scooter insurance/

[ryandood]

As you may know I'm a prospective buyer of a 125. I just had a couple questions about insurance as far as providers and prices. I got a quote that was attached to my parent's policy and it was only $15 a month for full coverage but my parents want me to have my own policy that isn't at all connected to theirs (they hate the idea of a scooter/motorcycle). I was just wondering which companies were good/bad for scooter insurance and perhaps how much it would be. I know that it varies on what kind of policy I get but I was just looking for a very general response. Thank yous.

[str8dum]

progressive wants $260 a year to insure mine along with my 2 sports cars. I dont have the best driving record (but i am under 25 points now, damn accelerator) so you migth get a better deal. this year i am going to do it bc i have about 5000$ in parts on it over the price of the scooter. hate for that "walk " away.

[fleurette]

I pay 139$ a year, with 2 millions liability coverage, market value payout if theft, crah, fire, etc (although terrorism is not covered)... and a 45$ franchise.

94$ of that amount goes for the "stolen/lost" clause.

Have a sports car listed with that company though.
And it just went up from 89$, because I had my previous BWS stolen in december.

note that those figures are for a Montreal "market" and in canadian dollars.

[waterinthefuel]

I use progressive. 75 bucks a year, and its an independent policy.

[zgraphic]

I use progressive as well, about $370 a year but I went with a TON of liability and personal injury/casualty on mine. In some states you can get a discount for taking a Motorcycle safety course as well as only taking the written test at the DMV. At the outset it may sound like a waste of time to go and spend a couple of days with people who tell you how to go and how to stop, seems simple enough I know, but it helped me since I had never ridden and there were several folks who were old-timers who just took the class as a refresher (these included a retired motorcycle cop). Bottom line is to make sure you get enough coverage so if someone else squishes you on the road you have a good safety net.

[ScooterLibby]

I have Progressive also. The coverages you buy will greatly affect your rate, as well as your location, credit, driving history and age/sex. For instance, there's no way Water is getting full coverage for $75/year. $75/yr will get you minimum liability and maybe medical only. I have good credit, a spotless record, and I'm a 29-year old married male in Atlanta and my premium for everything except collision is about $350 a year. Comprehensive (theft/fire/hail, etc.) coverage was by far the most expensive component at over $200/yr just for that part. I guess bikes get stolen a LOT in Atlanta. I suggest you at least get liability, medical and uninsured motorist (covers your loss if you get hit by a dude with no insurance) which would cost a lot less... just make sure your scoot doesn't get stolen if you go that route... it'll cost less :).

[rydah]

i pay 135 a year for full coverage for my typhoon and that includes liability for my other typhoon.

[Scoot Lord]

i pay 132 a year for mine. Its through BROS CLUB?? Its the harley one. I even get invites to go on rides with them its funny.

[617zuma]

i pay 0 (zero) in insurance and 40. for two years of registration. but that is because my 02 zuma "is capable of a maximum speed of not more than 30 mph" and of course i wouldn't operate it "at a speed greater than 25 mph". and i love this part: no license plate=no parking tickets. boston cops and meter maids are ok with me so far !

[rydah]

in hawaii mopeds dont have to have insurance so my 3 mopeds dont need it but my typhoons do because they are scooters. kinda stupid because the typhoons are still 50cc just like the mopeds i have.

[OldGuy]

albeit rarely used. Anyway I posted my insurance travails here: http://www.provoscooter.com/vbull/showthread.php?t=8466

OldGuy

[sooznd]

I have a Progressive Insurance & pay $186/year for my Vino 125 with $75 dedcuctible includes full coverage, theft , roadside assistance & medical

or a total of $344 for our 3 scooters.--- the 2 Honda 50 cc scooters are $81 & $ 77 per year.

