Don’t Own or Drive a Car? Get “Non-Owners Coverage”

If your only form of transportation is a bike and you don’t have auto insurance, it is important that you get either “non-owner’s coverage” from an auto insurer, or some type of cycling specific insurance (“Velosure”) that can protect you if you are involved in an accident.

What Is “Non-Owner’s Coverage”?

When you have this type of insurance coverage, you are covered even if the offending driver does not have insurance coverage (or doesn’t have enough) to pay for your damages. With so many drivers that are uninsured or have the bare minimum, you must take steps to protect yourself. When it comes to bike rider vs. car, there are few “small” accidents. Non-owners coverage provides you with essentially the same type of coverages that an auto insurance policy provides except there is no “collision coverage” for a personal auto (that you don’t own anyway). This results in a huge savings on premiums, because much of the auto insurance premiums go to pay for property damage claims, like small fender benders. If you don’t’ have a car to insure, you don’t get charged a premium to insure it. The most important coverage for a cyclist to have under a Non-Owners policy is Uninsured Motorist (UM) and Personal Injury Protection (“PIP”). Get as much of it as you can. The premiums for UM and PIP coverage are very reasonable, even for significant coverage.

How Do I Get “Non-Owner’s Coverage”?

Call one of the insurance agents or insurance companies, and ask about “Non-Owners” coverage. I know I’m sounding like an advertisement here, but too often I have had cycling clients who are badly injured, and there is unfortunately nowhere near enough insurance to pay for their medical expenses, let alone the other damages.

If you have been injured in a bike accident or have questions about Non-Owner’s coverage, contact Cyclist at Law today. Dial 800-887-6188 for a free initial consultation.