Have you seen those Allstate ads that run in Cycle World and other biker magazines that say things like “Dollar for dollar, no one protects bikers better than Allstate”? Well I am here to tell you that if you have Allstate (or any other carrier for that matter) you had better read your policy!
Consider a case where a biker had his cars insured with Allstate and his bikes with a competing company. He decided to switch his bikes to Allstate so all his vehicles were with the same company. Seems like a reasonably good idea, right? Same company, same coverage, discount for multiple vehicles, win-win, bullet proof idea! Well, it was, until he had a wreck and his passenger was seriously injured. It was then, and only then, he found out Allstate, unlike most companies, charges an extra premium for what they call “Guest Passenger Liability” coverage. The failure of his agent to sell him this coverage left him TOTALLY UNINSURED for the claim of the seriously injured passenger. When a lawsuit is eventually filed against him, not only will he have to pay to hire his own lawyer to defend the suit, he will also be left with a huge judgment against him for the passenger’s medical bills, lost wages, disability, pain, suffering and disfigurement.
Are there morals to this story? You bet! You get what you pay for. Don’t believe slick ads promising “better protection” than the other companies! Read your policy! Ask your agent to explain your coverage! Or, better yet, ask a lawyer how your coverage works. It should protect you, not the insurance company!