I Was Hurt In An Accident On A Motorcycle- What Do I Do?
In the event of a motorcycle accident, the coverage that the injured party receives is quite different from the injured party of an auto insurance policy. If a motorcyclist is involved in an accident, the coverage that they receive for their medical bills depends on the other driver’s auto policy. This means that you (as the driver of the motorcycle) will claim the benefits of the insurer of the owner or the operator of the car. Whether or not the car driver is at fault, the motorcyclist will claim their benefits that are outlined on their auto insurance policy.
The amount of coverage the motorcyclist will receive depends on what the driver of the car has chosen as their PIPL (Personal Injury Protection Limits). If the driver has chosen $50,000 as their limits, then you will be responsible for any bills that total over $50,000. This also applies to any other monetary value that they’ve chosen- ie. $100,000, $250,000, etc. If the driver of the car has chosen unlimited PIPL then all of your medical bills will be covered. In the event that the car driver is at fault pertaining to the accident, the motorcyclist may sue them for benefits in excess of the PIPL that they have chosen.
If your bills exceed the limits chosen by the driver of the vehicle, you are also entitled to claim any first-party medical benefits you may have purchased. First-party medical benefits include coverage that you have purchased under your own policy that covers any reasonable and necessary medical expenses you and your passenger require in an event of an accident, no matter who is at fault.
We hope you find this information helpful and are happy to answer any additional questions you may have! We will be posting new scenarios until July when the new Michigan Auto Insurance laws come into play. Visit our website at farmingtoninsagency.com or call us a (248)-474-3511. Let us, your local insurance experts, show you the FIA difference.
**The Michigan Assigned Claims Plan was established by the state of Michigan in 1973 to provide access to Michigan No Fault Benefits for people in a car or truck accident when no applicable car insurance is available. You must apply for MACP to be eligible for the benefits. Go to https://www.michacp.org/file-claim.aspx for more information.