For motorcycle riders, a weekend ride is many riders’ idea of relaxation. Do not have the right motorcycle insurance? Relaxation can quickly turn into a nightmare.

Before selecting or renewing motorcycle insurance coverage, here is what you need to know. Most importantly, you need insurance.

Types of Coverage:

For motorcycle liability coverage, there are two different types: bodily injury liability and property damage liability.

Bodily injury liability helps cover costs for others if you cause the accident. It addresses medical costs, loss of income as well as funeral costs in the event of a fatality in an accident caused by you.

Property damage liability covers the damage to another motorist’s property.

Minimum liability insurance requirements vary by state. And while the minimum might get you by, only purchasing the minimum will really hurt your financial situation if you are at fault in an accident.

Consider the maximum liability coverage:

– To protect your financial assets from creditors.
– To protect your passengers. In some cases, bodily injury liability insurance will cover passengers.
– To protect yourself from others. Ever been in an accident with someone who did not have insurance and they were at fault. You need to carry uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) coverage for the most coverage amount you can afford. This (UM/UIM) will help provide coverage for your injuries and, in many cases, property damage when a less protected driver cannot cover the liability.

When it comes to motorcycle insurance coverage, there is plenty to think through. An experienced motorcycle accident lawyer can work with you to explain what insurance company is the right insurer for you.

You may think that buying motorcycle insurance is about as much fun as eating a grave sandwich at 50 miles an hour.  But it does not have to be that way.

To shine a headlight on this twisty subject, please take the time to review the many articles I have written and posted on my website (www.motorcycleinjurynj.com).  Better yet, call me or email me your current automobile and motorcycle declaration page for a free review.

I have been around motorcycles and motorcycle insurance for decades.   When shopping for motorcycle insurance, never “cheap out.” Saving money is only buying less protection.   There are no “free lunches.” When comparing the costs of insurance plans, remember especially on a motorcycle, you need maximum protection.   You must assume that the other driver who hurts you will not have enough insurance to compensate you for your injuries, medical bills and lost wages.   It is all about having the maximum amount of uninsured (UM) and underinsurance (UIM) coverage.

It is the UM/UIM that is by far the most important section of your motorcycle insurance.

You would be surprised how many of you are so sure that your motorcycle insurance policy provides full coverage, only to find out (after filing a claim) that it does not.   That is why it is so important for you to truly understand what UM/UIM coverage provides. This coverage helps provide protection for your injuries or death if you are involved in a motorcycle accident with a motorist who has no insurance or insufficient coverage and is considered at fault.   It also helps provide additional protection against damage to your motorcycle caused by a motorist who has no insurance or insufficient coverage and is considered at fault. Lastly, it helps to cover medical payments (after any other medical coverage) if you or a passenger are injured on your bike.

Because finding the right motorcycle insurance policy is so important, everyone recommends comparing coverage and prices from at least three different companies.   I do not. Progressive offers the most UM/UIM motorcycle coverage that I have seen — $500,000 of UM/UIM. The most UM/UIM coverage the others provide is $250,000.

I have the experience to successfully battle denial of liability claims by insurance companies.  I see through their attempts to minimize your injuries and/or monetary recovery and I am extremely skilled at dealing with the delay tactics and/or character assassination used by the insurance companies to frustrate and wear you down.  My aggressive approach to unreasonable arguments involves specialized knowledge of the law and relentless attention to detail.

I take uncommon care to investigate all aspects of your case, including the availability of additional insurance coverage.  I will never back down and will always extend my best effort to maximize your recovery. So call me or email me even if you just have a legal question.  There is never a charge for a legal consultation. Call with any question concerning your motorcycle insurance coverage.

Nearly everyone who rides thinks they have full insurance coverage.  In reality, you do not. You can send your insurance declaration sheet (face sheet) to me, Andrew Prince, for a free evaluation.  I will tell you honestly as to what type of insurance you have currently and where you can improve for little money as compared to the additional protection you will receive for yourself and your family.

Each time you start up your bike, you protect yourself. You put on your helmet and protective goggles. You suit-up based on weather conditions. You have checked your tires, controls, lights and electric, oil and kickstand.

You know that you cannot prevent road mishaps – data shows that most motorcycle vs. car accidents are caused by the larger vehicle, but you can ensure that you are protected financially by having the most motorcycle insurance coverage you can truly afford.

MINIMUM COVERAGE IS NOT ENOUGH. Bikers are especially vulnerable in accidents. Common types of injuries include leg, wrist and arm fractures; pelvis and shoulder fractures; skin abrasions or road rash; head injuries including traumatic brain injury.