[waterinthefuel]

Zgraphic, I am a college grad in insurance and risk management. I don't understand the reason for having alot of personal injury/liability insurance on a scooter. You are 229lbs dry, plus your weight. You can't do much damage with your Vino, I don't care how hard you try. And if you hit that hard, you won't need personal injury insurance, just a pine box and a black hatchback. You're only going to hurt yourself if you get in an accident unless you hit a pedestrian, which is a slim chance at best and you'll both go down hard anyway. It won't be like hitting him with a car, so carrying all that insurance on such a small bike is a waste IMHO, but the insurance companies love you, thats for sure.

No amount of insurance will save you from a lawsuit if you hit someone, so having a huge policy is useless. Since that is really the only way to kill someone on a scooter, your actual risk to the public is low. Lawsuit limits don't exist, so as long as your policy has a limit, it's nothing compared to a lawsuit.

You most certainly don't want to carry collision insurance on it, as it would only cost a couple hundred to replace just about every external part, and if the wreck was that bad just total it and get a new one.

Just my opinion.

[vino'n'ukes]

So... if you pull out of a side street right in front of a car bearing a family of five which swerves off the road to keep from T-boning you and hits a tree... that high liability limit won't come in handy?!? You would certainly be liable, and I would think any ethical person would not want any survivors to have to sue the pants off you to get the compensation they deserve.

MY humble opinion...

[Blackbeard]

My insurance agent's daughter was driving her beater car home for the weekend from college. Mom (my insurance agent), told her, if she's going to drive it, she's going to carry full coverage on it, at least until she (daughter) paid her (Mom) back for the car. Her coverages on the car were 100/300/100.

While she was driving home on the highway, she became distracted at 75-mph, while switching CD's in her player. She inadvertently sideswiped a new Toyota Sequoia SUV (still had the Temp-Tags on it), with a family of four inside, sending the rig off the road into a ditch, where it flipped over. Injuries to the occupants? YOU BETCHA! My agent's daughter wasn't hurt, fortunately, but the folks in the Sequoia weren't as fortunate. Lots of hospital time to look forward to.

Did "SHE" need insurance in this case? OHHHHHHH YEAHHHHHHHHH!

Cheers!

BB

[OldGuy]

I did let this thought "cook" overnight before entering this post.

So... if you pull out of a side street right in front of a car bearing a family of five which swerves off the road to keep from T-boning you and hits a tree... that high liability limit won't come in handy?!? You would certainly be liable, and I would think any ethical person would not want any survivors to have to sue the pants off you to get the compensation they deserve.

MY humble opinion...

So in your (ethical) opinion, because of the possibility of the afore mentioned scenario everyone should carry a minimum of ten million dollars (US) in liability insurance? What about if you make a wrong turn, end up on a runway and cause an airliner to crash? ..pray..

Do you work for an insurance company?
OldGuy

[waterinthefuel]

Blackbeard, your post proves my point exactly. Try sideswiping an SUV with your Vino. You'd be lucky if they even knew you hit them. Also, what is there to distract you while riding? Last time I checked, on a motorcycle, you should be doing nothing but concentrating on driving. No cell phones, no radios, nothing. I know mine doesn't have any accessories on the handlebars except a windshield. There is a reason for that.

I didn't say not to carry decent limits on your car, I said on your SCOOTER!!

Vinoukes, they are responsible for where they drive the car. If they put it in the ditch it's their problem. It's going to be hard to prove they were trying to avoid you. All you have to say is that they wouldn't have hit you, that you were accelerating away, and that case will fall apart in court. Anybody can drive into a tree saying they were avoiding anybody, that almost sounds like fraud. If you're a good driver you won't pull out in front of a car anyway. I know I haven't ever done that, in over 10 years of driving. My parents have never done that, with almost 70 years of driving between them.

Good driving habits can save you a fortune.

Oldguy, it sounds like he works for the insurance companies! LOL

[zenish]

i have a cupholder on my handlebars and i wish i had a radio.

[617zuma]

ok so i am willing to be held responsible for my actions (on and off the road) but vinonukes you can not "guilt trip" me into getting insurance coverage for what may or may not happen. besides, it's inevidible that lawyers and a lawsuit would be a part of any big settlement like you mentioned. i consider myself ethical and i would trust and comply with a courts decision if need be.

