Motorcyclists and Insurance Coverage in Virginia

If you are a motorcyclist, it’s important that you get good insurance coverage. Typically, injuries sustained in a riding accident are worse than those experienced by motorists. We hope you are never in a crash, but if you are, you will need to recover the most.

Many people are oblivious to insurance issues. It means they can fail to get the best coverage for them in the event of an accident. Many people don’t think they’ll ever be in an accident. In recent years we have seen more older riders on powerful machines as Harleys become more popular with the baby boomer generation.

In fact, you are likely to be involved in an accident once every 17.9 years, according to a study in Forbes.

Here are some important insurance terms from our book What You Need to Know About Motorcycle Accidents in Virginia.

Liability

Liability protects the person who causes the wreck and pays for damages caused by the wreck up to the policy limits.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, which is required on all Virginia automobile policies unless expressly waived in writing, is a key protection that most people don’t think about. Uninsured motorist coverage covers you when you are hit by another vehicle that doesn’t have any insurance at all. It also comes into play if the person who hit you has less insurance coverage than you have.

In those situations your insurance steps in the shoes of the driver who does not carry insurance and covers you for your injuries.  Other situations involve hit‑and-run drivers or any situation where the other driver’s insurance is unknown.  A lot of hit‑and-run accidents are caused by drunk or drugged drivers who flee the scene knowing that they will get in a lot of trouble if they wait for the police to arrive, even though they are committing a further crime by leaving the scene of an accident.

In this case, you are dealing with your own insurance company and they are opposed to you just as if it was the other driver’s insurance.  Don’t be fooled into thinking that they are on your side or looking out for your interests even though it’s your same insurance carrier.

Medical Payments Coverage

Medical payments coverage is also known as medical expense coverage or medical expense coverage. It’s an optional coverage on car or motorcycle insurance that allows for the payment of medical bills when you are injured in a motorcycle accident regardless of fault. The optional coverage allows for payment of medical bills when you are injured in a motorcycle accident, regardless of fault.

You paid for this coverage so you should use it. You should be aware that medical payments coverage applies even if you have health insurance that also covers your medical bills. Many people are unaware that they have this coverage and never inquire about possible reimbursement of their medical bills. When you use med pay, the insurance company of the driver who hit you remains responsible for the full amount of the bills as if you didn’t have this coverage.

If you have been hurt in a motorcycle crash or any other kind of wreck, please don’t hesitate to call our car accident injury lawyers in Virginia or North Carolina. Call at (757) 333-3333 or contact us here.