More than the Minimum Amount Anyway
There are only four states that do not require motorcycle insurance: Florida, New Hampshire, Washington, and Montana. All others, including Texas and Oklahoma, require that bikers carry at least the minimum coverage to ensure that any damage caused during a motorcycle accident is properly taken care of. But as your motorcycle accident attorney points out, there are a number of reasons why you will want to carry more than just the minimum amount of coverage when you’re out for a ride.
Of course, if you, or a loved one, have already been involved in a motorcycle accident, we need to talk! Give Herbert and Eberstein a call at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form. There’s no obligation to become a client, and you don’t have to worry about any charges for the consultation.
Minimum Motorcycle Insurance Coverage
Texas and Oklahoma both have minimum insurance coverage. In Oklahoma, you’re required to carry 25/50/25 and in Texas you need to have 30/60/25 (if you’re unsure what exactly those numbers mean, check out this post from AutoInsurance.org).
But what isn’t required is a minimum amount of uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Sure, your insurer is required to offer it, but if you pass on it, you’re doing yourself a huge disservice.
These two coverages (and they really aren’t that expensive) will protect you financially if you are hit by another motorist. This is what will cover the massive hospital bills you will likely incur, because let’s face it, injuries happen in the majority of motorcycle accidents.
Here are 5 reasons you don’t want to skimp on the uninsured or underinsured coverage.
Hospital Bills are Really Expensive
When is the last time you saw a doctor and walked out of there with a bill less than $100 (not including what insurance covered, of course)? Or even less than $300 for that matter! Now increase those bills many times over when you’re dealing with major trauma, broken bones, or medical issues that require ongoing treatment.
The bottom line: no uninsured motorist coverage means no coverage for hospital bills you incur. Even with that coverage, you may need a motorcycle accident attorney to help recover what you need.
What if You Can No Longer Work?
Riding your bike is fun. But as with all things fun, we have to pay for our free time by going to work. Certainly you will be able to get right back up after a motorcycle accident and go back to work within a couple of days, right? What if your leg has been crushed and you can’t walk for months on end? What if your hands are broken and you can no longer write or type on a computer? How will you pay your bills if you are out of work for many weeks?
Insurance coverage can help offset those issues. Often you will need a motorcycle accident lawyer to get compensation that takes care of issues that arise later in life.
You Still have a Bike Loan
You could pick up a little moped for a few hundred bucks. But riding a bike isn’t about puttering along Dumb & Dumber style. It’s about revving the engine, feeling the wind in your face, and feeling the power. A bigger, and often better, bike comes with a hefty price tag. If you’re hit by an uninsured motorist, or someone that flees the scene, you still have to pay off your motorcycle. But if you’re stuck with huge hospital bills, as well as all other costs of daily life, how is that going to be possible?
Uninsured or underinsured coverage usually doesn’t cover property, so you may want to talk to your insurance agent about uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage as well.
Many People have No Assets
Here’s the scenario: you’re hit by a vehicle, and the other driver is found at fault. That driver carries the bare minimum coverage, so his policy limits out at $25,000. But let’s say you have medical bills that are pushing $100,000, so you hire a motorcycle accident attorney to collect on the remaining amount. It turns out, however, that this other driver is in debt to his eyeballs, and really has no assets in his name. The likelihood of recovering anything is pretty small. If you don’t have underinsured coverage you can fall back on, you fall back on yourself.
Your Loved Ones Still Need to Get By
On your bike the wind is in your face. There’s no protective cage around you. This means that a crash on a motorcycle is a lot more dangerous than in a car… in fact, the likelihood of dying in a crash is six times greater on a bike than in a car. If you’re killed by someone without adequate coverage, will your loved ones be taken care of? If you have the right coverage, it’s much more likely that financial burdens won’t be added to the grief as well.
Come to Herbert and Eberstein: Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
Here at Herbert and Eberstein, our goal is to make sure you receive compensation that fully covers the trauma you have gone through. Too often insurance companies try to settle for a lowball amount that barely covers what has happened to you.
When you want a settlement that will take away financial worries, you want Herbert and Eberstein. Give us a call at 214-414-3808 or hit up our contact form to get the ball rolling.
