Well I hope I never have to use this but it's still required by law so if I want to ride in the USA legally I need insurance.
I've never done this before but from what I hear it depends on my age (21), my state (San Diego, CA), my record (clean). I've only just had my license for about 3 or 4 months so I know they'll all try to stick it to me when it comes to the price but I've just never gotten insurance for cars or motorcycles so I thought I'd ask! Which one is a good one to start off with??

 

Call a broker. They will have lots of options for you, as the deal with many companies.

If you want to give the guy I use a call, I will PM you his number.

 

I'm guessing that you have an F2 since you posted here. I reside in CA as well and I picked Safeco because they were simply the cheapest provider. $249 a year, liability only for a 92' F2. So far I've been pretty satisfied with their customer service. Can't find anywhere that can beat the price. 18 years old, just got my M1 and I'm only paying $249. But if you care about your bike, you might want to get something more than liability only.

 

I always recommend "Comprehensive Insurance"(theft and vandalism). It really doesn't take all that long for your bike to disappear in a parking spot or someone to break something on it. It is a little more, but well worth it.
Too many stories of bikes being stolen with the owner less than 150 ft. away and quite a few of not having the right insurance to replace it.

 

Try these guys http://www.pirateinsurance.com

 

Give 74demon's recommendation a shot. He's close to you & has a good lead.

Additionally, if you're military, GEICO & USAA are good options as well.

 

What kind of liability to you get for $249/year?

 

As always, this is the best place for good ideas! Thanks a lot in advance to everyone.
I hadn't thought of calling a broker so yes please PM me his number 74demon! And yes I definitely DO have an F2. Unfortunately, I'm not military so I won't look into those two too much but hey it can't hurt to ask them too.
I had to look up conprehensive insurance eariler this week because I've seen it a couple of times and I probably will want that because I'd hate to have to re-buy another bike! I love this one! (Plus, it was a gift! ^_^)
$249 is cheap?? I'll have to keep a note of that! That way I know what to expect. But, as I mentioned earlier, I definitely want comprehesive.

 

HUGE wall of text incoming, but here's what a local (NV) attorney has to say about insurance. Much is applicable to other states:

Motorcycle (or auto) Insurance and You!
Disclaimer: Below is general snap shot picture of Nevada auto/motorcycle insurance law as of June 2011. Every person has different insurance needs, and require different policies to adequately protect themselves. If you would like to discuss your situation personally with me, feel free to PM and or call. I’d be happy to discuss it. I’m not an insurance agent or salesmen, but am a Nevada licensed attorney with much experience in the area of personal injury (specifically motorcycle accidents) and workers’ compensation; so these are topics I deal with on a daily basis. This post also isn't an exhaustive legal treatise on Nevada insurance law, so don't treat it as such. In any event, the information below is just that, general information and shouldn’t be read as applying to every situation for every person. Also, as I am constantly editing this thread with new information and or clarifications/corrections, I'd prefer if folks would simply hyperlink to this thread, rather than cutting and pasting the info on other boards. That way, the info is always up to date.

Motorcycle (or Auto) Insurance and You!
By Jason "MotoVegas" Mills, Esq.

This thread is about motorcycle (and auto) insurance. After being a plaintiff’s attorney since 2000, I’ve learned one infallible fact; motorcyclists don’t protect themselves with enough insurance! It is quite typical for motorcyclists to acquire the most minimal insurance coverage the can squeek by with. However, to do so is false economy. When injured during a motorcycle accident, the bodily injuries are often extremely severe. And the minimal insurance coverages DO NOT protect the injured motorcyclist. In fact, it is quite common for an injured motorcyclist to owe huge sums of money after s/he is involved in a motorcycle accident for his/her medical care.

It is my intent to properly inform our local motorcyclist population about these realities, in the hope that they proactively address the issue BEFORE they are involved in a motorcycle accident. Too many times, I have sat with clients (many are personal friends and are active members of the Vegas riding community) to give them the bad news, that they are not properly insured for their accident. Believe me, this happens on MOST motorcycle accidents, not just some of them.

