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Insurance Article
Okay Riders, Heads up. Today is your lucky day; old Dano is going to give
you a lesson on Florida’s Motorcycle Insurance law. Hold on now…
before you click the page getting to the next article, I’m also going to
tell you how to save some of those hard earned bucks and keep them in your
pocket instead of giving them to some insurance company. Since writing
this column from the beginning, expounding on mainly worthless stuff I
dream up while cruising to the next wet-t contest, I’m going to do you a
favor and give you some info that indeed has value and can definitely save
you hundreds of dollars.
First I must humbly admit that I am
sort of an insurance expert. Actually, I’m married to an insurance
expert, the "famous Cindy". She has been saving folks big bucks
for over thirty years because of her good nature and her desire to be kind
to folks. I often kid about being married to "Betty Crocker" but
truthfully, she is one of the kindest women on earth and has a desire to
give her customers great service along with the best prices. I have been
reluctant to let this secret out because I didn’t want to seem to be
self serving, but a friend reminded me that "if you found this
insurance pro (a stranger) out there saving riders tons of money you would
race to the laptop to turn on the motorcycling community to this wonderful
opportunity to save". Guilty as charged, AGAIN. So I’m honking my
own horn a bit and saving riders hundreds. Ok enough with the
testimonials, disclosures, and shameless capitalism, let’s get to the
lesson.
Question, Do I have to buy insurance on my motorcycle?
Well the answer to that question is yes and also no. In Florida, when you
buy a tag for your automobile, you are required to have your insurance
card proving you have PIP/PD insurance (Personal Injury Protection and
Property Damage) Ok, but the problem is motorcycles don’t have PIP so
the answer to the first part of the question is no, you do not need
motorcycle insurance to purchase a tag for your scoot. Good, no insurance,
right? Hold on… crankcase breath. You are correct when you say you
don’t need to have coverage when you purchase your tag but when that
dreaded day comes when you have a mishap; the answer changes dramatically
to "Yes" you do in fact need to be covered. In the event you
have an accident, and you are at fault, you fall under the Florida Statute
called the Financial Responsibility Law (Statute FS 324) This law
basically says that, if you are at fault in an accident, you are required
to post a cash bond of $25,000 within 72 hours after the accident if you
do not have liability insurance (insurance on the other guy (bodily
injury) and his property (property damage). The bottom line is you do in
fact need to be insured in case you are at fault in an accident. Don’t
be fooled by the no PIP on motorcycles part of no/fault law in Florida.
You are responsible for property you damage and the people that you injure
while you are riding your motorcycle. If you have assets and don’t want
to lose them, protect yourself and your family by being covered.
Helmet Insurance: For those of you wondering about not wearing a helmet,
you need $10,000 coverage to pay for treatment of injuries that may result
from a motorcycle crash. If you have $10,000 medical coverage from your
employer, this covers you (unless there is a stated exception in the
coverage). Carry your insurance card for your medical and you're ok with
"john law". All riders under 21 need to always wear a helmet. No
excuses! Your insurance on your bike or someone you hit really has nothing
to do with the helmet issue. The coverage the state is concerned with is
on your body and the injuries you may incur and the medical treatment you
may need. If you have good medical insurance you may be wasting money
purchasing additional med pay from your Property and Casualty
agent. Many motorcyclists over pay because they don't understand
how the helmet part of the insurance works. Some agents, not familiar with
motorcycle insurance laws, may sell you more coverage than you need.
Now, having given you the straight scoop on the need for insurance
coverage, let’s get to the self serving part of the story, calling
Cindy.
Background: A couple of years ago some insurance gurus in New York found
out about this insurance pro in Florida who happened to be a 30-year biker
and knew a little about the motorcycle community in Florida. The gurus
came to Florida…ate….. drank….ate…drank….drank… They
interviewed Cindy, Cindy interviewed them. Dano drank. They got to know
each other after a couple of visits and the Gurus decided to let Cindy
bring their wonderful insurance program to Florida. The rest, as they say,
is history. Cindy has taken this A+ program around the state, many times
saving riders 25 to 30 percent on insurance premiums for their
motorcycles. Cindy only serves the motorcycle community now. She no longer
sells auto or homeowner policies. She is dealing with the folks she enjoys
most, the motorcycle enthusiasts.
So… if it’s that time of the year
when you're shopping for insurance, do yourself a favor, call Cindy. I
promise she is one insurance agent who knows what all of those letters
mean on your Harley. That “Fltcsi…eieio” stuff that confuses the
average agent. Who knows, maybe she can save you a couple hundred dollars.
And if you do buy her insurance, I promise to shamelessly help Cindy spend
her commission.
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