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Does Auto Insurance Cover Bike Accidents?

by Sue Palmer

You're used to your auto insurance accident covering you on the road, so if bikes go on the road, does auto insurance cover bike accidents? Here's what you need to know.

If You Hit a Bike With Your Car

If you hit a bike with your car, it would be handled just like any other auto accident claim. Assuming you were at fault, the liability portion of your policy would cover the bike rider's injuries plus damage to their bike. Your collision coverage would take care of the damage to your own car if it was over your deductible.

If you don't believe you were at fault but the bike rider says you were, they can try to file a claim with your insurance company under your liability policy. Your insurance company would then work to decide fault.

If the bike rider was at fault, you can see if they had their own liability coverage or sue them directly for the damage to your car.

If a Bike Hits Your Car

A bike hitting your car is the same as you hitting a bike with your car, except that the bike rider is more likely to be at fault. Remember, who hits who isn't necessarily important. For example, a bike could hit you if you ran a red light in front of them, and it would be your fault. Whoever is at fault is who pays.

If You're Riding a Bike

If you're riding a bike, you probably wouldn't have coverage through your auto insurance company. Auto insurance generally applies to vehicles with engines that are registered to drive on the road. Your auto insurance typically covers rented and borrowed cars in addition to your main car, but your bike just doesn't count as a car.

If you cause an accident with a car or person while riding a bike, you'd probably look to your home insurance or renter's insurance liability coverage to cover the claim.

If you get hit while riding your bike, you can file a claim with the driver's auto insurance policy just like they could file a claim on your own if the situation was reversed. You'll want to treat it just like any other accident where you get a police report at the scene and then call the insurance company as soon as possible.

To learn more about how auto insurance would cover an accident, talk to a local auto insurance agent today.


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Insure Your Future

Purchasing insurance — the right insurance — is one of the smartest things you will ever do. While there are definitely differences between homeowners, car, life, and health insurance policies, they all serve the same purpose when it comes down to it. Insurance protects you against financial ruin should a tragedy happen in your life. In the case of homeowners insurance, that tragedy could be a fire or a flood. In the case of life insurance, that tragedy would be your death. The more you learn about insurance, the better the decisions you'll make when purchasing it. So dive into the articles here, and start reading.

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