These types of injuries often require long-term medical care and rehabilitation and even home and lifestyle changes. You may also incur damages such as loss of current and perhaps future wages.

All of this costs a lot of money and if you insure yourself with the minimum amount of motorcycle insurance, your current and future financial needs may not be met, especially if the driver at fault also has minimum coverage.

Protect Yourself with Uninsured/Underinsured (UM/UIM) Coverages. Contact me today for Advice!

Act now before you have a motorcycle accident. At the Team Law Firm, I recommend boosting your insurance policy to include the maximum amount of uninsured and underinsured coverage. You can afford it. Progressive Insurance now offers the maximum amount of up to $500,000 (UM/UIM). Most other insurance companies you can increase up to only $250,000 (UM/UIM). To ride with less than $250,000 of UM/UIM is simply foolish.

I recommend a minimum of uninsured and underinsurance motorist coverage (UM/UIM): $250,000 per person and $500,000 per accident. Remember, I know Progressive now offers $500,000 per person and $500,000 per accident. This is called a single limit policy.

In most New Jersey automobile policies, the insured is provided with coverage called Personal Injury Protection or PIP.  This coverage (usually between $15,000 and $250,000) provides medical benefits to the insured, relatives of his/her household and occupants of the vehicle when involved in a motor vehicle accident that involves a private passenger automobile.  Under New Jersey law “automobile” means, in general, a “a private passenger automobile not used as a cab or limousine; and a motor vehicle with a pickup body, a delivery sedan a van or a panel truck or camper type vehicle not customarily used in the profession or business of the insured.”

So under most circumstances when involved in an automobile accident you will be covered by the PIP portion of your automobile insurance policy.  But what happens when there is an accident and you are the occupant of some other type of vehicles such as a motorcycle, bus, cab, limousine, or even a work-type vehicle?  In those instances, PIP will not be available because those vehicles do not meet the definition of “automobile.”

If you own a motorcycle, it is so very important to make sure you have excellent private medical insurance coverage through work or a spouse.  If you do not, you should not ride. Get coverage through the Affordable Care Act (Obama Care) or see if you can get medical coverage on your motorcycle insurance policy up to $10,000 to $25,000.  It is not a lot, but it is better than nothing.

In most New Jersey automobile policies, the insured is provided with coverage called Personal Injury Protection or PIP.  This coverage (usually between $15,000 and $250,000) provides medical benefits to the insured, relatives of his/her household and occupants of the vehicle when involved in a motor vehicle accident that involves a private passenger automobile.  Under New Jersey law “automobile” means, in general, a “a private passenger automobile not used as a cab or limousine; and a motor vehicle with a pickup body, a delivery sedan a van or a panel truck or camper type vehicle not customarily used in the profession or business of the insured.”

So under most circumstances when involved in an automobile accident you will be covered by the PIP portion of your automobile insurance policy.  But what happens when there is an accident and you are the occupant of some other type of vehicle such as a motorcycle, bus, cab, limousine or even a work-type vehicle?  In those instances, PIP will not be available because those vehicles do not meet the definition of “automobile.”

If you own a motorcycle, it is so very important to make sure you have excellent private medical insurance coverage through work or a spouse.  If you do not, you should not ride. Get coverage through the Affordable Care Act (Obama Care) or see if you can get medical coverage on your motorcycle insurance policy up to $10,000 to $25,000.  It is not a lot, but it is better than nothing.

Too many of you look for the best price.   You need to look for the policy that gives you maximum liability and UM/UIM coverage for the best price.

What Is UM/UIM?

If you are asking this question, you need my help.   UM (uninsured motorist coverage) and UIM (underinsurance motorist coverage) are the single most important coverages on your motorcycle and automobile policies.   Read my articles here on my website about insurance.   Watch my video.   Then call or email me with any questions.   In fact, send me your declaration/face sheet of your policies for a review.   It is free. I promise you it is worth the few minutes to allow me to review your coverages.

Ride safe, but in the event of an accident, rest easy knowing you have maximum coverage for the best price and not the best price for minimum coverage which most of you have, especially on your motorcycle.

When people set up their insurance policy, they often have questions about what the different types of coverage mean and what options are best for them. The most common question we hear from motorcyclists is whether or not their motorcycle insurance policy is required to include personal injury protection.

Not only are motorcycles not required to have personal injury protection coverage in New Jersey, but they are legally not allowed to be covered under such policies. Some insurance companies will offer “med-pay” up to $25,000 on your motorcycle insurance, but it is a fairly expensive premium to your existing motorcycle policy. “Med-pay” is not “PIP” coverage. If you have excellent private medical insurance, then you do not need this additional protection of “med-pay” on your motorcycle insurance. But if you have no medical insurance, then this is something you need to purchase.

