CAN AUTOMOBILE UNINSURED COVERAGE HELP A BIKER? Before we get into the specifics of how automobile UM coverage can affect bikers, it’s important to note that you should have UM coverage on all of the vehicles you own, period. After getting into an accident, the last thing you want to worry about is being able to afford not just your own medical bills but potentially your passengers’. Whether they’re family members or friends, you don’t want to put anyone in a vulnerable position like that.
SPOOKY CITY REGULATIONS Halloween Laws Across the U.S. Halloween can be a mischievous holiday. The most innocent of us reserve it for backyard parties and trick- or-treating, but some like to get a little rowdier than others. That’s exactly why various city councils across the U.S. have passed some seemingly unusual laws to regulate spooky festivities. Rehoboth Beach, Delaware: No Sunday Trick-or-Treating If Halloween falls on a Sunday, children in Rehoboth Beach are required to trick-or-treat the night before. The explanation in the city code is simple, but ambiguous: to prevent children and their guardians from going door to door on Sunday evenings. Rehoboth Beach law also forbids children from roaming the streets on Halloween “with the intent to cause trouble,” but what exactly that means is ambiguous as well. Hollywood, California: No Silly String The Los Angeles City Council has banned Silly String and all other brands of aerosol string from use on Halloween in the Hollywood area. From midnight on Oct. 31 until noon on Nov. 1, no one is allowed to spray, sell, or distribute Silly String in public locations. Use of Silly String got so popular in the city on Halloween that the mess left behind became a strain on sanitation workers, and the city sympathized with them. Belleville, Illinois: No 8th Graders Trick-or-treating is most often viewed as an activity reserved for younger generations, but how do you determine what age is “too old” for this type of generally good-natured fun? Well, the city of Belleville settled the ambiguity by passing a law restricting teenagers who are past the eighth grade — generally older than 13 — from going door to door on Halloween. Walnut, California: No Masks Without Permits In a simpler time, there was no paperwork required to celebrate Halloween to the fullest. But in the city of Walnut, no one can wear a mask or other disguise on public streets without a permit from the sheriff. The law doesn’t specify any exceptions, so residents are left to assume that everyone from age 5 to 100 must abide. Whatever your Halloween celebrations might look like this year, it’s important to have fun, but remember to abide by any rules or laws your city might have in place in an effort to keep its citizens safe.
That’s why underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage exists.
We’ve discussed in past newsletters that there are a lot of uninsured and underinsured drivers on the road. According to a 2017 study by the Insurance Research Council (IRC), 13% of drivers (or 1 out of 8!) are uninsured. That leaves us to wonder: How many more are underinsured and only purchasing state minimum? That’s why when you buy underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage, you need to match your liability policy — unlike liability policies that pay others, this is how you can pay yourself, guaranteed. Underinsured and UM coverage will also pay your family members, friends, and any other passengers who are injured in your vehicle at the time of the accident. Finally, we need to talk about automobile UM coverage and how that can affect bikers. The ultimate takeaway is to be VERY careful. Automobile UM coverage can help bikers but it depends on the ownership of the vehicle you’re on when an accident happens. While many motorcyclists include their bike on the same policy as their car, truck, and even home, some choose to have a completely different company insure their bike. This can mess with your coverage. While UM coverage typically follows you no matter what vehicle you’re in (even if you’re jogging down the road!), you should get your agent and read the fine print. At Sevenish Law Firm, we have a saying: The big print giveth, and the small print taketh away . When in doubt, call our firm, and we’ll be happy to give you detailed, personal advice.
2
www.sevenishlaw.com | 317-636-7777
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker