Thousands of adults in Connecticut have motorcycles either as their primary form of transportation or as a secondary vehicle. Whether you ride your motorcycle to work every day when the weather is good or only take it out for a weekend cruise, safety should always be your top priority.
Motorcycle riders need to be very attentive and have appropriate skills to safely maneuver in dangerous traffic conditions. Beyond that, they also need to carry some insurance. If you only purchase what the state requires to keep your costs low, you may realize after a collision that you don’t have adequate coverage.
It may be time to review your insurance policy
Connecticut requires basic liability coverage from everyone who owns a motor vehicle, including those who ride motorcycles. You should have at least $10,000 in property damage liability coverage. You also have to carry bodily injury liability coverage in case you hurt someone if you cause a crash. Connecticut requires a minimum of $20,000 in coverage if you hurt one person and $40,000 of coverage for a single incident regardless of how many people get hurt.
That coverage does very little to protect you personally. You may want to add uninsured or underinsured motorist protection or collision coverage to your policy. Such protection will be important, as motorcycle crashes may be expensive for you.
Your policy can create a second layer of financial protection. When the other driver is to blame for the crash, their liability policy should pay for some of your expenses. However, especially if you suffer significant injuries, their coverage might not be enough. Adding more protection to your own policy can make a massive difference if you will go weeks without income because someone else ran a red light.
What about riders hurt without adequate coverage?
Some people will only realize that the minimum motorcycle insurance is too low after they get hurt on the Connecticut roads. For those injured in a collision caused by someone else, there may be an option of pursuing a personal injury lawsuit against another driver or a business with liability for the collision.
Understanding the kinds of protection available after a motorcycle crash will help you minimize your risks and protect yourself financially.