What Is Motorcycle Collision Insurance?

In addition to causing serious personal injuries, a motorcycle accident might involve significant damage to the rider’s bike. In Massachusetts, motorcyclists must carry insurance with the same minimum liability and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage amounts as other drivers. However, insurers do not have to provide personal injury protection (PIP) coverage to cyclists under Mass. 211 C.M.R. 3.00. Basic motorcycle insurance also doesn’t cover damage to the owner’s bike, but there are optional coverages available to motorcyclists, including motorcycle collision coverage. So, what is motorcycle collision insurance? And what does it cover?

Motorcycle Insurance Coverage Available in Massachusetts

What is motorcycle collision insurance? Before we answer that question, it’s important to understand all of the available coverages for motorcyclists in Massachusetts, including all the following:

• Comprehensive coverage: This insurance compensates you if your motorcycle is lost or damaged because of theft, fire, wind, vandalism, hail, or another covered event.
• Collision coverage: What is motorcycle collision insurance? It compensates you for damage caused by crashing into another car or object with your bike.
• Liability coverage: This pays for bodily injury and property damage you cause to others after crashing your bike into a vehicle or object. However, it doesn’t cover damage to your bike or your injuries.
• UM/UIM coverage: This compensates you if another motorist causes your accident and doesn’t have insurance or is insufficiently insured to cover your losses.
• Passenger liability coverage: This coverage compensates your passenger for injuries that occur when you’re involved in a motorcycle accident.
• Custom motorcycle parts coverage: This compensates you for expensive components you add to your bike when customizing it. These items aren’t covered by collision coverage.

Does Massachusetts Require Motorcycle Collision Insurance?

Motorcycle collision coverage is not required in Massachusetts. However, if you have a lease or loan for your bike, your lender might require it. Purchasing collision coverage as optional coverage is a good idea if you own your bike outright because the minimum liability and UM/UIM insurance coverage won’t pay for damage to your bike.

How Motorcycle Collision Insurance Works

Motorcycle collision insurance will compensate you for damage to your motorcycle regardless of fault for the following types of covered events:

• Crashes with objects
• Collisions into the road (bike drops)
• Hit-and-run collisions
• Crashes with other motor vehicles, including parked cars

If the insurance company declares your bike to be a total loss, it will pay your motorcycle’s fair market value (FMV) to you after subtracting your deductible.

Collision coverage comes with a deductible you choose when you purchase your policy. Higher deductibles cost less while lower deductibles cost more. When you choose a motorcycle collision policy, choose a deductible you can afford to pay if your bike is damaged in a crash.

Non-Covered Events

Motorcycle collision coverage won’t cover all types of damage for incidents beyond your control, including the following:

• Theft
• Fire
• Vandalism
• Striking an animal
• Wind
• Hail

To obtain coverage for these types of incidents, you’ll need to add motorcycle comprehensive insurance.

Custom Parts Coverage and Collision Insurance

When an insurer calculates your bike’s fair market value, it won’t account for the value of custom parts. To receive compensation for the added value achieved through customization, you’ll have to purchase motorcycle custom parts coverage separately from your collision insurance.

Cost vs. Benefits of Motorcycle Collision Insurance

Collision insurance is additional coverage in Massachusetts that’s not required by the state, but your lender may require you to have it if you are paying for your bike through a loan or lease. However, if you own your bike outright, you’ll need to consider the cost of adding this coverage vs. the benefits it can provide. Think about your budget and whether you can handle paying a little more for coverage each month. Then, choose a deductible you can comfortably afford if your bike is damaged in a collision.

Talk to Ellis & Associates

Making sure you have enough motorcycle insurance coverage to protect you in an accident is critical. If you have been injured in a motorcycle crash and have sustained damage to your bike, the attorneys at Ellis & Associates can review your case and identify all potential recovery sources. Contact us for a free consultation today by calling 800-MR-ELLIS or sending us a message online.