[Blackbeard]

Waterinthefuel:

Granted, you're correct. We "ARE" talking scoots here, not cars. My bad! To me, discussing Insurance, is like discussing Religion or Politics. No one ever totally agrees on the issues. :)

Back to scoots again, I know some folks that carry liability only, while others go full bore and carry the max on everything. When you look at insurance, you've got way to many variables to consider, i.e., Liability, Collision, Comprehensive, Uninsured Motorist, Underinsured Motorist, Deductibles, Road Side Assistance, Additional Equipment Coverage, ..... yadda, yadda, yadda. JEEZ! It wasn't this hard picking out the "SCOOTER"!

The point is, everyone should carry at the very least, Liability Insurance on their scoots. I'm not sure if scoots work the same as cars, but I believe if you're financing a scoot, the Lender requires that you must carry Full Coverage Insurance, until the loan is paid off, then you can switch it to whatever you want. Is this true? Some folks look at the age of the vehicle they're covering, and determine what coverage is best for them. If it's new, some want to go for Full Coverage, which generally will replace your destroyed vehicle with a like or similar vehicle. Others that have a vehicle that's a few years old, may only want to carry Liability only, if they can afford to replace it out-of-pocket.

No, I don't work for an Insurance company. .laugh.. This is based on driving for 30+ years, and being involved in two No-Fault accidents (their fault... not mine) in cars, not scoots. I hope I "NEVER" have to find out about scoot claims! ;) On both ends of the spectrum, having had Liability only, and Full Coverage, I can truthfully tell you, that your insurance company won't do much of anything in a Liability situation, but they usually take it to the hilt with Full Coverage, and make sure you get fast and due compensation.

Next topics: Religion and Politics! :yippy:

Cheers!

BB

[vino'n'ukes]

Old Guy... no, I don't work for an insurance company. I'm an "old guy" too... a "retired" engineer who currently builds high-end custom ukuleles to supplement his pension at what works out to be burger-flipper wages.

The airliner example you use to make your point is extremely improbable statistically, and statistics is what insurance is all about. My example is a very likely scenario, on the other hand.

Waterinthefuel said:

Vinoukes, they are responsible for where they drive the car. If they put it in the ditch it's their problem. It's going to be hard to prove they were trying to avoid you. All you have to say is that they wouldn't have hit you, that you were accelerating away, and that case will fall apart in court. Anybody can drive into a tree saying they were avoiding anybody, that almost sounds like fraud. If you're a good driver you won't pull out in front of a car anyway.

That is just about the most immature, unethical and uncompassionate argument I've ever heard expressed. Try that one on the judge and jury, or say it to the face of the driver who was trying to save YOUR life. That driver DESERVES fair compensation for any injury you cause him and his family... put yourself in his shoes! Sure, we need to be responsible and skilled drivers, but we all make a bone-headed mistake sooner or later, and any victims of our bone-headedness deserve fair compensation.

617zuma, I'm not trying to "guilt trip" anyone. You may be willing to comply with a court settlement... but, if you have a net worth of $10K, and the court settlement is $500K, that is sure not going to do the innocent victims any good. You can't squeeze blood out of a stone.

All I'm saying is that it is stupid and unethical not to carry insurance with REASONABLE liability limits to cover eventualities that are statistically likely to occur -- no matter how good a rider you are or whether it is a legal requirement -- just to save a very few bucks. I've got full-coverage with $500K liability limits for just $113/yr, for God's sake.

I'm not in favor of putting more money into the pockets of lawyers than any of us are, but the lawyers are going to make a lot more on a big court case than they are on an uncontested insurance settlement.

Just do the right thing...

[OldGuy]

The airliner example you use to make your point is extremely improbable statistically, and statistics is what insurance is all about. My example is a very likely scenario, on the other hand.

