Owning and riding motorcycles can be fun and exhilarating, but there is risk that comes with the sport. Anyone who gets on a motorcycle assumes a certain amount of physical risk, and they also accept the financial risk that can accompany an accident. Motorcycle insurance policies don’t alleviate any of the physical risk, but they can help protect riders in Massachusetts from some of the financial risks that they accept.
Motorcycle insurance is similar to car insurance, except that it’s adapted to suit the unique needs of riders. Most motorcycle policies offer a combination of coverages that work together creating a web of protections.
As is the case with most insurance policies, the exact coverages offered by motorcycle policies can vary. Nonetheless, there are a number of protections that many policies make available as either standard or optional coverages. Some of these include:
This is just a small sampling of the many different coverages that motorcycle policies often can have in their protections.
Most residents of Massachusetts who own and/or operate a motorcycle ought to have a motorcycle policy. Vehicle operators in Massachusetts, including operators of motorcycles, usually are required by state law to at least have insurance coverage that meets the state’s minimum requirements. Many riders choose to purchase policies that have additional coverages because the minimum requirements offer only basic protection.
Again like other insurance policies, the costs of motorcycle policies varies. Some of the factors that insurers consider when calculating premiums include:
Riders sometimes want to cancel their motorcycle coverage when they put their bike away for winter. Canceling coverage for the non-riding season, however, is usually not wise.
A canceled policy leaves a bike uninsured until a different policy is chosen. During this time, the bike likely won’t be covered if it’s damaged while in storage. Additionally, insurers might charge higher premiums in the future because there was a coverage gap.
Instead of canceling coverage altogether, riders may be better off reducing their coverage when not riding their bike for an extended period of time. An experienced insurance agent can review coverage options with riders and help them select the most affordable one that still provides the protections their bike needs.
Comparing quotes for motorcycle policies should be done with care, and the person doing the comparison should be familiar with the coverages that these policies typically offer.
For help going through the process of requesting and comparing quotes, contact the experienced Massachusetts insurance agents at Haberman Insurance Group. Our agents have helped many riders find the motorcycle insurance policy they need, and we’re an independent agency so our team is free to compare quotes from multiple insurers in the state.