To that end, this thread will be dedicated to the concept of insurance; what types there are, what they cover, what isn’t covered, and what the dollar amount means and most importantly, what you can do to avoid the pitfalls of inadequate motorcycle coverage. (Note these same concepts apply to your automobile insurance coverage, but I focus on motorcycle coverage and accidents precisely because that is why all of us here frequent this forum; our love for motorcycling!)

LIABILITY COVERAGE

This coverage is required by Nevada law; in particular NRS 485.185 requires that persons that own a motor vehicle (yes, this includes motorcycles) that is registered or required to be registered (yes, this means if you drive it on a road) carry insurance in the minimum amount of $15,000 per person, $30,000 for more than one person (with no person entitled to more than $15,000 regardless of the number of people involved), and $10,000 for property damage in the event YOU cause (in whole or in part) an accident that damages someone other than you.

Namely, this coverage is for YOUR negligent acts against others. It does not cover you for negligent acts others do to you. This policy is all that is required to legally operate a vehicle on the roads in Nevada. Those statutory coverage minimums were put in place a long time ago, and have not increased in decades; needless to say, the dollar isn't worth today what it was many decades ago. The reason those dollar figures are important to motorcyclists, is because you must assume that if you are in an accident, this is all the coverage the other driver may have when s/he hits you. And let me tell you, $15,000.00 for your injuries won’t cover most motorcycle accidents (ambulance trip, ER visit and diagnostic scans, and some simple follow-up care, easily run over $15,000 in most cases; and let’s not even discuss broken bones, or extended hospital stays and rehabilitation).

This means if all you carry is Nevada state minimum liability insurance, then you are relying on the other driver to protect your medical and financial needs; that is, frankly, a bad idea. Why? The chances are the toolbag that hit you only carries Nevada state minimum coverage. And unless that person has lots of assets that aren’t exempt from judgment (NRS 21.090 lists out the things that cannot be taken if a person is sued; and frankly most of the population possess less than those assets listed there) all you can expect to recover against, is the insurance policy. Moreoever, people with lots of assets usually have lots of insurance. And people with little assets have little insurance. So, the odds are, the guy/gal that blasts you, is carrying a tiny policy. One that will not protect you. Which leads me to my next topic, UM/UIM coverage.

UM/UIM COVERAGE

Uninsured Motorist (UM) and Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage is not a mandatory coverage in Nevada. It is mandatory that your insurer OFFER you UM/UIM coverage equal to the amount of Liability coverage you carry (see NRS 687B.145(2)). However, this requirement only exists for “passenger cars” as defined by NRS 482.087 which excludes motorcycles. So, technically, insurers are not required to even offer UM/UIM coverage to motorcyclists. But most insurers do have UM/UIM coverage available to motorcyclists.

Yet unfortunately, most motorcyclists do not carry UM/UIM coverage. And that is bad. Very bad. In my estimation, UM/UIM coverage is the single most important way to protect yourself while riding a motorcycle (and an auto for that matter). In fact, I would go far as to say that you are gambling with your financial life and that of your family, if you do not carry UM/UIM coverage and ride a motorcycle.

UM/UIM coverage kicks in for your bodily injury, when the other idiot that hit you doesn’t carry enough insurance to compensate you for your injuries. And as we discussed, most people in our state carry the minimum 15/30/10 policy and most likely have most of their meager assets protected by Nevada law. So, when you are hospitalized, and badly injured, and end up with tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands (and in some instances millions) of dollars of medical expenses, and the other guy has only got minimum 15/30/10 policy, and you carry no UM/UIM policy, guess who owes those tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in medical bills? YOU! And you were the victim of the accident yet you are on the hook for the cost!?! Yep, you bet’cha. The hospital and doctors treated YOU, not the other guy. And YOU owe hospital/doctors, regardless of who caused your accident. So, carrying the right amount of UM/UIM insurance is critical.

I personally wouldn’t even consider operating a motorcycle without a 250/500 UM/UIM policy. Meaning, there would be $250k coverage in place to cover my bodily injury (and another $250k covering my passenger) in case the other guy that caused the accident isn’t covered properly. Even a quarter of million dollars in UM/UIM coverage isn’t enough in many scenarios. I know of serveral people, right here in our local riding community, that ended up in a situation where they owe hundreds of thousands in medical bills and are financially ruined because they simply didn’t carry enough insurance. DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU. Don’t be sitting in my office weeks, months or years from now, where I have to explain to you that the other guy was underinsured (or uninsured) and you didn’t carry UM/UIM and therefore not only will you not get a pain & suffering settlement, but you owe thousands (or tens or hundreds of thousands) in medical bills. Please, speak with your insurance agent and add UM/UIM coverage. If you think it won’t happen to you, you are deluding yourself and/or gambling with your financial life.

