The Risks of Riding Without Motorcycle Insurance

Riding a motorcycle delivers the exhilaration of the open road but also comes with serious risks. Theft, vandalism, physical injury, and liability issues can lead to financial devastation without the proper coverage. Motorcycle insurance helps protect motorcyclists from these risks and can provide peace of mind. At Collum Insurance Group LLC in Richardson, TX, we are proud to offer comprehensive motorcycle coverage to help keep your investment safe both on and off the road.

Legal Risks

Riding without motorcycle insurance jeopardizes your financial stability and exposes you to significant legal risks. In Texas, all riders must have at least liability insurance to protect against bodily injury and property damage they cause in an accident.

Financial Risks

The financial implications of riding without insurance may include exorbitant out-of-pocket expenses if you are found at fault in an accident. You may be liable for medical bills, vehicle repairs, and property damage.

Health Risks

Motorcycle accidents can result in serious injuries and high medical expenses. Without insurance, you could be responsible for any medical bills incurred. If the accident leaves you permanently disabled or with long-term health complications, the ongoing medical costs could be financially crippling without insurance.

Personal Risks

Riding without coverage also poses certain personal risks. Your personal assets could be at risk if you are found liable for damages in an accident and are unable to pay. This includes your savings, property, and future earnings.

Get the Coverage You Need to Stay Protected

Motorcycle insurance can help you avoid the multitude of risks that come with riding and storing your bike. At Collum Insurance Group LLC in Richardson, TX, we offer complete coverage to protect you while riding. Call 972-387-1863 to speak to an agent today.

Keep Your Motorcycle Updated With These Three Safety Features

Motorcycle Safety Features to Consider for Enhanced Road Safety

If you own a motorcycle, there are key safety features to consider adding if your bike doesn’t already have them. Whether you’re upgrading your existing ride or on the hunt for a new one, these features can significantly enhance your safety.

1. Adaptive Headlights

Adaptive headlights are a must-have for both old and new model bikes. They automatically adjust with the changing weather and darkness levels, allowing you to focus on the road ahead. You can also add an adaptive light for turning the bike, ensuring maximum visibility.

2. Anti-Lock Braking System

It’s surprising that not all motorcycles come standard with an anti-lock braking system, given its advent nearly 30 years ago. If your bike lacks this feature, consider adding it promptly. Especially when traveling on highways, it allows proper braking and protects both you and other road users.

3. Electronic Throttles

Installing an electronic throttle can help maintain a steady speed on your motorcycle and facilitate cruise control for longer trips. It also simplifies speed management in different weather conditions, like wind and rain. While some bikes already have this feature, many basic models still operate with mechanical throttles that lack these capabilities.

Get Your Personalized Motorcycle Insurance Quote in Richardson, TX

If you’re searching for motorcycle insurance solutions in Richardson, TX, allow our team at Collum Insurance Group LLC to assist with a personal quote for your needs.

Helmets: A Very Good Suggestion

Under Texas state law, If you are over 20 years of age, are trained to operate a motorcycle, and have a minimum of $10,000 in medical insurance coverage, you don’t have to wear a helmet in Texas. While helmet laws are a bit lax in the Lone Star State, you may choose to wear one anyway. It’s not a legal requirement, but it’s still a very good idea. 

There’s a Reason You’ll Need That Insurance 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has estimated that helmets have saved 1,872 motorcyclists’ lives. It is also estimated that 749 additional motorcyclists would have survived if they had worn helmets. Helmets have decreased motorcyclist fatalities by 37 percent as well as passenger fatalities by 41 percent. With these statistics in mind, it’s likely a motorcyclist with no helmet should worry more about life insurance than medical insurance. 

How A Motorcycle Helmet Can Help You

The number one reason to wear a motorcycle helmet is to prevent injury. You will find that a motorcycle helmet is hard on the outside and soft on the inside. The outer shell is hard in order to protect your head from impact. The inner lining absorbs shock and reduces the rotational forces that can lead to brain damage. The visor also helps by keeping debris out of your eyes and improving overall visibility. You may also experience less wind noise while wearing a helmet. 

