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September 1, 2021 | Motorcycle Accidents
There are plenty of motorcyclists in the state of Texas. This state offers plenty of great riding areas, but it is crucial for motorcycle owners to understand their obligations before they hit the roadway. One of these obligations is ensuring that they have motorcycle insurance in place before they start their engines. Here, we want to discuss the Texas motorcycle insurance laws so that you know what it takes to remain legal on the roadways of the Lone Star State.
In Texas, motorcycle operators must have insurance just like they do for any other type of vehicle they own. As is the case with traditional vehicle insurance, each state is allowed to set the standard for the types of insurance and minimums required for operating a motorcycle. In the state of Texas, motorcyclists are required to purchase and maintain the following types of insurance coverage:
Texas is a fault-based state when it comes to vehicle accidents and motorcycle accidents. This means that person found to have caused the accident will be responsible for covering compensation for the other party’s injury or property damage expenses. That is why insurance is so important. If you cause an accident while riding your motorcycle, insurance is there to protect you from being drained financially due to a personal injury lawsuit from the other party. The other person who sustains injuries or property damage should be able to recover compensation from your insurance.
We do want to point out that these minimums are not very high, and it is not uncommon for a motorcycle accident to cause injury and property damage expenses reaching above these limits. You should consider purchasing higher coverage limits to protect you in the event a collision occurs.
It is important to understand that motorcyclists do not have to carry uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. This type of coverage is designed to help in the event you are injured by an uninsured motorist or a driver who does not have enough insurance to cover all of your expenses. We strongly encourage all motorcyclists in Texas to purchase uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
Any person caught driving a motorcycle in Texas without insurance could face significant consequences. Insurance carriers in Texas are required to submit information for all of their customers to TexasSure, which allows law enforcement officers to check your insurance policy status if you have been pulled over for a traffic violation or if an accident occurs. If you do not have motorcycle insurance, you could face a fine of up to $1,000 as well as an annual surcharge of $250 for three years, a suspension of your driving privileges, and motorcycle impoundment.
If you are involved in a motorcycle accident, but your insurance is not enough to cover payment for the other party’s injury or property damage expenses, you could be held personally liable for the additional compensation amounts. The injury victim could file a personal injury lawsuit against you to recover compensation for their expenses that go above your insurance coverage limits. If you have inadequate coverage and you are unsure what to do, contact the Austin motorcycle accident lawyer from the Bonilla Law Firm today.