Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Colorado Motorcycle Insurance
Is it necessary to get motorcycle insurance in Colorado?
In comparison to most other states, Colorado’s motorcycle rules are unusual. Motorcycle insurance rules are similar to other motor car laws in other states, but not in Colorado. Medical payments (med pay) are required in Colorado for cars with four or more wheels as part of the no-fault insurance blanket.
As long as the claim is made within 14 days, this will ensure reimbursement of medical expenses up to $2500. MEDPAY will pay the entire $10,000 barrier if the medical expenses resulting from an emergency, as validated by a medical specialist.
Even if the motorcycle owner already has MEDPAY for another car, this MEDPAY is not accessible. Because the injuries in a motorcycle accident are more likely to be severe, the motorcycle rider is more likely to face financial ruin due to the accident.
Registration of Motorcycles in Colorado
The financial obligation of the owner against liability is the basis for Colorado motorcycle insurance laws. To register a motorcycle, the owner is not obliged to have insurance. In a motorcycle accident, however, the driver is held monetarily liable. A motorcycle owner has three alternatives for financial responsibility.
Purchase liability insurance from a Colorado-licensed insurance company. This is the most popular method of obtaining coverage.
Obtain a Certificate of Financial Responsibility. This necessitates the posting of a surety bond with a state-licensed corporation, as well as the deposit of cash or securities with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Cars (DHSMV)
After showing documentation of net encumbered capital, get a Self-Insurance Certificate from the Bureau of Financial Responsibility. Colorado Motorcycle Insurance Facts
When would you be needed to carry bodily injury liability insurance in Colorado?
The state’s minimum liability coverage standards for other passenger cars guide determining how much coverage is required.
- $25,000 for physical harm to one person
- $50,000 for physical harm to two or more individuals
- Property damage liability of $15,000 per collision.
Does Colorado’s no-fault insurance cover motorcycles?
Colorado is a “no-fault” state, which means you must have medical payments coverage for any car with four wheels or more. Regardless of who was at fault in an accident, no-fault coverage assures that all medical expenses are reimbursed. Motorcycles are exempt from no-fault legislation.
This implies that any motorcycle driver who has incurred medical expenses, lost income, pain, suffering, or damage to the motorcycle must seek reimbursement from the other motorist’s insurance. As with drivers of other personal cars, they are not needed to fulfill any minimum standards or show the severity of their injuries.
Uninsured motorist coverage (UMC) may be advantageous to a motorcycle owner in a collision with a driver who does not have liability insurance.
Approximately 13% of drivers in the United States are driving without insurance. According to statistics as recent as 2019, Colorado has the highest rate of uninsured motorists in the US, with 26.7 percent of drivers on the road having no insurance at all.
This implies that one out of every four drivers on Colorado highways is uninsured. It’s frightening to think that if one of these drivers causes you serious injury, you won’t be able to sue their insurance company for compensation.
In Colorado, what are the consequences of not having motorcycle insurance?
Although motorcycle insurance is not necessary to register a motorcycle in Colorado, you will face fines if you are involved in an accident and do not have insurance. You are financially accountable for physical injury and property damage if you are charged with an accident. If you did not have liability insurance in place at the time of the accident, you could face serious consequences such as:
- Losing your driving privileges
- Losing your registration and tag
- Being required to purchase bodily injury/property damage liability insurance for three years
- Having civil judgments against you.
In other words, motorcycle insurance isn’t required until after you’ve been involved in an accident. When riding a motorcycle in Colorado, what form of proof of insurance is required?
The DMV will enter your information into their computer system when you have paid motorcycle insurance or gotten a self-insurance certificate. Regardless of their records, motorcycle riders in Colorado must carry some kind of physical verification while driving a motorcycle on public roadways. If you need to show you’re covered to a law enforcement official, this evidence of motorcycle insurance coverage makes it simpler and faster.
The following types of evidence are often acceptable if you need to show you have Colorado motorcycle insurance:
- a tangible insurance card from a company that provides coverage
- a digital insurance card or a snapshot of your insurance card
- a web-based account information screen
- a Bureau of Financial Responsibility self-insurance certificate (far less common)
Bringing a Lawsuit for a Motorcycle Accident
Even though motorcycles are subject to different laws than four-wheeled cars, motorcyclists may nevertheless seek compensation for damages sustained due to a motorcycle accident. A motorcycle accident lawsuit may utilize civil law to hold persons responsible for your injuries for irresponsible acts that caused the motorcycle accident. However, not everyone has the financial means to pursue such legal action.
The plaintiff must have incurred substantial losses to launch a motorcycle accident claim, which is frequent in many motorcycle accidents owing to their highly hazardous nature. A plaintiff must additionally establish that the defendant’s carelessness caused the accident in which they were wounded and that the defendant is accountable for their injuries.
There are several components to the legal procedure of obtaining compensation for motorcycle accident injuries under civil law in addition to these fundamental requirements and taking legal action after a motorcycle accident is best done with the help of an experienced motorcycle accident attorney who has the legal expertise and resources to increase your chances of receiving the compensation you need.