Automobile policies that cover cars typically exclude motorcycles. While passengers involved in car accidents can access their own automobile insurance policy’s PIP coverage, even though they were not driving and were in someone else’s vehicle, a motorcyclist does not have the same option.

When a victim suffers injuries in a motorcycle accident, your health insurance policy typically is primarily responsible for paying the medical bills. You need to make sure your private health insurance covers motorcycle accidents. For victims whose health insurance policies have high deductibles or high hospital copays, this can cause a financial hardship, especially when victims are already dealing with such severe injuries that they may be at least temporarily unable to return to work.

For motorcyclists who do not have health insurance and mistakenly believe that their motorcycle insurance will cover their medical expenses just as their automobile insurance would in a car crash, this over-sight is anything but minor. If an insurance agent has not explained the motorcycle policy thoroughly (or you purchased in online yourself), motorcycle accident victims could find themselves seriously injured and without any medical coverage at all.

Rates for motorcycle policies vary from person to person, state to state and bike to bike. A premium for an experienced motorcyclist riding a commuter-type motorcycle may be vastly different from a young rider on a sport model.

Some states require certain types of coverage, while others do not. The two types of coverage you should always make sure you have, however, are Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage (the maximum amount) and Bodily Injury Liability (the maximum amount). A lot of people have lower levels of this type of coverage on their motorcycle because they ride it less frequently than they drive a vehicle or they think they are more careful when they ride their motorcycle. You need the maximum amount of coverage because an accident can occur at any time. In New Jersey, most motorcycle insurance companies offer up to $250,000 liability and $250,000 uninsured/underinsured coverage. Recently, Progressive will offer $500,000 if you call and ask for it. Progressive will not sell $500,000 coverage online.

Each insurance company is different, but here are a few factors that go into determining your motorcycle insurance rate:

– Type of motorcycle
– Your age
– Where you live
– The types of coverage you must have under State law
– How much coverage you have
– Whether you are a first-time motorcycle owner
– Your driving history, whether you have been involved in accidents previously
– Whether your motorcycle has an anti-theft device
– Your financial history.

If you are looking for ways to reduce your premium, I urge you not to do this. All you are doing when reducing your premium is reducing your coverage and protection. You may be eligible for discounts, however, if you are a member of any of the following:

– American Motorcycle Association
– BMW Motorcycle Owners of America
– Gold Wing Road Riders Association
– Gold Wing Touring Association
– Harley Owners Group
– Motorcycle Safety Foundation
– Venture Touring Society

Insurance companies will likely give you a discount if you are a graduate of a training course. I would highly recommend Rider Education. Please check out their website at www.renj.com. You will not regret it.

Motorcycle insurance policies seem confusing to many motorcyclists. The biggest thing you can do to help protect your rights is to be aware. Maximize your coverage, especially your uninsured /underinsurance coverage.

You should consider several factors when obtaining your motorcycle insurance policy. Most people take into account short-term medical and health expenses, such as hospital and surgery bills. However, many people neglect to account for ongoing medical expenses such as follow-up physician visits, prescriptions, rehabilitation fees and ongoing injuries. These expenses can become more costly than the initial fees for medical treatment.

One of the absolute most crucial points regarding motorcycles is obtaining the correct insurance. Many riders overlook the importance of uninsured or underinsured coverage on their motorcycles. Most motorcyclists are, in fact, underinsured, and this can be a recipe for disaster.

Motorcycle owners must not only insure their own vehicles, but they must also be aware of the possibility that other drivers may be under-insured. A motorcycle insurance policy must be sufficient to cover more than the cost of repairing or replacing your motorcycle. When obtaining insurance, you must also consider possible medical expenses in the case of an injury and lost wages in the unfortunate event that injuries render you unable to work. At first, a $100,000.00 policy may seem sufficient, but what happens if your injuries leave you unable to work for two months? How will you earn money?

Motorcycle owners should carry comprehensive coverage that not only covers the rider, but also an underinsured or uninsured driver with whom the biker may get into an accident. Your motorcycle policy should provide coverage for at least $250,000.00 of uninsured and underinsured coverage. While this amount may seem excessive, bear in mind that this type of motorcycle policy likely costs only $10 to $15 more per month than you are already paying for your cheap motorcycle insurance.

