process of being transported.
This situation can be easily avoided by contacting your insurance carrier and advising them of your intentions before you begin to transport your motorcycle.
Test Drives
As many of you are now test driving new motorcycles in anticipation of the riding season, it is crucially important, before you begin your test drive, for you to ask your salesman if the dealer will cover any damage to the motorcycle that might occur during a test drive.
This is important because many personal motorcycle insurance policies will not provide collision, or liability coverage, while you are test driving a new motorcycle.
I have had clients who unfortunately have found this out the hard way. Although in my experience, most dealers will cover any damage that may occur during the test drive, it is much better to know the answer to this question before you test drive someone else’s $20,0000 motorcycle.
These potential pitfalls can be avoided by simply taking the necessary steps before participating in any of the above activities. Remember, an ounce of prevention is always worth a pound of cure.
If you would like additional information, Pennsylvania motorcycle injury lawyer Lee D. Gaber, Esquire can always be reached at 1-888-292-5352 (1-888-CYCLE-LAW).