A company called Bikesure is now offering motorcycle insurance coverage on motorcycles outfitted with a nitrous oxide system (NOS), even with the system connected and working.

The problem has been that no insurer would cover a NOS-powered customised bike on the road, unless you disconnect the system. "Which is a bit useless really," points out Robert Balls of Bikesure. "Our sister company, Flux, already insured cars with NOS for road use, so we decided to create a scheme that would do the same for bikers. As far as we know, we're the only bike insurance specialist that offers NOS cover for road use."

Labels: Motorcycle Insurance, Nitrous Oxide

Perhaps a social commentary in itself, Markel American Insurance Company is now offering funeral coverage as an option to their motorcycle insurance policies.

The company quotes motorcycle fatality statistics from the National National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) showing rider deaths are on the rise. They're offering funeral coverage as a way to ease the financial burden faced by surviving families.

The coverage provides up to $5,000 for funeral expenses associated with a motorcycle accident that results in the death of the named insured or resident relative while operating or occupying the insured motorcycle.

While I'm not an insurance expert, this is the first I've seen a motorcycle policy offer funeral coverage.

Read the press release.

Labels: Funeral, Motorcycle Insurance

I rode my motorcycle for the time since the accident over two months ago.

The motorcycle I'm referring to is the Yamaha Road Star, not the Harley Ultra Classic that I wrecked. It felt good to be riding again.

As for the wrist, no problems really. The kidney feels just fine.

More good news is that my insurance company called me last Friday to tell me that they're mailing the check to me. It should've gone out this afternoon. I want to give another plug to Foremost Insurance, which is actually a part of Farmer's Insurance, for making the whole claims process run smoothly and quickly. The adjuster handling my claim actually got on the phone with Harley about getting the title sent to me, just so they could this claim expedited.

It's one thing about getting the lowest insurance premiums, but it's a whole different story on getting great claims handling.

Labels: Motorcycle Insurance

While I'm still recovering from the motorcycle accident of last January, things are healing up.

The kidney seems to be feeling better, at least it doesn't get sore as often. My doctor says the last urinalysis results came back great.

The wrist is still healing. About 5 weeks ago an orthopedic surgeon put a couple of pins in there to hold the fracture closed. I was in a long-arm cast for about 4 weeks, and then just last week they put me in a short-arm cast. I have to wear this for another week and a half, and should be cast-free.

The regular doctor put me on all kinds of vitamins to help with the healing both bones and internal organs. I was anemic for awhile, and I guess I was slightly diabetic, and even my liver function was down. He said traumatic events can do things like this. The good news is that my internals are back to firing on both pistons, and all gauges look normal.

More good news. My insurance company is paying me just about full price on the bike. I paid $21,227 for the 2005 Harley Ultra Classic, and they're paying me $20,977 ($50.00 less in value, minus $200.00 deductible). So, I'm getting just about everything back. Foremost Insurance is the company. Only thing is that I can't get the money until I send Foremost the title, and I still haven't received the title!

I can't wait to get back to riding. All my friends are riding, and I wish I was with them.

Today, I bought a new helmet. Yeah, I'm still wearing a half-helmet.

Labels: Motorcycle Injuries, Motorcycle Insurance

The Motorcycle Action Group published a warning on its website to all motorcycle owners in Great Britain that the government plans to go after you even if you're not operating your motorcycle.

The law will allow police to get access to insurance company records so that they can compare them to motorcycles parked in driveways and in garages to see if any of them are uninsured.

This is a total invasion of privacy. Instead of keeping the peace, the police are being used to shake money out of good people. It's kinda like the modern day version of the King's (or the Queens's) tax collectors knocking on your door and raiding what valuables you've got. I'm just glad I don't live there!

Labels: Motorcycle Insurance, UK Motorcycle News

An interesting twist in the legal battles over denied insurance claims was reported by the Metropolitan News Company today, regarding under-insured motorist coverage, presumably in the State of California. I say "presumably" because the article doesn't specifically mention what State this dealt with.

But the Fourth District Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that automobile insurers cannot deny uninsured motorist coverage, and under-insured motorist coverage, when the policy holder operates a vehicle with less than four wheels.

The case involved a San Diego police officer who suffered an injury while riding his police motorcycle, when we was struck by another driver. The other driver had liability coverage, but only up to a maximum of $15,000.00. The officer's personal policy had under-insured coverage for up $30,000.00, but claimed that because he was riding a motorcycle, the benefits did not apply.

The officer sued the insurance company, but lost. However when he appealed to the Fourth District Court of Appeals, he won.

The winning argument was that the exclusion violates Insurance Code Sec. 11580.2, which mandates that all motor vehicle policies written in the state (I assume California) include UM and UIM coverage unless waived by both the insured and insurer in writing and in the manner specified by the code section.

However, the article goes on to note that this piece of code does not extend to policy holder's liability coverage, only UM and UIM coverage.

So, it seems that if you have already have UM and/or UIM coverage through your automobile insurance, you may not have to get UM and UIM coverage on your motorcycle insurance policy. But check your State's insurance laws first. (Like you'll really do that anyways!)

Labels: Motorcycle Insurance, Motorcycle Lawsuits