Riding a motorcycle is a fun activity. You feel the speed and the wind that gives you the adrenaline rush. But this joy can also turn into a disaster because motorcycles are more prone to accidents. If you are riding a motorcycle without insurance, this disaster can become even bigger.
It’s never advisable to ride a motorcycle without insurance. An insurance policy will not prevent the disaster but it will definitely cover you for major financial loss.
Read this guide to know the ins and outs of Motorcycle riding without insurance.
Is It Legal To Ride A Motorcycle Without Insurance?
Many people consider Motorcycles as a dangerous machines. It’s how people ride this machine that makes it dangerous.
A motorcycle does not have enhanced protective features like a car. They don’t have seat belts, airbags, etc. This is why motorcyclists often get injured compared to four-wheelers.
According to NHTSA, motorcycle riders are 5 times more prone to accidents compared to car drivers.
This makes motorcycle insurance necessary and mandatory.
In fact, it’s illegal to ride a motorcycle in most US states without a motorcycle insurance policy. Motorcycles are expensive and their chances of getting damaged are also high.
This is why most states made motorcycle insurance a legal requirement to ride a motorcycle to help protect you financially in case an accident happens.
If you don’t have motorcycle insurance, you can’t go on a ride except in 3 US states.
Florida, Montana, and Washington don’t have laws that make motorcycle insurance mandatory.
But the residents of these states should definitely get a policy before riding a motorbike.
What Are The Legal Consequences Of Riding A Motorcycle Without Insurance?
If you don’t have a motorcycle insurance policy, you might face legal consequences.
A policeman can check your number plate in their database that will tell them that if you possess a policy or not.
Once you get caught, many things can happen depending on your state laws where you live, and the magnitude of your previous violations. Here are some examples.
- Generally, you will get a ticket whose amount can be anywhere between $100-$5,000. This amount is pretty huge and you would be paying less insurance premium compared to this in a year.
- The police officer can also suspend or revoke your license. This also depends on the officer and the laws of the state where you live. You may require to pay some fees to activate your license again.
- Your motorcycle can be confiscated or towed at your expense. This is not frequent but the police have every right to do this. Here also, you will need to pay certain fees to get your motorcycle back.
- You can also be arrested. This is the worst-case scenario but possible.
What Are The Financial Consequences Of Riding A Motorcycle Without Insurance?
As stated above, motorcycle insurance is required in most states, but it’s still optional in 3 states.
Does that mean the residents of those states should roam on their motorcycles without insurance?
Absolutely not!
Let’s forget the legal consequences as it’s not mandatory in some states and talk only about the financial consequences of riding a motorcycle without insurance in case an accident happens.
Suppose your motorcycle collides with a car due to your mistake, you will be legally liable to pay for the damages caused to your car that could be thousands of dollars.
Other than this, you will be required to pay the medical bills for the treatment of any injury caused to the people in the car.
And this is not it!
If the other party sues you for this, you will also have to spend thousands of dollars more to fight in the court.
Wait, it’s still not it!
All the above-mentioned expenses were for the other party. Now it’s time to pay for the repairs for the damages caused to your motorbike and for your medical treatment for the injuries you sustained.
Now you can imagine the huge loss you would face in the absence of a motorcycle insurance policy.
This is the reason you should always have a policy to cover you from such huge losses and protect you financially.
What Are Some Common Motorcycle Insurance Requirements?
When you ride a motorbike, you are not the only one at risk, but you also pose risks to others.
This is the reason most states make it mandatory for bikers to carry motorcycle liability insurance. This helps in repaying for the losses caused to the other party if you were responsible to cause the damage.
Here are some common motorcycle insurance requirements:
- Bodily injury liability coverage – If someone gets injured due to your fault, this coverage pays the medical bills for the treatment of the person.
- Property damage liability coverage – This coverage pays for the losses caused to someone’s property. If you damaged the other party’s vehicle, this coverage will pay for the repairing cost of the vehicle.
- Uninsured and underinsured coverage – This coverage pays for the damages caused to your motorcycle if someone without necessary liability coverage collides with you. This coverage ensures that you don’t have to depend on the other person to pay for your losses.
- Personal injury protection – This coverage helps you to pay for the medical bills for the treatment of the injuries caused to you and the other passenger after an accident.
Last Words
Riding a motorcycle without insurance is never advisable. You will be at a great risk considering the legal and financial consequences if you ride without insurance.
Even if it’s optional, you should always carry an insurance policy to financially protect yourself and others.
Riding is fun. So don’t let any disaster spoil this fun and your peace of mind while riding.