While it is true that attorneys charge fees for their work in preparing your injury claims, you will almost certainly benefit from hiring an attorney. An internal insurance company study showed that on average, insurance companies pay 2.1 times more on claims filed by attorneys than claims filed by laypersons. In other words, if you hire an attorney with the experience and skill required to file a proper claim, you will actually receive from your insurance settlement more than you would have received if you had filed the claim by yourself, even after fees and expenses. Because his or her payment is contingent upon your award or settlement, your attorney is properly motivated to make sure that you receive as significant and fair a settlement as possible. Although you might sacrifice part of your insurance settlement by hiring an attorney to process your claim, you will likely benefit from the attorney’s work by saving time, energy and receiving a larger settlement award from the insurance company.

I represent a lot of bikers who have been injured due to the negligence of other drivers. Unfortunately, most of these accidents result in significant injuries and huge medical bills. The health insurance companies who are responsible to pay for the medical care in these cases are, in recent years, writing policies that significantly limit their obligation to pay for treatment.

In particular, I have found that Union Health insurance is becoming very limited in these cases. If you are a member of a Union, you should immediately review your medical coverage for exclusions and limitations. If you ride, you must know what coverage your health insurance provides. If you have exclusions or significant limitations of coverage for motorcycle or recreational vehicle injuries, consider purchasing additional medical coverage.

A Personal Catastrophe Liability Umbrella policy provides liability coverages in excess of your underlying auto insurance liability coverage. In a perfect world, I recommend that a policyholder purchase $500,000.00 liability coverage on their personal automobile policy and then purchase a $1,000,000.00 umbrella. This double coverage provides liability coverage of $1,500,000.00 to protect your assets if someone makes a claim against you. However, some of you might be asking if I do not have a lot of assets, why do I need so much insurance in which to protect me? The reason is quite simple. You cannot purchase protection for yourself in the form of “Uninsured Motorist/ Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)” unless you also have a similar amount of liability coverage.

I strongly recommend that, as an automobile policyholder, you purchase “UM/UIM” coverage of $500,000.00. This is critical. So many of you do not realize you save a few dollars by not having the same UM/UIM coverage as your liability coverage. It drives me crazy to see someone having $500,000.00 liability coverage but much less “UM/UIM” coverage. If I have confused you with what I just stated herein, you need to speak with me. There is never, ever a charge for a legal consultation. This “UM/UIM” coverage of $500,000.00 provides you benefits if you are injured and the party who caused the accident has less insurance than you do. This is such an important concept to understand.

I believe that if you carry significant liability insurance if someone else is injured by your negligence but only carry less “UM/UIM” if you are injured is not right. Accordingly, I recommend that everyone finds an insurance company that provides “UM/UIM” coverage on their umbrella policy. There are insurance companies out there now that will provide you with umbrella coverage that includes “UM/UIM” coverage. Just imagine having $1,000,000.00 of “UM/UIM” coverage or more. Now you are truly protected if seriously injured in an accident. Driving a car or a motorcycle is a serious risk. It is unwise to be driving with significant liability coverage but only having less “UM/UIM” coverage. Please all of you need to have at least $500,000.00 of liability coverage and $500,000.00 of “UM/UIM” coverage. For those of you who have assets, you need an umbrella policy and your umbrella policy should also have similar limits of “UM/UIM” coverage of at least up to 1 million dollars. Call me. Any questions, I am here to answer them for you. Let me guide you to protect yourself and your family.

Motorcycle insurance requirements vary from company to company and the best person to give you motorcycle insurance advice is not your insurance agent but your motorcycle attorney. Here are some reasons why I can help you best.

The standard motorcycle coverages that most people know about are liability, property damage, collision and possible medical coverage. What most riders know little about is UNINSURED and UNDERINSUREDCOVERAGE.

One of the most important coverages you should buy is UNINSURED and UNDERINSURED COVERAGE. If the other person has no insurance and they are at fault, do not be left stranded with no protection. This UNINSURED and UNDERINSURANCE COVERAGE is the most important aspect of motorcycle insurance.

Contrary to popular belief, almost all accidents involving a motorcycle are NOT the results of carelessness by the motorcyclist. Most of the individuals involved in these accidents sustain severe injuries and the cases could take many years to reach a judgment. Talk to me, an experienced motorcycle lawyer for over twenty-five years, to make sure you are being properly represented on your motorcycle accident.

Get the Most Motorcycle Insurance Coverage Available is my Advice. Do Not Cheap Out!

Make sure you are truly protected. You really need to make sure you are covered with the most insurance possible.

It is also important to discuss and understand the areas in which your insurance company excludes coverage. It is your responsibility to make sure you are properly covered.

Remember do not just say I want full coverage. Make sure you go over all available coverage. Call me at no cost to discuss your current motorcycle policy. I will make sure you are properly protected.

