Insurance thoughts from Matt:
My auto insurance company will cover me up to my limits if I get hit on my
bicycle or if I am a pedestrian. How do I know? I called them. I also asked
what one would do if they had no car and apparently there are products they
sell to cover people without their own auto because they can provide policies
for people that use other peoples' cars.
I couldn't quite understand the lost income part but apparently my auto
coverage *can* help out on that but given that my limits are low it would not
carry very far if I were hospitalized for an extended period or if the
procedures required were very expensive.
If my bike is stolen or damaged my renters insurance (with $250 deductible)
will cover that. Yep! Even if the bike is not at home. There may be limits on
that.
I am completely surprised by this and suppose I should have known, at least
should have known to call up my insurance provider.
Bottom line: if you have auto insurance ask your insurer what they will do. If
you don't have a car and want to get uninsured, or underinsured, coverage, pick
up a phone and call some insurance companies.
Mitch: perhaps BFW could do some shopping and put out some comparative rates.
Not sure that the BFW would ever want to become an insurance agency *but* maybe
it could be a revenue stream too.........
----- Original Message ----
From: Eric Westhagen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Mark Shahan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; BikiesSubmissions <bikies@danenet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 12:09:36 PM
Subject: Re: Fw: [Bikies] World CarFree Day - 9/22
Insurance question to George?
I don't have this straight. You mean if you have "uninsured motorist coverage"
on your auto insurance, you can collect from your policy when you are a
pedestrian or bicyclist?
Eric
Mark Shahan wrote:
Aaron,
Health and homeowners insurance won't pay for lost income. You would need
disability insurance as well which is pricey. Furthermore, if you make a claim
on your insurance, your rates will likely go up. If you work at a small
employer like I do, everybody's health insurance rates in the company could go
up substantially due to one large claim by one employee, e.g., from a severe
crash with a motor vehicle while biking. This seems unfair to me. The person
responsible should be held accountable. Maybe we need to make a change in
state law because this is an issue for the elderly without cars who might be
hit as pedestrians.
Mark
On Tue, Sep 16, 2008 at 9:38 AM, Aaron Crandall <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I understand. However, I know a lot of folks who do have health & homeowners
insurance, so those folks can't use this excuse. Also, I believe if you have
renters or homeowners ins, you should be able to submit a claim for damage
sustained to your bicycle, if the damage is above & beyond your deductable.
-Aaron
--- On Tue, 9/16/08, Matthew Berigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
From: Matthew Berigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Fw: [Bikies] World CarFree Day - 9/22
To: bikies@danenet.org
Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2008, 8:25 AM
Right! But there are a LOT of folks out there without health insurance. See
stats at:
http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/localdata/fhs/index.htm
Also - health insurance covers your health bills. There are a lot of other
costs associated with accidents (minimally replacement of bicycle but also loss
of income etc.).
This point on uninsured motorists is a very interesting question.
----- Original Message ----
From: Aaron Crandall <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: bikies <bikies@danenet.org>; George Perkins <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 11:34:13 PM
Subject: RE: [Bikies] World CarFree Day - 9/22
Isn't that what health insurance is for?
--- On Mon, 9/15/08, George Perkins <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
From: George Perkins <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: RE: [Bikies] World CarFree Day - 9/22
To: "'Aaron Crandall'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "'bikies'" <bikies@danenet.org>
Date: Monday, September 15, 2008, 11:29 PM
One issue with a car-less lifestyle in a car-more culture is insurance
coverage against the risk of uninsured (and hit-and-run) motorists.
As I understand things, lacking car ownership and insurance coverage of
same, if an intoxicated hit-and-run mows you down, you are screwed with no
means to pay for healthcare, pain and suffering, permanent disability,
property damage, etc. The only way to get coverage against this kind of risk
is if you purchase uninsured motorist insurance (which you can only carry if
you own a motor vehicle and purchase that option). I looked into this a
couple of years ago when I was considering Community Car. Not having the
uninsured coverage coupled with the high cost of a policy for a vacation car
rental (you are lumped into the high risk pool if you don't already own a
car and have coverage). Community Car carries insurance when you are driving
their vehicles, but it does not extend to other situations. And you can't
take a Community Car on your 2-week vacation to the Rocky Mountains.
Any car-free people out there who have already researched this and found a
way to insure themselves in these situations, please tell Community Car and
have them update their FAQ. (And post here).
Our household did manage to downsize from 2 to 1 vehicle this year. It is
working fine. But I can't imagine (even if the practical matters of kids,
night shift work, etc. were resolved) going from 1 to 0 cars until the
hit-and-run and uninsured motorist risk is resolved. I think it would
require a change to the way insurance is regulated in this state.
_______________________________________________
Bikies mailing list
Bikies@danenet.org
http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
_______________________________________________
Bikies mailing list
Bikies@danenet.org
http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
--
Mark N. Shahan ------ __o
607 Piper Drive ------- _`\<,_
Madison, WI 53711-1338 ---- (*)/ (*)
(608) 274-9367
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
________________________________
_______________________________________________
Bikies mailing list
Bikies@danenet.org
http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies_______________________________________________
Bikies mailing list
Bikies@danenet.org
http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
