Auto Insurance and Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents can be far more dangerous than car v. car accidents given the exposure of the rider. They can also present more complicated insurance coverage situations.
In North Carolina, drivers are required to have a liability insurance policy of $30,000 per person/$60,000 per accident. If an automobile driver causes an accident with a motorcyclist, the motorcyclist can present a claim and recover up to $30,000 from the other driver’s coverage. In some circumstances they may have more coverage on that policy, and they may be covered by other policies, as well.
If the motorcyclist’s claim is valued higher than the limits of the automobile driver’s coverage, then the motorcyclist should see if they can make a claim with their own policy for underinsured motorist coverage. Also, motorcyclists will often have a separate policy of coverage on an automobile, in which case they can make a claim with that coverage, too.
If the driver doesn’t have any coverage at all (which is illegal, but it does happen) then the motorcyclist should look to their own coverage for an uninsured motorist claim.
Many automobile policies will have a separate medical payments policy which will cover occupants, regardless of fault, in the event of an accident. Generally, though, most policies will have an exclusion for motorcycle accidents. That last fact should give motorcyclists pause. If an insurance company thinks something is safe, generally speaking, they’ll insure it. This fact implies that the statistics show them that motorcyclists are disproportionately injured in accidents, so it’s not profitable for them to offer this coverage.
Riding a motorcycle can be very dangerous, and the insurance questions in the event of an accident can be complicated. If you have an accident on a motorcycle, call me and maybe I can help. 919-929-2992.