Understanding Insurance Claims in Grand Prairie Motorcycle Accident Cases
Motorcycle accident claims and other motor vehicle accident cases claims in Grand Prairie are largely the same. The major difference is that the injuries sustained from a motorcycle crash are usually worse than a car or truck case because the motorcyclist does not have the outer protection surrounding him to prevent them from injury. Understanding insurance claims in Grand Prairie motorcycle accident cases and how it could affect your eligibility to recover compensation for damages is crucial. Discuss your case with an experienced motorcycle accident attorney.
Seeking an Insurance Plan
Motorcyclists should seek an insurance plan that ensures they have full replacement costs of their bike in the event that it is scuttled. They should have comprehensive coverage which pays for loss or damage caused by other elements rather than the collision itself, such as hail, weather damage, damage from animals, and theft.
Additionally, motorcyclists should look for personal injury protection (PIP), underinsured, and uninsured motorist coverage, especially when the other driver is at fault or does not have adequate insurance to cover their cost. The important thing is to choose the coverage they want but find a balance between that with a budget that they can afford.
The Minimum Responsibility Coverage For a Biker
The minimum amounts in Texas are 30,000 for bodily injury or death of one person in one crash. 60,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more persons in one crash, and 25,000 for damage to/or destruction of property of another in one crash.
Understanding Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Uninsured motorists (UM) coverage protects motorcyclists if they have been involved in a crash. This is for someone who does not have liability insurance or does not have enough liability insurance to pay for their damages. Often, the at-fault party is not insured at all, and even if they are, they have a minimum policy of $30,000 of bodily injury coverage.
If the driver does not have UM coverage and their medical bills exceed $30,000, then it is a sad situation. In catastrophic and death cases, if they do not have UM coverage, it could result in nothing or a minimum of $30,000.
What Is Underinsured Motorist Coverage?
The underinsured coverage (UIM) amount in Texas is $30,000. If somebody crashes into them, and their bills are more than $30,000, and they have UIM coverage, their UIM coverage would kick in and pay the rest up to their policy amount. It is extremely important to carry a good amount of UM and UIM coverage.
Excess or Umbrella Coverage
Excess or umbrella insurance is a form of insurance that complements their basic policies, such as their auto, home, and motorcycle coverage policies. An umbrella policy covers a much higher limit and goes above and beyond plans directly related to their home, auto, or motorcycle.
The main purpose is to protect them from unforeseen events such as a tragic accident in which they suffer serious damages or death. The umbrella coverage would step in and pay the damages. It provides additional coverage above their normal limits on their basic policies.
Umbrella coverage typically comes between one and five million dollars. The insurance carrier will typically require that they meet certain qualifications, which usually include having certain limits on their underlying policies.
What Is Considered Full Coverage?
The phrase full coverage should cease to be used when discussing insurance. Full coverage can mean a lot of different things. It is important to know exactly what is on a policy and what is covered because it can be too late after an accident. Full coverage to the claimant and full coverage to the other person may mean two different things. For example, the claimant might think full coverage includes rental.
Factors That May Influence a Person’s Insurance Rate
All the insurance premium for motorcycles is in large part based on the price of the motorcycle. But other factors that go into determining the premium are:
- Riding history
- Address where the motorcycle is housed
- The type of motorcycle
- Security features
- Any modifications done to the bike
A local attorney could review the claimant’s insurance plan and help determine if there are any factors that may increase their premium.
How Can Motorcycle Accidents Negatively Impact a Person’s Insurance Rates?
Motorcycle insurance works similar to vehicle insurance. If a motorcyclist is involved in a motorcycle accident and they’re at fault, then there is a possibility that their premium amount could increase. But if the crash wasn’t their fault, their insurance rate should remain the same.
Motorcycle policy may affect their auto policy if they are different policies. The best person to ask about insurance increases is going to be their agent. He or she is going to be familiar with the company’s policies and procedures as well as their individual policy.
Schedule a Consultation With a Motorcycle Accident Attorney Today
Motorcyclists should have as much UM and UIM coverage as they can afford because motorcycle accidents usually result in catastrophic injuries, if not, even death. And without much UM coverage, if a biker is involved in one of those horrific accidents, then there may not be much money left for them to collect. Understanding insurance claims in Grand Prairie motorcycle accident cases is extremely important. Call a motorcycle accident attorney today to discuss the various types of insurance claims and policies for motorcyclists.