My Grandpa did this and it meant he was fully covered when he was hit on his bike at like age 80. We asked him why he had so much uninsured motorist coverage and he said he assumed the type of person to hit him was also probably the type of person who didn't have enough auto insurance.
Phil's video makes sense. In Phil's native (US) state (Georgia), it is estimated that 25% of motorists drive uninsured. You can't argue with their logic: 1) they won't go to jail 2) they have insufficient assets to collect as a remedy for your damages. No need to change their habits because more uninsured motorists vote than cyclists.
Hi Phil, I got hit on Laguna Canyon Road in 2018. It broke both my legs (bones came through on the left leg), both my arms (bones cam through on my right wrist), 5 ribs, collarbone and a skull fracture. There is good news. My spine works. My first 24 hours at a level one trauma center was $144,000. Your evaluation of the insurance picture agrees with my experience. Man did that hurt. I am a former competitive track athlete (800m, 1500m) but I can't run with all that metal in my left leg - goes numb. I am back on the bike but not Laguna Canyon Road. I am also swimming and lifting now. When I watch your videos I sometimes cringe in sympathetic fear as a car goes by (texting?) I still love riding but I try to stay off the places I could have that again. Enjoy your channel. Thanks
I can't imagine living in a country where being the victim of car violence could cause you go go bankrupt and the general population just accepting that getting injured or ill comes with a risk of financial ruin. Mental.
In this case, Americans don't care about cyclist. The amount of rage against cyclist is insane. American's care more about animals than they do cyclist. That's the level of ignorance we are at.
@@einundsiebenziger5488 Nah. That's not it. It has more to do with distrust of the government, since our government has botched so many things that end up hurting it's own citizens.
In America we are able to choose to pay for this coverage. You think your country is better bc it forces you to pay it in taxes. I'll take the freedom the United States gives me over socialist health care.
Insurance claims manager from indiana and a cyclist. You want to purchase some personal injury protection here. In Indiana in order to use uninsured motorist coverage on an auto policy it has to be confirmed the party who hit you does not have insurance, if they hit and run that cannot be confirmed and so that coverage can be denied to you.
@@rcranes2227 The cost would be subjective on many factors. I spoke to my litigation manager yesterday and he said that in some circumstances medical payments coverage which is an endorsement to the auto policy could apply as well. I upped mine from 5k to 25k which would more than cover any out of pocket max from my health insurance. Also, get yourself a road ID bracelet. I ride at night alot and it has my info and emergency contacts on it in case I am unable to respond to first responders.
Insurance companies the whole world over - Premiums, premiums, premiums but they don't want any claims and set about inveigling bona-fide claims in any way they can
I don't own a car. I cant just call the insurance company up and say "Hey increase my uninsured rate". I gave driving up 3 years ago. Since driving and a drivers license is only a privilege. I do possess a drivers license and I do have homeowner and Mortgage payment protection insurance. I just feel the state and city needs to do more public transport and metro services and carry that burden for me being a tax payer. I'd much rather see that built than them quibbling over immigration here in Texas. So, how would bike legal address that?
Shouldn't the burden be on the person at fault? Why are we trying to get money from the government or cover it ourselves? Riding a bike on a vehicle road adds risk. You should cover your liability of the risk. For others that may be liable, I have GoPros front and rear to document. Near misses and negligent driving should be prosecuted, too. I'm not a fan of the responsible having to shoulder the burden while the irresponsible not being held accountable.
The last thing we need more of in America is MORE government. Government is the most inefficient and ineffective means to accomplish anything. Want to pay $100 for something that should cost $10 in reality to accomplish, then let the government get their hands in it. Not to mention public transportation anywhere outside of major craphole cities isn't feasible. The public transportation systems we do have are costly, inefficient, nasty, and crime ridden. And to your point of "quibbling" over ILLEGAL immigration here are some facts for you. In just the last month 150,000 illegals have crossed over the border. Many of those in Texas where you live. This massive influx of illegals costs MILLIONS and MILLIONS of dollars to police, house, process, etc. Life is not all puppies and unicorns princess.
@@willgill document what? since US cars dont have front plates and chances are, your front camera is looking anywhere but front after a hit to catch a plate. sadly near misses and negligent driving on a cyclist is rarely prosecuted. just think how many tickets could be written in a day for cars that dont follow the 3' distance law
@@rogerw-interested 31 states require front license plates. Mine is one of them. I recommend promoting them. I also have both front and rear cameras increasing the odds of capturing identifying information.
