Do I Have To Have Motorcycle Insurance?

In the state of Florida, you are not required to present proof of insurance when registering a vehicle with fewer than four wheels at the FLHSMV (the state’s equivalent of the DMV). The lack of this requirement effectively means that you are not bound by law to have any sort of insurance in order to legally operate a motorcycle on public roadways.

One exception is that if you do get in an accident and cause an injury and are charged for a violation in the accident, you could be compelled by law to purchase bodily injury liability (BIL) and property damage liability insurance coverage for a minimum of three years “to avoid license and tag/registration suspension or to reinstate license and tag/registration after suspension.”

Even though you are not legally required to carry insurance in order to own or operate a motorcycle in Florida, it is always a good idea to purchase liability coverage. If you don’t have it, you could be held personally responsible for paying someone’s damages in the event you injure them or damage their vehicle in an accident. You may also be expected to have insurance if you operate your motorcycle out-of-state.

If you have questions about what coverage you may need or what forms of compensation could be available should you get hurt, contact a Tampa motorcycle accident attorney near you today. Darrigo & Diaz can provide you with a free, no-obligation case review when you call (813) 774-3341 or contact us online.

Florida Car Insurance Rules Are Different for Motorcycles

Any vehicle with four or more wheels must have a valid, current insurance policy for the following when the vehicle is registered or has its registration renewed in Florida:

• $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, covering the vehicle owner in the event of a collision injury
• $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL) coverage, covering the costs of repair or replacement of another vehicle in the event the policyholder causes an accident

Unlike most other states, there is no legal requirement to carry bodily injury liability (BIL) insurance, unless you are a taxi or another type of commercial vehicle.

Owners and operators of vehicles with two or three wheels in Florida have none of these requirements. This can actually be a bad thing because motorcycle owners aren’t able to use PIP policies. PIP insurance can otherwise be a cost-effective way to cover the costs of any crash injuries. Motorcycle owners will instead have to purchase health insurance or add MedPay coverage to any optional vehicle coverage they have.

Consider Purchasing Optional Motorcycle Insurance

Not having insurance on your motorcycle can save you a few bucks every month, but the truth is that the costs of getting into an accident will become exponentially higher. Without any liability insurance, the motorcycle operator could find themselves mixed up in a lawsuit should they hurt a pedestrian or cause an accident with another vehicle. They will then be required to purchase liability insurance after the fact, meaning they’re now paying higher premiums while still on the hook for past damages.

You can avoid this situation entirely by purchasing PDL and BIL insurance for your motorcycle. You can also add on MedPay in order to cover the costs of your own injuries since PIP insurance is not available for motorcycles (meaning current PIP policyholders very likely won’t have coverage if they were operating a motorcycle at the time of their accident).

The good news is that motorcycle insurance rates are usually much cheaper than those for car insurance! That’s because motorcycles are lighter and lack the boxy structure of cars and trucks, which means that they aren’t as likely to cause major damage or injuries compared to the average four-plus-wheeled vehicle. Motorcycle insurance is even cheaper when it’s added to an existing car insurance policy.

Covering yourself for liability and personal injury is the best option for avoiding legal and financial troubles down the road while giving yourself peace of mind.

Reach out to a Tampa Motorcycle Accident Lawyer After a Collision

If you have recently been in a wreck and are concerned about being sued, filing for insurance, or repaying your own personal injury damages, that is a great opportunity to speak to a motorcycle accident lawyer in Tampa.

Darrigo & Diaz can determine who is actually at fault in your collision and what forms of compensation are available. If you are hurt, but someone is attempting to say you are liable for the accident and you don’t have insurance, our Tampa attorneys can investigate the accident thoroughly and potentially represent you if there is another party who could be liable instead.

Find out more about your legal rights and what types of compensation could be available during a free, no-obligation case evaluation when you call (813) 774-3341 or contact us online.