Spring is fast approaching and if you are like me, you can’t wait to get to your favorite beach or spot in the woods. It is also a great time to review insurance coverage for the ATV, motorcycles, campers, jet skis and summer cruising autos.
On the policy for any of your seasonal toys, you need to make sure the policy has collision coverage in place. The last thing you want on the first time out of the garage to suffer an accident and find out the hard way that an important insurance coverage was not added back on once the item came out of storage. Collision is often removed to save on premium during the off season so check your policy to ensure the item is fully covered before you leave the garage. Property coverage also extends to theft, vandalism or even the collapse of a storage shed or dock which may damage the item. Occasionally a mouse or other rodent may make a nest inside a motor or storage compartment leading to damage that is not discovered until the first time the item is turned on as you head out on a ride as the weather warms up. Your policy may already contain this sort of coverage or it may not. Check with your agent to be sure
The second and equally important component is the personal liability or “oops” part of the policy. This section protects us if we cause an accident leading to someone getting hurt or damaging another person’s property. It pays for legal defense and settlement with an aggrieved party should it be needed. We also need to make sure there are adequate protections when we are on the receiving end of another operator’s poor judgment. If friends or family get hurt riding with us on our boat, ATV, jet ski, your policy can step in if the other person is not properly insured. This section is called bodily injury caused by an uninsured/underinsured operator. Being able to help the people with you if the other person who caused the accident has no insurance or not enough makes a big difference. It could avoid an unwanted lawsuit and preserve or help heal a friendship.
Enjoy spring, be safe and make a quick double check of your policy. I am happy to answer any questions and/or provide a competitive quote on any new toys.