[sqdog542]

What type of coverage do you reccomend for the Burgman? What do you
roughly pay a year and who do you have coverage with? Thanks!
John

 

[migz123]

I recommend full coverage.

I pay approximately $370 through StateFarm.
As you know rates can radically differ depending on age experience, driving record, where you live etc etc.

I am 35, live in California, have Motorcycle license for over 10 years, no prior claims, and no points on driving record.

 

[Jim]

insurance

$75 per year full coverage, 51 yrs old. through Progressive.

 

[tony308]

$400 a year with Geico for liability, collision, and comprehensive.

 

[richardhdz]

I'm also for california, and I wonder if I can insure my motorcycle without having a motorcycle driver licence...

I'm planing on buying a 400 this week.

 

[ajwood]

Your Magnetic Ink

richardhdz,

They'll ask to see your Drivers License when you apply.
If you lie to them And they find out, you can be sued for fraud. All insurers do periodic inquiries with state Governments to find out anyway.
If you lie to them and then if you have an accident, you'll be sued by them for insurance claim fraud and they will not pay for your loss and you won't be refunded and the state will sue you for falsifying vehicle registration information concerning required insurance.

On the lighter side.... How about that great Southern California cycling weather!

 

[daveman]

Re: Your Magnetic Ink

I think that's a bit extreme, aj.

No insurance company has asked to see my driver's license. I got my motorcycle insurance from Progressive over the phone. As for riding experience, most riders include off-road experience for which no license is required. That's not fraud. That's where many folks learn to ride.

Of course I don't recommend lying. Insurance companies are very careful about validating coverage when they have to pay out a big claim. I should know - I was in an accident caused by an uninsured driver about a month ago. He destroyed my Burgman, and his insurance company suddenly told me that he was "uncovered" about a week after they took responsibility for the claim.

Now I've been waiting a month for my insurance company to settle the claim. Word to the wise: Progressive is NOT a bunch of "motorcycle enthusiasts." They are taking their sweet time with this, and they won't provide alternative transportation for me while I'm out my ride to work.

richardhdz,

They'll ask to see your Drivers License when you apply.
If you lie to them And they find out, you can be sued for fraud. All insurers do periodic inquiries with state Governments to find out anyway.
If you lie to them and then if you have an accident, you'll be sued by them for insurance claim fraud and they will not pay for your loss and you won't be refunded and the state will sue you for falsifying vehicle registration information concerning required insurance.

On the lighter side.... How about that great Southern California cycling weather!

 

[jb4278a]

542 Insurance

Hi Folks...just came on board! So thanks for your patience. Referring to Insurance, I remember a couple of years ago when a cyclist told me that you can't have enough insurance....but, using advice from the ins. agent, I subscribed to $50,000(person), $100,00(ea. accident), Property dam.($25000), with Underinsured & Uninsured, w/comprehensive & collision deduct. of $500 ea. Total Yearly cost....$127 w/Progressive. I suppose most of us don't review our insur. policies from time to time, but we probably should.
I know, it's a necessary evil...something you hope you never have to use. In the meantime enjoy your ride!!

 

[ajwood]

.. and that's not all folks!

daveman,

Yes, extreme.. What I could have said is:

In order to purchase then ride away on a Street Bike, most every established dealer requires to see your insurance binder/policy and DL with MC Endorsement before you're given the keys.

Dealers can have legal problems of their own if you don't make it home.
Plus, a news media story about an uninsured and/or unlicensed street rider coming straight out of an authorized dealer showroom then wrecking is not good advertising. Thus, the generally accepted policy of motorcycle retailers requiring proper licensure and insurance.
Likewise when insurance companies pay for a replacement bike and the insured goes to a dealer to pick up another Street Bike with loss claim money.
Riders need to pay insurance premiums even if their bike is totaled and if the claim hasn't been paid yet OR the insurer will cancel the bike policy AND the state will find out THEN you're back to square one with insurance while sitting in a motorcycle retailers sales office trying to get back on another bike again after accumulating a substantial claim history with an insurer that severed ties. This doesn't mean you're disqualified from purchasing insurance. Everyone will be very nice and you'll pay more in annual premiums.
IF after sticker-shock you then don't want to pay for a Major policy, there's plenty of cruddy little companies that have voicemail and horror-story claims procedures, also with no Short Rate policy that allows you to recover premium money if you sell the bike early before the premium is due again.

A private sale is quite different from retail in that the seller isn't blatantly responsible (read: Legally Liable) if the buyer can't ride and doesn't have a DL/Policy after the vehicle title is transferred (signed) to an otherwise legal title transferee.

daveman > I'm not a lawyer BUT I've been around the block a couple times on Street Bikes. The retail purchase System is designed to prevent retail sales to undocumented buyers and State vehicle policies prevent registration issuance to undocumented riders.
If you know of a dealer that allows Street Bike sales without Documentation, please let us all know.

 

[daveman]

Re: .. and that's not all folks!

daveman,
If you know of a dealer that allows Street Bike sales without Documentation, please let us all know.

Coleman Powersports is the name of the place. They didn't verify anything. I paid, signed, called up Progressive on my cell phone while waiting for the paperwork, and was told over the phone that my new policy was effective immediately. No need to wait for a policy or card to be mailed to me. I've bought 8-10 motorcycles and two scooters over the past 17 years. Here in Virginia, insurance and drivers' licensing is a personal responsibility only. They are not the responsibility of the dealership. Besides, a few people never operate the vehicles they purchase. They are gifts for family members (Honey, take note ;-)), collector's items, or purchased in advance of taking a safety/riding course. The dealers here won't let you ride the bike (not even a test ride) until you have taken ownership. Once it's yours, they should be off the hook legally. If you ride home and hit someone, the liability for the accident is yours, not your dealer's.

