I am reading Bob Mionske's cycling and law book. A chapter in there discusses a gap in uninsured/underinsured motorists...Does anyone know of this type of insurance for your bicycle?
Wait just a minute. I read about a case [in SF]. As I remember it the cyclist recklessly rode onto the sidewalk [to avoid a traffic slow down] at high speed and struck a elderly man as he left a shop.Originally Posted by napacycling .
...... I was looking into this because a cyclist in San Francisco actually hit a pedestrian and killed her. I am getting into the cycling world and I am doing research on bicycle insurance.
I guess the idea that a bicycle at normal highway/road use speeds killing or seriously injuring a pedestrian isn't unimaginable... albeit unlikely. But I am not sure my insurance company will willfully write checks to cover any deliberate reckless or neglectful behavior ether. When cycling, just like in a car, my behavior is regulated. I can't drive or bicycle, or even jog without consideration for my actions.Originally Posted by jhuskey .
..... You are correct you can't buy your way out of jail with insurance, except in monopoly. .........
I guess it's like what Willie Sutton [never actually] said, as to why he robbed banks "That's where the money is". Almost makes a person wonder.... did Willie ever practice law?Originally Posted by jhuskey .
The one thing I have found in my years as a risk manager is that attorneys go after the deep pockets. Just isn't worth the time involved going after "Joe Nobody".
Great info. I recently up'd my liability and un/under-insured motorist (UM) coverage on advice of an attorney neighbor. Went for the highest liability limit I can get in AL from Safeco is $300/$500K, with matching UM coverage. The high UM is there to cover me in the event I'm hit on my bike (or in the car) by an un-insured or under-insured motorist. I also took out an umbrella policy to provide additional coverage for personal liability. My understanding is that this umbrella policy extends my UM coverage also. The cost wasn't really that high to extend the limits.Originally Posted by jhuskey .
You can obtain bicycle insurance from some companies but a lot of homeowners and renters policies will cover theft or damage to your bike and even a liability claim against you, furthermore some auto insurance policies have personal injury coverage even if you are on your bike. Policies vary so be sure and check with your agent. Most auto policies cover $1,000,000.00 per liability incident which is inadequate in some extreme personal injury or wrongful death claims seeing as how medicals and compensatory damages alone can run a million or more with severe injuries.
That being said the odds of killing or paralysing someone with a bike is not impossible but I would rate it on the low risk end of the spectrum.
You can even buy "excess umbrella" coveage that will cover larger claims that exceed your general liability limit. Too be honest to fully cover yourself for killing a bus load of people with a car, you probably can't afford it and it is better to risk being bankrupt than insuring that you will be trying to pay for insurance you will probably never need.
Not sure if you are looking at property or liability coverage but I hope this helps.
I hope I never hit anyone hard enough to do any damage but ...Originally Posted by napacycling .
I am reading Bob Mionske's cycling and law book. A chapter in there discusses a gap in uninsured/underinsured motorists...Does anyone know of this type of insurance for your bicycle?
Thanks for the detailed accounting. Sounds like you were taken care of after being hit by a DUI loser with nothing to lose. This is the reason my friend attorney recommended I go for maximum uninsured motorist coverage, to receive compensatory damages in event I'm injured or killed by a "judgement-proof" driver. The added cost for me also wasn't that high vs the coverage. Actually the rates are probably a bargain for us road cyclists, since we don't pay any more than the typical non-cyclist who faces a lot less risk of injury from un/underinsured motorists.Originally Posted by An old Guy .
I hope I never hit anyone hard enough to do any damage but ...
When I was hit by a car ---
Home owner's policy paid $2500 for my bicycle less deductable. They never questioned the cost. I had receipts for the bike and various upgrades. I got to keep the parts most of which I used on my replacement bike.
Personal health insurance paid $100,000+ with the only issue being the errors that docotors and hospitals made in the forms. It appears doctors have different federal IDs for different networks and hospitals. Policy limit was $8 million. With $10,000 family deductable. We had paid $7000 already for cataract surgery for my wife.
Auto medical paid the the limit - $5000.
Auto uninsured motorist paid $100,000 in compensitory damages policy limit to me.
State crime vicitims law paid $25,000 in damages to me. DUI, no license, no insurance.
I was well taken care of.
---
After the accident I increased my liability limits to the maximum offered. The additional cost was not significant. It does show good intent. I would hate to tell someone I injured that I could not make them whole. (I hope I have enough assets to make accident victims whole.)
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