Posted on Monday, May 25th, 2020 at 4:21 am
Motorcyclists in California are subject to the same financial responsibility requirements as motorists. California requires riders to have financial responsibility or insurance to ride your motorcycle legally in California.
Under current California financial responsibility laws, a rider must have minimum motorcycle insurance of:
- $15,000 for the death or injury to one person;
- $30,000 for the death or injury to multiple people from one accident; and,
- $5,000 in property damage coverage.
Liability insurance protects the other people involved in an accident that you cause. It does not protect you. Therefore, many motorcyclists purchase additional motorcycle insurance to ensure they are protected if they are involved in a motorcycle accident.
Other Types of Motorcycle Insurance Available in California
If you are a motorcyclist, you understand that you could be severely injured in a motorcycle crash. A motorcycle accident could result in numerous injuries. Your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages can quickly exceed the liability coverage carried by the driver who caused your accident.
For example, if you break your leg in a motorcycle accident, you might be out of work for several months. You may require surgery and physical therapy. If so, your financial losses are likely to exceed the $15,000 minimum liability coverage required for California drivers. If you do not have insurance to cover your losses, you could be personally liable.
Therefore, you may want to consider purchasing underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) for your motorcycle. UIM coverage pays you compensation if your injury claim exceeds the other driver’s insurance coverage. Let’s assume your injury claim is worth $75,000. The other driver’s insurance company pays the full value of the insurance policy or $15,000. Unfortunately, that leaves $55,000 of your claim unpaid. Your UIM policy covers the unpaid portion of the claim up to your policy limits.
Furthermore, you may want to add uninsured motorist coverage (UM) to your motorcycle insurance policy. UM coverage works similarly to UIM coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage pays your injury claim if you are injured in an accident caused by an uninsured driver.
Two additional types of motorcycle insurance you may want to purchase is PIP and Med-Pay coverage. These insurance policies are no-fault policies. They pay your medical bills and loss of income regardless of who caused the crash. You receive benefits quickly, which can be a huge help.
Do I Need a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?
Even if you are dealing with your own insurance company regarding a UM or UIM claim, you should consult with a Sacramento motorcycle accident lawyer. However, you are not dealing with your insurance agent. You are dealing with an insurance claims adjuster. The claims adjuster’s job is to pay as little as possible for your claim.
Therefore, it is a good idea to have a motorcycle accident lawyer look at your claim. The attorney can ensure that the value of your claim is correct and that the amount being offered by the insurance provider is fair.
Call a Sacramento Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today
Contact The Tiemann Law Firm by calling (916) 999-9000 or by visiting our website to schedule a free consultation with one of our Sacramento motorcycle accident lawyers.