Many folks trailer or truck their bikes home. That's what I did with my Burgman. Surely you don't need a motorcycle license to do that.

 

[daveman]

AN400 insured with Progressive:
"pleasure use"
BI/liability per person/accident: $100K/300K
Property damage liability: $50K
UIM: 100/300/50 ($200 ded)
comprehensive/col ded: $500

1-year premium: $287

I really don't recommend Progressive. It's taken them over a month to do a claims adjustment, during which time my Burgman was (and still is) in their shop. Also, they are not giving me their lowest rate because of my credit rating (I have a FICO of 790, which I thought was very good!). Apparently, there have been a number of inqueries into my credit in the past couple of years, even though I am debt-free (with the exception of my mortgage) and have not applied for a loan or a credit card in at least five years.

As for the coverage I recommend, the most important thing is liability coverage, followed by UIM coverage. I wanted to get 300/300/50, but Progressive didn't offer this. They want your "per accident" coverage to exceed your "per person" coverage for some reason. It is REALLY easy to go over $100K in a personal injury case. You could be ruined if you injure someone and get sued. Is it really worth risking your 401K, your kids' college funds, etc?

 

[allwalk]

Man you folks south of the border are lucky when it comes to premiums.I have a perfect record , no tickets no claims whatsoever. 24 yrs with same insurance company. Hold on to your hats.
Burgman 650
$1,000,000 liability- minimum that they allow
$500 deductible collision
$500 deductible for fire and theft

All this great coverage for $830 a year.
Count your blessings my friends.
The insurance companies up here are raping us legally.

 

[richardhdz]

I do have a driver licence, but automobile one :shock:, now the question that arise is. will insurance company take that one (here in Cal) or should I run to the DMV and get my motorcycle one?

 

[migz123]

I do have a driver licence, but automobile one :shock:, now the question that arise is. will insurance company take that one (here in Cal) or should I run to the DMV and get my motorcycle one?

Get your motorcycle endorsement from the dmv asap ... not only is that for the obvious reason of legality, and then for insurance purposes (they are not likely to insure you if you have no motorcycle endorsement), but there are also liability issues ... many reasons why you should get one asap...

 

[daveman]

Interesting how that works in CA. In CT, you have to the get the insurance first, and show proof of insurance to the DMV when you go there to take your "on the road" test to get your license/endorsement.

 

[Walt Hoefer]

Insurance for AN650

I live in Deming, New Mexico. Progressive charged me $199.00
for: Bodily Injury/Prop Damage 25/50/10
Medical (none)
Comprensive 500.00 deduct
Collision 500.00 deduct
Uninsured motorist 25/50/10 (250.00 UM PD Deductible)
I don't have a bike license, & wasn't asked about it. No accident or claim record. Oh yes, I'm 67. :lol:

 

[DavidF]

Re: .. and that's not all folks!

daveman,
If you know of a dealer that allows Street Bike sales without Documentation, please let us all know.

Plenty of them don't. I suppose it might depend on how it is financed as well. When I bought a little Stella Scooter several months ago I was never asked for ID. I did the financing through my own bank, took a cashiers check to the dealer and was never asked for any identification or insurance.

I have ordered a Burgman 650 from Ohio and they will be shipping it to me in Seattle. Not sure how they will ask for anything from me or not since I will be paying them cash. I doubt it.

I can't remember if I was asked on any of my other scooter / motorcycle purchases or not. I do know that I was not asked anything from a local auto dealership when I purchased a new car for my daughter and paid cash. I do recall providing that information on a new car purchase last week when the dealer arranged financing.

 

[JamesOTN]

Reasonably priced insurance

Ouch!!!!!Allan I feel for ya guy...that's awfull....Here's a note for you folks in U.S. I have mine insured thru Tennessee Farmers Mutual...they insured it under their " fire and casualty " division and listed it as a recreational vehicle with full coverage for $160 per year...Perhaps other companies would do the same.......Good Luck

 

[Chickenman]

There's a penalty for living in Paradise.... Just got off the phone with USAA (insure only military servicepeople, active or retired) and got a bit of sticker shock on the price of a one year premium for my 2004 AN400. They quoted $520 for a year: 100/200/50, O deductible for uninsured motorist and comprehensive; $50 ded collision. The rate is comparable to what I'm paying for each of my autos garaged at the same address.

They didn't ask if I have a motorcycle operator's license. I only have a learner's permit. Couldn't take the test with my 50cc scooter and couldn't get into the driver safety course for another 2 months without my own bike. I can't register the AN400 without the insurance binder, so I was a bit worried that USAA would give me a hard time or higher rate for not having the license. Catch 22 almost.

Apparently "no fault" hasn't done anything to bring down rates.

Only thing I can say in favor of USAA is that they have not jerked me around on my car claims over the last 40 years. I figure it's cost effective to pay more but be sure they come through when you need them, unlike what's going on with Daveman(see other posts above) and his stalled claim with Progressive.

So, in addition to paying among the highest insurance premiums in the nation, we got a 30% increase in the registration fees because the cops needed a raise. They saw the bus drivers go on strike earlier this year and found out 5-yrs driving on the job brings $45,000 annual salary plus benefits! So now they want theirs, too. Sorry, I digressed.

I always thought motorcycle insurance would be cheaper than auto inasmuch as you can't do as much damage with a 400 lbs. battering ram vs a 4000 lbs tank. Something's outta whack. :shock:

 

[gruntled]

GMAC & Progressive both quoted me $100/yr for Bodily Injury $100,000/$300,000. Guest liability $100,000/$300,000 Property damage $50,000

The increase in price to go to the higher limits is so small it makes no sense to go for the minimum.