“FULL” COVERAGE

The concept of “Full Coverage” is more of an insurance industry term or sales point, than what your average lay person believes it is. Many of my motorcycle friends/clients will tell me “I’m okay, I’ve got ‘full coverage’, so I don’t need to worry about more insurance.” Wrong. First, the idea of “full coverage” is almost certainly NOT what you believe it is. What it is, is a policy that contains “liability, collision and comprehensive” coverage. WTF is that, you ask? Simple. It’s a policy that carries at least the Nevada state liability minimum (as discussed above) and two more types of coverage that account for repairing the physical damage to your vehicle in an accident regardless of who is at fault (collision) or repairing physical damage to your vehicle due to theft, fire, flood, etc (comprehensive). This is called “full coverage” because it is often what a bank wants to fully cover ITS investment in your car/motorcycle. That is, most cars/motorcycles are bought through some type of financing. And the note holder (the bank or financial institution) wants proof and an agreement that they are fully protected. And they require “full coverage” on the motorcycle/car in the event IT is damaged. “Full coverage” has absolutely NOTHING, repeat NOTHING to do with your body getting injured. Did I say that loud enough? “Full coverage” has nothing to do with your bodily injury or medical bills. Nada. “Full coverage” simply protects the other guy from your negligence and your vehicle, not your body or medical needs/expenses.

MED PAY OR PIP COVERAGE

Medical Payments (MedPay) or Personal Injury Protection (PIP) covers reasonable medical expenses up to the policy limit (typically $1,000 to $250,000). It is not available through some insurers for motorcycles here in Nevada, but like UM/UIM is required to be offered to insured’s who insure their “passenger vehicles” through an insurer. In any event, it is a “no fault” type of coverage. That is, it covers your medical bills up to the policy limit, regardless of who is to blame. Even for folks that have outside health insurance, I find this coverage useful for most of my clients because it pays those difficult bills (ambulance, UMC, etc) that will drop your butt into collections for medical services rendered even if there is adequate insurance coverage in place, but it is taking time to settle/litigate the case.

PROPERTY DAMAGE COVERAGE

How do I repair/replace my motorcycle and/or car after an accident? Good question. Most folks in a motorcycle or car accident are immediately concerned with their ride, and getting it repaired and or replaced pretty fast. If the other guy is at fault, and has only a Nevada minimum policy, there will be only $10,000 available for property damage. So that exotic Ducati, or fukengrueven BMW 1000RR, or brand new Banzai-rific Japanese superbike, isn’t going to get adequately covered. You better have collision coverage equal to the value of your bike/car. Collision coverage come with a deductible. Typically ranging from $0 to $1000. That means, you eat the deductible amount when repairs are needed. The most typical coverage has a $500 deductible. If you don’t carry collision coverage it is likely you are going to lose out if you rely only on the other guy's insurance coverage.

This brings my attention to another topic. A bike being “underwater”. That is, the note owed to the bank is higher than the “fair market value” of the bike/car. If some idiot destroys your brand new Ducati that you just paid $25k+ for, and the Kelly blue book on that bike is $18k, guess what. You owe the difference! Your debt to the bank isn’t gone simply because your purdy bike is destroyed. And nothing is worse than making monthly payments on a bike that you no longer can use. This is what GAP coverage is for. If you purchase a bike new, with little or no money down, it is important that you purchase GAP coverage so you don’t end up paying the difference between the “fair market value” of the bike, and the amount still owed to the bank.

Also, if you “trick out” your bike, and add a ton of after market parts (pipes, rearsets, power commanders, custom paint, carbon fiber, etc), be sure to KEEP THE RECEIPTS. While they are no guarantee to recoup that money spent, I can assure you, without them we won’t even have an argument to get those expenditures back.

