Getting on your motorcycle and hitting the Texas open roads with nothing but your helmet and a full gas tank is the dream of most biker enthusiasts all days of the year. Yup, luckily for us in Texas, we can pretty much ride all year long. However, as with any kind of vehicle that you’re driving in Texas, there are other practicalities to keep in mind to make sure that you can keep the good times rolling for as long as possible. One of those necessities in motorcycle insurance and in Texas, it IS required. Do you have everything that you need to keep you and your motorcycle street legal? Are you getting the best insurance policy for your needs as well as your own protection? It could make a significant difference in more ways than one.
Motorcycle insurance requirements
Texas has requirements, just like any other state, for motorcycle drivers in terms of their insurance policies requirements. In a nutshell, you must have insurance that will cover $30,000 per person injured in an accident, $60,000 per accident itself and $25,000 for damage to property. Sure, that seems like a lot, considering that this is the same coverage minimums required for car insurance, but let’s not forget that you are riding a motorcycle. You don’t have the “luxury” of wheel or side wall air bags or the “walls” around you to protect you so when a motorcycle rider goes down, there is a huge potential to have more damage and more injury than someone who is driving a car.
Avoid “bargain basement” minimums
Seeing the amount of protection that you must have on your motorcycle versus your car (yep, it’s the same) may convince you that you are likely under insured. Further, if you think that you will only be able to afford the minimum coverage, consider this. Firstly, since you are insuring a motorcycle and not a car, the premiums themselves will likely be lower, especially considering the value of the bike versus car. As noted above, you will find a lot more damage and injury is involved in motorcycle accidents due to not having strong walls, roofs or safety measures such as airbags to protect the driver and vehicle in a crash. An accident resulting in injury and damage could cost up to $1.4 million. In just one year, there were over 5,000 reported injuries from motorcycle injuries, which is much higher than those of car accident related injuries.
By going with a better (more coverage) insurance plan, other than the minimums, you’ll be able to protect yourself from large costs (including medical bills and damage to your motorcycle) than you would normally have to pay – in full – out of your own pocket. Don’t forget about the insurance that isn’t included in the minimums such as uninsured motorist coverage.
How to save money on motorcycle insurance
When you want to save as much money as you can with insurance, you can do it by bundling your motorcycle insurance with other policies including car insurance and home insurance. This will give you the option of relying on the policies that offer you more protection but still focus on keeping your rates manageable.
Insurance may be one of those things that makes you think twice about jumping on your motorcycle to enjoy a road trip, but it shouldn’t be. It should be about having a good time but knowing you are adequately covered in case of an accident. It’s just about finding the right policy for you that will keep you protected financially while also making sure that you can afford the premiums that go along with it.
We here at Paula Smith Insurance want to be your partner for life and being the resource for all of your insurance needs. If you don’t have a relationship with your insurance provider and would like to, please contact us at (281) 488-8880 and let us provide a free review of your insurance coverages to be sure you are covered adequately for your personal situation and needs.