Personal Injury Lawyer
When you’re in a bicycle crash, you may wonder where the compensation is going to come from. You now have medical bills to pay for, property damage to take care of, and a variety of other expenses resulting from your accident. Is there some type of insurance coverage for a situation like this? The following are some options to consider.
Homeowner’s and Renter’s Insurance
When you purchase homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, you are insuring everything that is considered your property. Your bike is your property, so if someone pulls into your driveway and runs it over, you have insurance coverage to replace it. What if your bike sustains damage off the premises? It is still considered your property and it is still covered, but there may be some limits that apply.
If you’re involved in a bicycle accident in which you were at fault, your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance will not cover to replace the bike. If you’re hit by a car while legally riding down the street, the insurance coverage would step in to replace your bike. Some homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policies even include no-fault medical coverage up to a certain limit.
Auto Insurance
In most bicycle accident cases, you’d receive compensation through yours or the responsible party’s auto insurance. If you are hit by someone, be sure you get their insurance information so you can contact the insurer and let them know of your intent to file a claim. If the accident is a hit-and-run, or if the driver is uninsured, you can lean on your own auto insurance. You probably have something called “uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.”
This is a protection to you if the other driver bails or is driving without proper protection. Some auto insurance policies also have something called “medpay,” which would be included in your own auto insurance policy, and is something you might be able to use. This type of coverage often caps at a certain amount, so you should speak with your insurer to find out.
Bicycle Insurance
If your bike is valued over $1,000, you might want to get insurance just for your bike. Whether you’re at home, on the road, or have the bike chained up somewhere, bicycle insurance will pay for the full value of your bike if it’s destroyed.
Contacting a Lawyer
Bicycle accidents can cause a host of issues, but you do have some options when it comes to insurance.