Which leads me to my final thought on property damage. If your bike is pretty customized, and you don’t want to lose the value of that customization when it gets destroyed/stolen etc, you may consider purchasing a “stated value” or “custom equipment” policy. Not many insurers offer this type of coverage, but if your bike has a much higher value (your belief) than a “fair market value” amount, then you should work on getting it covered through either a stated value or custom equipment policy.

RENTAL CAR COVERAGE

Pretty self explanatory. When your bike/car is in the shop being repaired, this coverage will give you coverage for a rental car for some fixed period of time (depending on what you purchase). Do not assume that the other insurance company will simply “hook you up because it’s their guys fault”. Wrong. As with anything in life, protecting yourself is the best defense from getting screwed.

DISABILITY INSURANCE COVERAGE

Not so much a type of motorcycle or auto coverage, but something one should consider if they do ride motorcycles. Many insurers offer short term (typically less than 12 months) or long term (typically greater than 12 months) Disability Income Coverage along with some initial waiting period before the policy kicks in. This type of coverage helps replace one’s financial income (that amount and duration is specified policy terms that you purchase) as a result of a disability. And in motorcycle accidents, short term (and even long term) disability is a very real scenario. How are you going to pay your rent, or feed your family or pay your bills if you are not working because of the motorcycle accident? Good question. Hopefully, you have a lot of savings. Or have great family that will support you. Realistically, the best case scenario is to carry some type of short and/or long term Disability Income Coverage that way, if you are out for months, or even years, dealing with your injuries, you know you’ll have some financial income rolling in during that time period.

LIFE INSURANCE COVERAGE

Also not specific to motorcycles or cars. But is what it sounds like. Insurance in the event you die. If you have a spouse, child(ren), family member, or somebody that is financially dependent on your income, it is probably pretty important to carry life insurance. In the horrible event that you die riding one of these machines (and chances are a few of us in our riding community will die riding, indeed a few already have) have you ever given a thought to who will provide for your dependents should you die? Tough thought, I know. Consider getting a policy that would account for your income over a period of years so your family/dependents don't end up out in the streets because you died doing what you love! Most policies are written to cover a fixed "term" or period of 10, 20 or 30 years.

UMBRELLA COVERAGE

This coverage is in place acting in a secondary position to your Liability coverage. It also typically is in secondary position to your Home owners coverage too. What it is, is a large policy that protects you from damage you cause to others, above and beyond your standard Liability coverage and/or home owners coverage. It is typically used by people that have some assets that aren’t protected by NRS 21.090. These policies are often sold in $1 million, $2 million, $5 million, and $10 million increments. And the coverage, because it is secondary in nature, is often quite cheap. If you have non-exempt assets, and don’t have enough Liability coverage, consider an umbrella policy.


GENERAL MINIMUM INSURANCE RECOMMENDATIONS

These recommendations don’t apply to all riders. In fact, many riders will want MORE coverage that these recommendations. However, personally and in my opinion I currently consider the following coverages to be an absolute minimum coverage for a typical Nevada motorcycle riders. Less coverage is simply asking for trouble:

Liability Coverage : 250k/500k/100k
UM/UIM Coverage : 250k/500k
Med Pay Coverage : 25k
Comprehensive/Collision Coverage : Equal to the fair market value of your bike/car w/ $500 deductible

Talk to your insurance agent/carrier and ascertain the cost of adding such coverage to motorcycle. Believe me, the cost increase per month, is a pittance compared with the life changing impact an accident with little or no insurance coverage in place. To have to file bankruptcy, or to be saddled for a lifetime of bills and injuries simply because you didn’t carry enough motorcycle insurance is a very real possibility that happens every day to motorcyclists. A few exist right here in our very own riding community. Do yourself a favor, take my advice and take these steps now to protect yourself BEFORE your accident happens. And if you ride, at some point, odds are you’re going to get in an accident at some point in your life!

 

Low Cost CA Auto Insurance Laguna Hills | Homeowners Insurance Orange County - Orange County Insurance Specialists

Talk to Chad Olsen. He's the president of the company. He's been my agent for many, many years.
I pay $160/year for 2 bikes and inflated liability coverage, but I've been riding 20 years. He can quote you on comp/collision for your bike.