Motorcycle Riders: Look Carefully at Your Insurance Coverage

Our unseasonably warm weather and early spring certainly has many motorcycle riders out early this year. All motorcyclists should carefully consider their insurance and review their coverage. It’s easy to think that the coverage someone has on their car will be similar to the coverage they have purchased for their motorcycle. However, this is not true in many respects. Under the Minnesota “No-Fault” Law, motorcycles are not defined as “motor vehicles.” Thus, motorcyclists have significantly fewer rights under the No-Fault Act than those who drive cars, trucks, SUVs, etc. Motorcyclists have to pay extra for optional benefits that are required in every automobile policy. For example, motorcyclists have to pay extra for medical expense, wage loss and other similar benefits. A recent Court of Appeals decision has shown another area where some insurance companies have included provisions in their policy that provide less coverage for the dollar than policies provided by other insurance companies. In Farmers Insurance Exchange vs. Eschen; Mike Brown paid for $100,000 in underinsured or UIM coverage for his motorcycle. He was tragically killed when he was hit by a car driven by Gary Arens. Mr. Arens had only $50,000 in coverage. If Mr. Brown had been driving or riding in a car, his family would have received $100,000 in…