Insurance Companies And Motorcycle Accidents
Our Colorado law firm is focused on your results
Fighting for your rights after you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident is an uphill battle for anyone, but bikers face an extra obstacle standing between them and a substantial settlement – anti-biker bias.
All those movies, TV shows, and streaming series about “dangerous,” “outlaw” bikers have created a negative stereotype of motorcycle enthusiasts that has a real influence on the success of your insurance claim.
At The Longo Firm, LLC, we’ve been battling against this type of prejudice for years. Central Colorado is a hotbed for motorcycle accidents. El Paso County usually leads the state in motorcycle accident-related fatalities, and the stretch of I-25 running through Northeast Colorado Springs is one of the most dangerous roads in the state.
Motorcycle insurance coverage requirements are few in Colorado but misunderstanding how your policy works or disobeying a state regulation could ruin or minimize your compensation. Here’s what you need to know about motorcycle insurance in Colorado.
Colorado bikers and the insurance industry
To ride in Colorado, you need at least the minimum coverage for three types of liability insurance
- $25,000 per person bodily injury coverage
- $50,000 per incident for bodily injury
- $15,000 per incident for property damage.
Other types of motorcycle insurance
Any other motorcycle insurance you purchase in Colorado is optional. You can buy higher liability coverage or additional policies like:
- Underinsured motorist coverage (UIM): This type of insurance can kick in when your damages are greater than the insurance policy carried by the at-fault driver.
- Medical payments coverage: Also known as MedPay, you can buy $5,000-$25,000 of coverage for emergency care like ambulance rides and emergency room visits.
- Collision coverage: This insurance will pay to repair your bike after a crash with another vehicle or stationary object.
- Comprehensive coverage: This is supposed to be a catch-all type of insurance for things like “acts of God.” This could include vehicle damage resulting from a tree falling on your bike, theft, or hitting a moose.
- Accessory coverage: In the case of a total loss, this coverage may provide compensation for items or equipment added to your bike that increased its overall value.
Colorado motorcycle regulations
For the most part, cars, trucks and motorcycles observe the same laws of the road in Colorado. The state doesn’t have too many rules and regulations specifically set for motorcyclists, but they do require:
- Helmets: Department of Transportation-approved helmets must be worn by anyone age 17 or younger who is operating or riding on a motorcycle. Riders and passengers ages 18 and older can choose whether to wear a helmet.
- Eye protection: All bikers and passengers must wear some form of eye protection. The state DOT recommends wearing a visor on a helmet for the best protection. A windshield does not count as eye protection.
Anti-biker bias
Conditioned by the media, there are people who see others on motorcycles and assume they are reckless rule-breakers looking for trouble. Often, it’s not even a conscious thought. Unfortunately, some people jumping to conclusions in the Front Range community – and they can have a big impact on your life after your accident. You can run into biased people who are insurance adjusters, other drivers, police officers, judges, and sitting on juries.
The Longo Firm LLC’s strategy for overcoming these misguided characterizations of bikers has worked time and again.
One of the biggest misconceptions we clear up is that “all motorcycles are dangerous.” Under this flawed logic, because bikes are always “unsafe,” a biker must be at fault or at least somewhat to blame for an accident.
This is not true. In fact, one of the leading causes of motorcycle accidents is when car and truck drivers fail to spot bikes at intersections or driving alongside them and turn into the biker or their immediate pathway.
The Longo Law Firm, LLC works hard to make sure bikers get the compensation they require to heal, and we stand up to anti-biker bias.
Get the lawyer who gets you
We know a lot of people in your situation are too hurt to work, which means you’re watching new medical bills pile up next to overdue monthly expenses.
This can be an overwhelming time. Things may feel like they’re falling apart. So, when the insurance company comes around with a check for a few thousand dollars and their assurance that this is the best they can do, that money may look like a lifeline.
It’s only after you’ve accepted a too-small settlement that the truth sets in. Drowning in uncertainty, bills and physical pain, you soon realize the insurance companies didn’t throw you a sturdy "lifeline.” They tossed you a flimsy short-term fix.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, as hard as others may press you, do not accept responsibility for the crash or automatically accept a settlement offer from insurance companies. You may be a lot less to blame than the insurance companies and at-fault driver want you to believe.
Contact The Longo Firm LLC for a free case consultation. We will listen to the details of your accident and what you need to make a full recovery. Then, together, we will weigh your best legal options.
Our firm often takes clients on contingency, which means you pay no retainer, upfront expenses or an hourly rate. Our fee is calculated into your final settlement or verdict and paid for by the at-fault person’s insurance company. We only get paid when we win.