After a motorcycle accident, Warrior Motorcycle Attorneys can assist you
Because a motorcycle accident case is more complicated than a typical car accident claim under Colorado law, you’ll need the assistance of an experienced personal injury lawyer. Warrior Motorcycle Lawyers can assist you.
We understand Colorado motorcycle rules, personal injury statutes, and how they connect to assist in establishing your entitlement to compensation at Warrior Motorcycle Attorneys. Our staff is dedicated to providing personalized service and being easily accessible. We strive to maximize the damages in every personal injury case and avoid settling for less than our clients deserve.
After a Colorado motorcycle accident, insurance companies often fail to provide you with the reimbursement you deserve. Warrior Motorcycle Attorneys assists our clients in obtaining such recompense by providing strong representation and unwavering support.
Colorado Motorcycle Riders Face Difficulties
Motorcycle riders in Colorado often ask whether they need insurance to help protect them in the event of an accident—and if so, how much insurance they need. However, the many dangers found across Colorado may enhance the risks faced by those riders, necessitating the purchase of insurance.
Many Colorado motorists are uninsured.
According to current statistics, 26.7 percent of Colorado drivers are uninsured. That implies that if you are involved in a motorcycle accident, you have a one in four risk of being injured due to the recklessness of a motorist who does not have insurance to cover you.
In many circumstances, this means that you’ll have to depend on your insurance to cover the cost of repairing your motorcycle or treating your injuries.
Colorado Weather Can Be Unpredictably Unpredictable
The weather in Colorado may change quickly, particularly during the summer months, which are ideal for hitting the road on your motorcycle.
Showers are typical in the middle of the day throughout the state. Motorcycle riders may be at risk from these rains. Rain may not only pelt your skin as you attempt to find a safe place to hide, but it can also make previously dry roads treacherous and difficult to travel.
The weather is impossible to forecast. On the other hand, insurance may help protect you from possible accidents and put you in a better financial position to cover your bills if you are involved in a motorcycle accident.
Colorado experiences a lot of significant traffic, from the Sturges traffic, which takes place every year in Sturgis, North Dakota, to the large quantity of tourist traffic that flocks to the Colorado coast every year.
That heavy traffic may be intimidating for any motorist, but it can be especially tough for motorcycle riders, who may struggle to navigate around it. Other cars may not pay as careful attention to motorcycle traffic around them in high traffic, considerably increasing the chance of major injury accidents.
During Daytona Bike Week, the roads in and around Daytona may get congested. While strong motorcycle traffic might provide some security for cyclists, it can also provide new risks since motorcycle riders are more likely to share lanes.
Other cars who must maneuver around them may get more frustrated due to the heavy traffic, perhaps increasing the chance of a road rage accident or other unsafe driving conduct that might be fatal for motorcycle riders.
Helmets are not required by Colorado law.
Colorado law exempts drivers over the age of 21 who have valid insurance coverage from wearing a helmet. However, an insurance policy does not invalidate the advantages of wearing a helmet since not wearing one increases your risk of traumatic brain injuries and other catastrophic ailments.
You should be aware that not wearing a helmet may raise your need for proper insurance since not wearing a helmet may result in more severe injuries in the event of an accident.
Visibility may be hindered by direct sunlight.
On bright, sunny days, which Colorado has enough of, the sun may add to the issue by reducing visibility. Not only does this provide difficulty for motorcycle riders, who may find it more difficult to
navigate in the bright sunshine, but it may also make it more difficult for other drivers to notice bikes, particularly if the sun is shining directly behind the motorcycle.
Motorcycles have a lower visual profile than passenger cars, making them difficult to spot even at the best of circumstances for passenger car drivers. It may increase the likelihood of an accident if the driver of a passenger car fails to notice the presence of a motorcycle, which commonly happens due to the sun shining too brightly.
Claim Types for Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents account for around 2 to 4% of all traffic accidents in Colorado each year. They also account for a disproportionately high number of traffic deaths in the state since motorcycles provide minimal protection from the road. As a result, motorcycle riders are more likely to suffer serious injuries in any sort of collision than drivers of passenger cars.
Car damage claims and personal injury claims are the two most common types of motorcycle accident claims.
Car damage claims are requests for reimbursement for damage to a motorcycle caused by accident. Many motorcycles suffer substantial damage in collisions with passenger cars, particularly if the passenger car runs over the motorcycle.
On the other hand, personal injury claims seek compensation for the injuries caused by the motorcycle driver and any passengers he may have been transporting at the time of the accident. Motorcycle accidents often result in serious injuries, such as traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injuries, and fractured bones.
Make an appointment with a Colorado motorcycle accident lawyer.
Contrary to popular belief, a high number of motorcycle accidents are caused by another motorist. If you’ve been in a motorcycle accident, you should call an expert motorcycle accident lawyer right once. The attorney will be well-versed in Colorado’s complicated insurance structure.
Medical fees, missed wages, pain, suffering, and damage to your motorcycle may all be covered by your legal rights.
Many victims of motorcycle accidents have been successfully represented by Warrior Motorcycle Attorneys, , and have received big financial settlements. For a free consultation, contact us now. Do not delay since time might be detrimental to your cause. Call 719-300-1100 for a free consultation now, or fill out a contact form online.