Yeah, "it's very likely," if you ride with your head up your ***potty m! Statistically, it's much more likely that it will be the family of five in the station wagon that will pull out in front of you on your scooter. Hence the reason that I ride paranoid.

Yes, I do carry the legally required minimums for liability insurance in my state. My point is that you cannot carry enough insurance for every eventuality.

[waterinthefuel]

Yes, I do carry the legally required minimums for liability insurance in my state. My point is that you cannot carry enough insurance for every eventuality.

My point also.

Hey Vino, ever heard the statistic that 85 percent of all accidents are preventable? Making boneheaded mistakes is just that, boneheaded. Keep your head on straight and drive like you know you can. There are no blind spots in a scooter, so pulling out in front of someone is just plain stupid.

Your scenario is far from "very likely." Maybe a bit more likely than oldguys', but far from very likely.

If both of my parents can drive for 35 years without causing or being involved in an accident, then yes, it is possible not to be a bonehead and drive right. Since you are city driving the speeds are slower, thus the risk is less. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN DETERMINING RISK, as energy in a medium goes up exponentially with speed.

You pay for 500 g's of coverage, you hit me and I sue you for 10 million. You are in just as bad a position had you had minimum coverage because you aren't worth that much either way. Instead of oweing 9.5 mil you'll owe 9.990 mil. What's the difference? You can't pay it all either way.

One thing they teach you in insurance class is look at your net worth (along with risk) when determining how much insurance to buy. Like me, I ain't worth much so since you can't get blood out of a rock, I'll stay bare minimum until I actually have something to lose. I don't make much money, so I'm not going to pour all my income into insurance for a stupid little scooter.

You may want to look at my "immature" statement again, as it closely resembles reality. Overreacting to a situation is a defense in court. "Your honor, he paniced, overreacted to the situation and turned his car without thinking. I can assure you that he didn't need to do that. He only thought he would hit me, I am very sorry for what happened to him and his family, but it's not my responsibility because I feel simply applying brakes would have been more than sufficient." Now its your word against his. Even witnesses can't prove that turning into a tree was the best out, or the only alternative. And no, I am NOT alway responsible if some idiot drives his car into a tree, so called "to avoid hitting me." That's weak. Using the excuse "to save my life" isn't an all inclusive excuse to do absolutely anything you want.

Again, this is my opinion. I'm done with this discussion. Like the other guy said, obviously insurance is like politics and religion, it can get heated. I had no idea of that, until he pointed it out! LOL

P.S. I'd go with those limits if I could get that for 113 a year, but I can't. I'm too young, it costs me 75 a year to get bare minimum coverage, since it's an independent policy. It would cost me in the hundreds of dollars a year to get your limits. Way way way too much for a scoot that you would pay for again and again every few years with insurance premiums alone.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is far more important than huge premiums for damage you can do.

[vino'n'ukes]

Nowhere do I see any acknowledgement that it is even possible that YOU might make a mistake and cause a great deal of hardship to someone else... all because you are too cheap to spend $10 to quadruple your coverage limits (but you'll sure as hell spend $1000 to mod your scoot).

For someone who claims to have all that experience in the insurance industry, WITF, it should be clear to you that 99%+ of liability situations are settled amicably between insurance companies -- with the victims being justly compensated -- without the courts becoming involved, especially when coverage limits are adequate. The insurance companies are smart enough to know that the outrageous, multi-million dollar settlements happen when the judgements are put into the hands of juries instead of claims assessors. Maybe this explains why you are no longer working in the insurance industry...

I don't care how good your parents' driving record is, or whether or not you drive with your head inside or outside of your rectum, the law of averages will catch up with most of us eventually.

I guess someday you'll grow up and start thinking about the welfare of someone besides yourself... unless maybe you're a Republican, in which case it will probably never happen. I'll leave you kids to play in your sandbox. Rant on... Ta da!

[sooznd]

Let's play nice here. Name calling doesn't help anyone--we are talking about scooter insurance. If you can't get your point acroos without name calling--then it is not worth making...