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Motorcycle Insurance in Texas: How Does It Work?

Posted by Tri-Star Insurance in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX on Apr 07, 2008

Now that the perfect riding weather has arrived, it’s time to get your motorcycle out on the highway and enjoy the natural rugged landscape of Texas and the surrounding areas. You may be wondering if you should insure your motorcycle and if so, what kind of insurance you should consider. Also, there may be some doubt as to whether or not motorcycle insurance is even required in the state of Texas. You need someone you can trust to help you to make an informed decision, and Tri-Star Insurance in Plano is here to show you your Texas motorcycle insurance options. Enjoy the freedom of the road, knowing that you’re covered!

At Tri-Star Insurance, we believe that insuring your motorcycle is extremely important in that it’s not only the peace of mind you need should anything happen to your bike, but it’s a good investment to protect your assets in the event of a major occurrence.

Texas motorcyclists must have insurance to operate their bikes on public roads and highways. Without it, they not only risk being ticketed, but will be liable for any bodily injury or property damage if an accident occurs when they are at fault.

Let’s take a further look at two popular types of insurance for motorcycles.

COLLISION:

Collision insurance covers damage to your motorcycle in the unfortunate event of an accident. When you purchase collision insurance, your insurance company pays for damages, minus your deductible if you should ever collide with another vehicle or object. Collision insurance usually covers the book value of the motorcycle before the loss occurred.

LIABILITY:

It’s not something we like to discuss, but an even more ominous thought than damaging your bike is incurring or causing damage to someone else, and risking your assets against a lawsuit. Having motorcycle liability insurance is the security you need when it comes to coverage of bodily injury and property damage when you are at fault. As opposed to collision insurance, it doesn't cover you or your motorcycle. An important consideration is whether or not your motorcycle insurance plan will include guest passenger liability, which provides protection in the event that a passenger is injured on the cycle.

Next, we’ve put together some valuable tips for bikers from motorcycle expert Kenneth Cheek:

Keep Your Bike Secure: What can you do to keep your bike more secure? If you can garage your bike, alarm it, or secure it somehow while it is parked, you may be able to secure yourself some discounts on your insurance.
Find a Plan That Is Right For You: Remember, if something happens to your motorcycle, you will only receive the market value so over insuring will not help you get a higher price for your bike.
Tracking Your Mileage Saves Money: If you only ride your bike once in a while during the summer for pleasure, you should be able to get a better rate if you can keep your mileage low. Also, if you do not carry passengers, this can lower your rate as well.
Special Motorcycle Training: Taking special DMV or other motorcycle classes can help decrease your rate. Just make sure you keep your certification documents handy in your records.
Provide Honest Information: Falsifying information is not only unethical, but it may lead to your coverage being dropped or a claim not being processed. Be sure to stay above board when providing information about yourself and your bike!

Remember, don’t just depend on the cyclist or salesperson who sold you the motorcycle to give you the most accurate and up to date information about an insurance plan. Call today for a free quote from Tri-Star Insurance. We are standing on ready to provide friendly service, great quotes, and set you off on the highway ready to ride!