The weather is warming up in Minnesota, and with more than 230,000 registered motorcycles in the state, you can expect to see a fair amount of motorcyclists on the road. If you’re interested in buying and riding a motorcycle in Minnesota, you may be surprised to learn that the insurance requirements for motorcyclists are different than if you own an automobile. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at the insurance requirements if you’re considering registering and riding a motorcycle in Minnesota.
Minnesota Motorcycle Insurance Requirements
All vehicle drivers are required to carry automobile insurance in order to legally drive, and the same goes for motorcyclists. In Minnesota, a motorcycle driver is required to carry what’s known as $30,000/$60,000 coverage for bodily injury. This means that you’ll have $30,000 in coverage for death or bodily injury to one person, and $60,000 for death or bodily injury to two or more persons. Additionally, you must carry at least $10,000 in coverage for property damage liability. Many motorcyclists carry policies that offer higher liability limits, but these are the required minimums.
As we’ve talked about on the blog in the past, Minnesota is a No Fault state, which means that you’ll typically file an insurance claim with your policy provider in the event of an accident, regardless of who was at fault for the accident. These claims are commonly made through your individual Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. Oftentimes PIP coverage is standard in an automobile policy but not in a motorcycle policy. Minnesota does not require that motorcyclists purchase additional PIP coverage, although you are welcome to if you please.
This means that if you are involved in an accident on your motorcycle and someone else was at fault, you will file a claim with the automobile insurance provider of the at-fault driver. If you have PIP coverage, you can file through your own provider just like you would if you were driving a car.
Another topic that oftentimes comes up when discussing motorcycle insurance coverage is whether or not their policy is affected by wearing a helmet. Some riders swear by helmet use, while others like to ride without a helmet. While research shows that helmet use can significantly reduce your risk of significant injury or death in the event of an accident while riding a motorcycle, it will do nothing to reduce your insurance rates. Whether or not you wear a helmet will have no bearing on how much you’ll pay for motorcycle insurance coverage.
And finally, it’s worth noting that you have two years from the date of a motorcycle accident to file a personal injury lawsuit against the at fault driver. That may seem like plenty of time to file a claim, but your recollection of the event or witness memory can fade, so don’t drag your feet if you are at all considering filing a motorcycle injury claim. We can take care of all of the heavy lifting and work to get you the compensation you deserve while you focus on your health. We’ve done it for countless motorcyclists in the past, and we’d be happy to be an ally for you in your time of need.
If you end up involved in an accident on your motorcycle, don’t take on the uphill legal battle on your own. Get a professional in your corner who knows how you effectively pursue compensation. For more information, or to learn if you have a valid injury claim, reach out to the team at Hey Workers today at (844) 439-9675.
