You can’t predict when something will be lost or stolen, but you can be prepared and covered should it ever happen to you. Personal property insurance is often overlooked, though it is very important, especially if you plan to ride with expensive equipment. Whether you’re going for a quick ride, to a rally, or on a road trip with friends, the last thing you should have to worry about is replacing lost or stolen gear. Personal property insurance helps put that worry to ease.
What Exactly is Personal Property Insurance?
Personal property insurance covers the cost of your property if it is stolen from your motorcycle or lost while riding. Most people don’t have lockable side bags and can be an easy target for theft when the motorcycle is left unattended for long periods of time, such as overnight. This is the case both on the road and at home. Adding an insurance policy like personal property insurance, or carried contents coverage, on your motorcycle policy can help better protect you from the loss of your equipment or valuables.
What Items are Covered Under Motorcycle Personal Property Insurance?
Items generally covered under personal property insurance for your motorcycle include but are not limited to:
These are items that are commonly associated with riding. Policies often differ depending on the insurance provider. The biggest example of this is whether or not the provider covers items not directly associated with riding that may be lost or stolen from your motorcycle, like backpacks and cell phones.
When Can You File a Personal Property Insurance Claim?
You would file a personal property insurance claim whenever any of the equipment associated with your motorcycle is stolen or damaged by something covered in your policy. What types of damages are covered generally depend on whether you have a named peril policy or an open peril policy. If you have a named-peril policy, then the cause of the property damage needs to be explicitly named for the item to be covered. For example, imagine your bike caught fire and the gear in the saddlebags was damaged. If “fire damage” is a named peril in your policy, then those items are covered, and the insurance will pay for them. Had fire damage not been specifically named in the policy, then you would be responsible for replacing the gear. Whereas in an open-peril policy, every possible cause of damage is covered unless explicitly excluded in the policy.
Why is Personal Property Insurance a Good Idea?
You should do everything you can to cover yourself in the event of loss or theft. Personal property insurance can save you from having to replace hundreds of dollars’ worth of riding gear, bike attachments, and other valuable possessions.
TJ Woods Insurance Agency Inc. helps you find your best options for motorcycle insurance by helping you search through policies from the most reputable companies available. We do the legwork in finding the best coverage plan options for you. You can also find tips for motorcycle safety to help you avoid accidents and injury and that can often reduce your insurance payments. Confused about the differences between automobile and motorcycles insurance? We outline the key points and highlight what they mean for you. Contact us with any questions you have or to get a free quote today.