Insurance is one of those things that are a necessary part of life. You may not want to go to work, but you have bills to pay — so you go. You love riding your motorcycle, so you have to pay for the very best insurance money can buy. If you don’t, the decision to try to save a few bucks will come back to haunt you in spades if you ever have an accident.

So, if you are thinking, “Hey I’m a responsible rider. What do I need all this insurance for? Why is it important that I get the most policy and maximum available coverage?” let us tell you why maxing out on motorcycle insurance coverage is the smartest thing you can do.

Consider two things: 1. everyone has a bad day on the road. 2. as our parents used to say right after telling us to be safe: “It’s not you, it’s the other drivers.”

The fact is, insurance is one of those things in which you truly get what you pay for. While minimum coverage may be enough to keep you legally riding, it won’t be nearly enough to help you pay your medical expenses or fix your beloved bike, should something go wrong. You have to ask yourself what you would rather do: pay a little more at a time or be sidelined for months while you wait to earn enough money to be able to start riding again. Accidents happen every day, whether it’s the fault of the rider or the motorists with whom they share the road and you need to as prepared as possible.

Insurance, however, only goes so far. If you’ve been in a serious accident, it’s also imperative that you seek the help of an experienced attorney that is well-versed in the motorcycle traffic laws. Vehicle and property damage may only be the first part of the fallout from the accident. When you’ve been injured in an accident, retain an experienced attorney who will fight for maximum compensation for your injuries is

As your motorcycle injury lawyer, I make sure that you are receiving the medial attention you deserve and that you are financially protected in regard to your medical bills.  Many of our clients do not have medical coverage. However, there are many ways to ensure that you still receive the best medical care possible while investigating available medical assistance programs. Contrary to popular perception, the other party’s insurance company is not responsible to immediately pay for your medical bills from the accident.

Motorcycle accident attorney, Andrew S. Prince, Esq., can be reached at 1-800-TEAM-LAW (832-6589) or via our convenient online contact form with questions regarding this.

Most victims believe that if someone else is at fault for their New Jersey motorcycle accident, then the other person’s insurance company will take care of them for the medical bills, the wage loss and, perhaps most importantly, pain and suffering compensation. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The reality is that the other insurance company does not care about your losses above their own bottom line, and protecting their own customer. Right or wrong, this is the reality we are all faced with now.

New Jersey motorcycle injury lawyer, Andrew S. Prince, is very experienced with helping injured bikers get their medical expenses reimbursed. The “No-Fault” laws are a complete misnomer. What the phrase “No-Fault” actually stands for is a principle wherein if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, such as a motorcycle accident, regardless of who is at fault for the accident, the injured party is responsible to pay for his/her own medical bills.

New Jersey law does not require insurance companies offering motorcycle coverage to provide medical benefits. Additionally, instead of everyone who is employed having employer-sponsored medical insurance, that has become the exception in the current economy.

It gets worse — especially if you are seriously injured in a motorcycle accident. If this happens and you do not have any private medical benefits, you are still legally responsible to pay for your medical bills resulting from your motorcycle accident. This is the law and it makes no difference to the medical billing departments who were responsible for your injuries. Their stance is simply that you are the one that received medical care from them, therefore they expect payment from you.

However, there are some ways I can, as your motorcycle injury lawyer, legally get your motorcycle injury accident medical bills paid. The most common method for motorcycle injury lawyers to do this is to attempt to resolve your motorcycle accident claim quickly and to not accept a motorcycle accident settlement that short changes you.

Just because New Jersey is a “No-Fault” state does not mean that those responsible for your injury are off the hook. They are ultimately responsible to pay for your medical bills if they are still outstanding when the case resolves and IF they have sufficient insurance coverage to do so.

Motorcycle injury lawyers can also negotiate motorcycle medical bills on your behalf. Despite their high bills, most medical providers are willing to compromise their bills. In my motorcycle accident law firm, we can normally negotiate with the medical providers to accept some fraction of what you actually owe. However, please understand that the typical driver (40 percent) usually does not have more than $15,000.00 in total liability coverage on their vehicle. This represents the amount you can recover from the insurance company.

So while we may be able to use some of this recovery to cover outstanding medical bills, that means there will be less money to compensate you for your pain and suffering and any lost wages from your injury.

To avoid finding yourself in this dilemma, purchase as much uninsured (UM) and (UIM) underinsured motorist coverage on your own motorcycle policy. This allows you to have the ability to collect additional injury compensation if you are injured by someone who did not purchase enough coverage to fully compensate you for all of your damages.