Nothing feels better than cruising down a winding road on your motorcycle on the weekend. As all good motorcyclists know, the golden rule to having a good time riding is to put your safety first. You also need to ensure that others around you are safe as well.
Wearing a helmet and protective gear is the first step to being safe; the next step is to protect yourself in case of an accident. This is where motorcycle insurance comes to play both for the rider and others. So do you really need motorcycle insurance, especially if the motorbike is a rental? This question will be answered below.
Health Cover
Even with the required safety gear, there is a chance that you may get injured in an accident. If you get into an accident and you and other parties are injured, out-of-pocket costs can be hectic. You can check if your current health insurance provider covers motorbike accidents or get one with the renter. The primary insurance to get here is personal injury insurance.
The key feature to focus on here is who else is covered by the insurance. If you have a passenger rider, you need to include them in the insurance and never assume that they are covered if not stated so.
Always go the extra mile and get third-party insurance to cover anyone else involved in an accident that you cause. It lays better grounds not to get sued and saves you money in the hospital and legal fees.
Laws
It is always better to be on the right side of the law, and as a motorist, you must have insurance before taking the motorbike for a spin. Failure to have an insurance cover will result in fines and penalties.
It is important to note that most companies have an age limit regarding rentals. Legally, most companies will need the rider o to be twenty-one years old to be able to rent a motorcycle. Other companies require the rider to be at least twenty-five years old. This age limit is because the rider of the ages, as mentioned earlier, is legally an adult in most states. This means they can care for the motorbike as stated and understand the consequences of not doing so.
Towing
The open road is unpredictable, and you are not the only person using it. Towing is a service you may need if you get into an accident. If you are injured, you can't move the bike out of the way. Some bikes are also quite heavy to carry when mangled, even if you are not hurt. You will need towing services, which need to be covered by insurance.
Damage
The stress of an accident does not end on health matters only as you will also need to cater to any damage to the motorbike. Some motorcycle rentals will build the price of damage into the cost of renting. If the bike is in good shape upon return, the damage money is refunded to you.
Some of the damages that may occur can be a collision that affects you and the vehicle or property you've come into contact with. You will need collision insurance to cover any damages to cars or other motorcycles that you collide with.
Another great form of motorbike insurance is comprehensive insurance that covers damage when parked. Or if the motorbike is damaged by natural causes such as storms and floods.
Theft
When you rent a motorbike, the responsibility of keeping it safe rests with you until you return it. If you have it for some time, you will need to put measures in place to keep it secure. If the bike is stolen under your watch, you are liable to pay for a replacement. Motorbikes are not cheap, and when it is stolen, the financial burden, especially since it is unplanned for, can be overwhelming.
Statistics show that motorbikes are more likely to be stolen than cars, which is quite significant. It is, therefore, wise to get insurance for the rental bike in case of theft. The costs to replace it will be fully catered for by comprehensive or theft insurance.
Conclusion
Many argue about the importance of motorbike insurance, especially when it's a rental. The reasons stated above have demonstrated many benefits to this insurance and the demerits of not getting one.
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