Everything You Need To Know About Massachusetts Motorcycle Insurance Coverage
When you insure an automobile, you generally insure yourself and your passengers in addition to any drivers and passengers that you could be involved in an accident with. Motorcycle insurance doesn’t work this way. With Massachusetts motorcycle insurance, your own personal protection, the protection of your passengers, and the protection of others may all be separate types of coverage with different coverage limits. Motorcycles are often driven solo and the people most often injured by a motorcycle collision is the driver itself; this is why coverage is different with a motorcycle compared to an automobile. The standard motorcycle policy is not going to include injury coverage to the driver or the passenger.
There are four types of additional insurance that can usually be added onto a standard package:
- Personal insurance. This covers you, the motorcycle operator, if you are injured. This is understandably often the most expensive addition to a motorcycle insurance policy.
- Guest passenger insurance. This covers any passengers that you may have on the motorcycle during an accident. If you never have passengers, it may be unnecessary.
- Comprehensive insurance. This covers things that may happen to your motorcycle outside of an accident, such as theft or vandalism.
- Layup insurance. This is actually an add-on to a policy that can reduce your insurance when your motorcycle is not in use.
What Controls Your Motorcycle Premium?
Like auto insurance, your motorcycle premium is controlled by a lot of factors. Your driving history is an important one, as is your past claims history. Your motorcycle insurance company will look at how long you’ve driven a motorcycle, whether you’ve completed a training course, and the cost of your motorcycle to replace. They will also look at the type of motorcycle you’re driving and the amount of power it has; a sport bike is going to be insured at a different rate from a touring bike. Finally, your location also becomes very important — in particular, the general crime rate in your area may be applicable. Motorcycle insurance can be bundled with other types of insurance to save money, and there can also be some other discounts available such as student and military benefits.
It’s very easy to end up under-insured when it comes to Massachusetts motorcycle insurance. If you want to make sure that you have the coverage you really need, talking to an agent directly can help. Contact us today for a free consultation!