Collum Insurance Group LLC Serving Richardson, TX

If you are in need of motorcycle insurance and are living in the Richardson, TX area, please contact Collum Insurance Group LLC. Our friendly and knowledgeable agents will help you get what you need. 

How Do You Make Sure Your Customized Motorcycle is Properly Covered?

Here at Collum Insurance Group LLC in Richardson, TX, we know that good communication helps ensure that you’re properly covered.

Let Us Know About Your Motorcycle Customizations

Communication is especially important with customized motorcycles, where the value may not correspond to the standard value assumed by insurance professionals for that make, model, and year. You may also encounter specific requirements when obtaining a title for or registering the motorcycle in Texas, depending on the extent of the customizations.

Once it’s more your creation than the manufacturer’s, legal requirements may change considerably. We encourage you to let us know about enhancements to the stock equipment on your motorcycle, and if you’re doing a lot of custom work, let’s talk about planning the right coverage.

Make Sure the Documentation is Right

The insurance companies we work with have specific requirements for documenting customizations and other changes that affect the value of your insured motorcycle. It’s important to make sure you’re meeting those requirements ahead of time, so that any claims go smoothly. Keeping records or photographs for your own use needs to be complemented by talking with us to establish the right coverage for your enhancements.

If You Need to Make a Claim

How do insurance companies handle a total loss of a custom motorcycle or damage to custom parts and equipment? At Collum Insurance Group LLC in Richardson, TX, we can help you get the right coverage for custom parts and accessories. We know you’re proud of your ride, and hopefully, you’ll enjoy it without incident.

By insuring with us and letting us know about your unique motorcycle insurance needs, we can help you enjoy your time on the road with fewer worries about damage. Call our insurance team today!

Don’t skimp on liability protection when choosing a motorcycle policy

Collum Insurance Group LLC is proud to serve the insurance needs of motorcycle owners in the greater Richardson, TX area. If you have questions about which policy is right for your needs, we are here to help. Give us a call or come by our office to find out more about the motorcycle policy options that are available in our area.

Why liability protection is so important for motorcycle owners

When it comes to motorized vehicles, motorcycles are among the most dangerous. This doesn’t mean that they don’t also provide a lot of enjoyment and aren’t a good means of transportation. However, it is a reality that needs to be considered when selecting a motorcycle insurance policy.

Liability protection is very important for motorcycle owners. It’s important to find a policy that provides adequate collision, medical expense, and liability protection. All of these three factors can help you protect yourself and your financial health in the event of an accident. 

If you are involved in an accident, you may be held liable for property loss or damage as well as any injuries that may occur as a result of the accident. When you have adequate protection, you will be able to shield yourself from financial loss. Find out more today about this important insurance type. 

Let’s talk about motorcycle insurance today!

If you live in the Richardson, TX area and own a motorcycle, you may have questions about insurance. Our team of insurance experts at Collum Insurance Group LLC is here to help answer them. We can help you find the right policy for your needs and ensure that you have the coverage you want. Contact our office today and learn more about the different motorcycle policies that are available in our area. 

What type of insurance do I need to drive my motorcycle in Texas?

Any driver who plans on navigating the streets and highways of Texas on a motorcycle must be insured. However, the state minimum requirements, as well as coverage levels, must be abided by to legally operate a motorcycle in Richardson, TX. Our team at Collum Insurance Group LLC is committed to helping motorcycle drivers get the coverage they need to legally drive within the state of Texas. 

What are the Legal Requirements to Drive a Motorcycle in Texas?

Aside from having a Class M license, a registered motorcycle, and passing annual inspection, Texas motorcyclists must carry liability insurance to drive a motorcycle in the state. Not only do they need liability coverage, but they must also meet the state minimum levels of coverage. The minimum coverage requirement for Texas motorcycle drivers is 30/60/25. In short, this means that Texas motorcyclists must carry $30,000 worth of bodily injury coverage per person. In addition, $60,000 worth of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 worth of property damage coverage. Keep in mind that you can always carry more than the minimum required coverage if you want to or feel you need to. 

