Have You Checked
Your Spare Tire Lately?
Automobile Insurance Coverage for
Bicycle Riders
David D. Daggett
Daggett Shuler, Attorneys At Law
Bicycle
riders tend to incur severe injuries and high medical expenses when involved in
an accident with a motor vehicle. Have you considered how you will pay your
medical expenses if you are injured in a bicycle accident? Even with the best
health insurance coverage, there is usually a deductible and/or a co-payment
that you will be responsible for paying.
Did you
know that your automobile insurance policy may provide additional coverage? So,
you may say that your children are the ones who ride bicycles; or, that you do
not personally have an auto or carry auto insurance. Yet, all automobile
policies issued in North Carolina provide coverage not only for the named
insured, but also your spouse, and any family members living in the same
household. Accordingly, almost all bicycle riders will have access to
automobile insurance coverage.
The
first type of auto insurance that may provide coverage for a bicyclist is
medical payments coverage. Med pay, as it is called, is optional coverage in
North Carolina that can be purchased in conjunction with your automobile
insurance policy. This coverage means your insurance company will reimburse
you, or any family member, for any injury sustained if you are hit by a motor
vehicle regardless of who was at fault. Medical payments coverage is generally
issued in amounts of $1,000, $2,000 or $5,000. This insurance is fairly
inexpensive, but you have to ask for it.
It is
also important as bicyclists to have uninsured and underinsured motorist
coverage to protect you in the event of an accident. Uninsured and underinsured
coverage is mandatory in conjunction with your liability coverage, unless you
sign a waiver. Uninsured coverage simply means that your insurance company will
pay if you get hit by an at-fault, uninsured vehicle. Underinsured coverage
provides additional insurance if the at-fault driver who hit you does not have
enough insurance.
In North Carolina, the minimum amount of
insurance coverage required is $30,000.00. Due to the cost of medical services
and the likelihood that severe injuries occur in a bicycle accident, $30,000.00
may not cover all of the medical expenses and other damages incurred. Accordingly, it is our opinion that
underinsured coverage is crucial coverage for bicyclists. Underinsured coverage
can now be purchased in excess of your primary liability coverage and in
amounts up to $1,000,000.00. Like medical payments coverage, this insurance is
relatively inexpensive.
And by
the way, what about your bike? Like many cyclists, you’re often more concerned
about your bike than yourself. And why
not, because we all know not all bikes are created equal. Fortunately, your automobile
insurance and homeowner’s insurance may protect your bike as well. Uninsured
motorist coverage will protect your bike when the uninsured motorist is
identified. Your homeowner’s coverage picks up where your auto coverage leaves
off to protect other situations where your bike is damaged in an auto accident.
Your homeowner’s coverage will go even further to protect your bike at
replacement cost against risks such as theft and vandalism.
Med
pay, uninsured, and underinsured coverage are very important when a bicyclist
is involved in an accident with a motor vehicle. Hopefully, you will never need
to use this coverage, but, like your spare tire, you will be thankful you have
it when the occasion arises.
Check your spare tire and make sure you are
covered should the need arise.
