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Monday, November 14, 2011

Control the Cost of Motorcycle Insurance

By Tad Hamlin


Fuel prices have us all evaluating our driving habits. They've been steadily rising again since they fell from the shocking highs of over $4 a gallon. Prices are now in the $3 plus range. Because it's not the worst we've ever seen, it doesn't appear as bad as before. But it's more costly that you ever thought it would be when you bought a car as your main transportation. So you've finally had enough, and you bought a motorcycle. Good for you! Unfortunately there's another problem ahead; the cost of insurance for your motorcycle.

There are a couple of reasons that motorcycle insurance is so expensive. First, motorcycles are involved in a lot of accidents, simply because they're difficult for other drivers to see. Although the other driver may be at fault too, if you are partially responsible for an accident, your insurance has to pay. They also pay if the other driver is uninsured or underinsured, if you purchase that coverage. Fair or not, the insurance companies take this into consideration in their pricing.

Motorcycle accidents are also more likely to involve significant bodily injury claims. Because of the almost limitless amount of such a claim, this increases premiums. You can help reduce this danger by driving carefully, or not driving your motorcycle when conditions are dangerous. Motorcycles are more affected than cars by weather factors like fog, wind and rain. Those are good days to drive a car or find another means of transportation. Make sure that you and any passengers always wear a helmet when riding.

Lastly, insurance companies base their rates on statistics. If the odds of a claim or the average dollar amount of a claim are high for the particular type of vehicle that you drive (or ride), your premiums will be higher. This helps insurance companies account for all kinds of things that they can't identify, from hot-dogging drivers to vehicles with safety problems. When you're comparing insurance quotes, get prices with a few different models of motorcycles. If the price difference is significant enough, it might change your mind about what type of motor bike to get.

How do you keep insurance premiums from cutting into your gas savings? First, be a low risk driver. Make sure you drive safely all the time. Drive defensively. Avoiding accidents - whether they would have been your fault or not - is smart, and not just from an insurance perspective. Second, compare motorcycle insurance prices. Don't just assume that all insurance companies charge similar prices. They don't. Contact at least three companies and get quotes for the coverage you want for your bike with your driving record. It's so easy now that you can get quotes online. Yes, it still takes time, but it's worth it. This is not a one-time purchase. It's a major expense, year after year, and you probably don't price out every year. If you find a good insurance policy that saves you $500 a year, you'll save that much not just this year, but next year and the year after as well. Every couple years, it's probably a good idea to get one more quote in addition to the quote from your current company. Choose the better of the two for the upcoming year. That's a great way to get a good price with minimal effort on your part.




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