Other Considerations

Although uninsured and underinsured coverage isn’t a requirement in Texas, it might still be worth investing in if an accident is caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver. However, one of our team members at Collum Insurance Group LLC would be happy to discuss all of your insurance options as well as the legal minimum requirements with our Richardson, TX clients. If you have questions, please give us a call. We can help you secure liability insurance that meets the state minimum requirements as well as any other coverage you may need. Our team is standing by for our Richardson, TX customers. 

Motorcycle Insurance When You Don’t Wear Helmets: What to Expect

Motorcycle helmets save lives, but many riders in Texas prefer not to wear them. How does this affect your motorcycle insurance? We at Collum Insurance Group LLC can help Richardson, TX, residents better understand these factors. 

Understanding How Helmets Affect You 

Helmets are an important part of your safety protection when riding a motorcycle. However, Texas law currently does not require residents to wear a helmet while they’re driving. However, insurance companies may still frown on you if you get into an accident without a helmet. 

For example, if you are injured on a motorcycle while not wearing a helmet and someone else caused the accident, your insurance company will still look unhappily on your refusal to wear one. In other words, they may refuse to pay for certain injuries if they believe your lack of helmet contributed to them.

And if the other individual’s insurance company is the one who is paying out, they may also refuse to pay. That will all depend on what the court says was more negligent: the driving behavior of the other person or your refusal to wear a helmet. Not surprisingly, many courts will find you more negligent. 

Note that this issue refers strictly to personal injuries and not motorcycle damages. So if someone else causes the accident and your motorcycle is damaged, their policy must pay even if you weren’t wearing a helmet. And this situation also varies depending on the court and judge involved.

Don’t Neglect Your Insurance Needs 

As you can see, motorcycle insurance and helmets are critical to consider if you want to minimize any complications in your life. Thankfully, we at Collum Insurance Group LLC can help Richardson, TX residents better understand this situation and avoid long-term issues that may otherwise affect them.

What first time motorcycle buyers should know about insurance

Owning a motorcycle is one of the most exciting moments in one’s life. Statistics reveal that Texas has more motorcycles than any other given state. Richardson, TX residents have a formidable love for their bikes. These necessities for proper motorcycle insurance can protect you if you are involved in an accident or pre-exposed to other looming perils like theft and vandalism.

Motorcycle insurance is mandatory in Texas, but it is crucial to go beyond the prescribed minimums and shield your ride from dangers that the roadways can pose. Carrying your motorcycle insurance at all times while driving is crucial to stay within the law. If you engage in any insurance violation, it may pose challenges if you want to acquire insurance in the future and could affect your rates.

Acquiring reliable motorcycle insurance, especially as a first-time motorcycle buyer, is essential because you will enjoy being out on the open road knowing that your safety, your passengers, and your investment are covered. Contact our agents at Collum Insurance Group LLC, located in Richardson, TX, to get a quote for your motorcycle insurance.

Types of motorcycle insurance policies offered at Collum Insurance Group LLC.

  • Liability insurance policy: Covers property damage and bodily injury that you inflict on other people after an accident. It does not cater to damage to your motorcycle or rider’s injuries.
  • Motorcycle collision insurance: This caters for damage to your bike if you are engaged in a collision with another automobile.
  • Comprehensive coverage: This form of the policy pays for damages aggravated by an event other than collisions like vandalism, fire, and hailstorm.
  • Un-insured or under-insured motorist: This covers damages to you or your property caused by another driver who does not have adequate insurance or is not insured.
  • Coverage for customized motorcycle parts: This policy covers optional accessories such as custom paint jobs, chrome parts, trailers, or sidecars.

Factors that affect your motorcycle insurance premiums.

  • Age.
  • Your driving record.
  • The make and model of your bike.
  • The type of coverage.
  • Expected annual mileage.
  • Your motorcycle security.

Contact us or visit our Collum Insurance Group LLC offices at Richardson, TX, for more queries and motorcycle insurance information.