This good information. I was hit from behind and they ran. I went over so fast and was in such a "safe" zone, it didn't even occur to me I was hit by a car. Thankfully it was just a broken clavicle and ribs with no compounds or lung punctures. I was in shock and did what every normal person does, I somehow managed to get my bike rolling, rode home, took a shower and drove to the hospital because I didn't feel like paying insane amounts of money to an ambulance company. As I stood in the hospital room with an old pillow made into a sling, the doctor turned the mirror in room towards me and asked me how I was still standing. Getting a good look at myself standing in my underwear, I could see that I hadn't pulled all the jersey out of the lacerations in my shoulder. I think I said something like, "if I sit I won't be able to stand again". Thankfully, I got out of there with some x-rays, an overpriced sling and prescriptions for a lot of pain killers that I never took. Insurance covered all the hospital stuff, but as I looked over their costs I noticed the guy who "fitted me for a sling" billed $530 per hour... nice gig, they should've told me that was an option on career day. It wasn't until days later, looking at my bent rear wheel that I realized the car behind me hit me and then drove around me. I still don't know how I got that wheel to spin and I don't really remember riding home until I hit the cobblestones in my drive... which jolted me back to a world of pain.
A friend of mine got hit by a hit and run driver, broke his hip.he used uninsured motorist, and got a check for $250,000 . they never found the motorist.great advice!
Don't they have to find the motorist to verify he/she does not have enough coverage before uninsured/underinsured pays? I had my motor scooter hit by a car in a parking lot (I was not there) and my insurance company only paid after I was able to find the owner of the vehicle that caused it and they confessed to my insurance company they had no insurance.
I sold insurance for a little while. Un/Underinsured is critical for not only your cycling but if you get in a car accident. As Phil said, you cannot control the amount of coverage other drivers have. You can only control your own coverage. I have mine at $500,000 per person through Geico. $427.10 per 6 months. Expensive, but worth it.
How does auto insurance cover cover bicycle ride accidents? When I sign up for auto insurance, when filling out the application there's no mention of bicycle riding. how does this work?
@@SobercoachByronTGIFriday You're on a vehicle on the open road is how I understand it. If you're not on the road and a car hits you on the sidewalk or something I don't think you're covered.
@@SobercoachByronTGIFriday It's been about 8 years, but if memory serves it's because you are, from a legal standpoint, operating a vehicle on public roads.
@@SobercoachByronTGIFriday I'm in the beginning of this process now unfortunately. Got hit on my bike and broke multiple ribs this weekend. It's the same rules for pedestrians. Your health insurance should have you covered. But they would obviously prefer the driver's insurance to pay the bill. That's when the discussion about uninsured motorist coverage etc... becomes legally relevant and your auto insurer gets dragged into it.
This is a fact, good for your Phil!. Someone in this thread made a comment about medical insurance. Know this, if you get a legal settlement, your medical insurance will take their cut FIRST. IOW, they’ll want all the bills they covered reimbursed out of the legal settlement. So when you go after those funds you need to add your medical costs on top of the your settlement. Not just out of pocket, TOTAL medical costs. That’s where you start to run into problems if the other party has their Liability insurance set at a low amount.
Does not work this way in Michigan. My insurance settlement was not touched by my auto insurance. My auto insurance covered my medical bills. I had two payments from the insurance company of the person that caused my injuries. first I received payment for the broken bike. and then I received money for a civil action I took against the insurance company. this was settled out of court. Since you never know what will happen in court.
Another way to do this is Personal Injury Protection (PIP). Uninsured motorist will protect you if you get hit, but PIP should cover you in the event of a crash, even if no car is involved.
Thanks, Phil! I work in the insurance industry (not auto) and I had no clue where to look for something like this. Luckily I have a decent amount of coverage but the peace of mind from knowing is huge.
Just upped my State Farm, Thanks for this! For all our European friends, please realize that a great deal of people in the US want better healthcare, education, foreign policy, ext. It honestly varies greatly between states, I live in New England and we definitely have a different culture than other parts of the US. Not always better, but different.
@Freedom Stillexists 60%? What bullshit. You’re clearly brainwashed. You pay LESS for healthcare in Europe or Australia or wherever they don’t have the insane American system. It doesn’t matter if it comes out of your taxes or directly, you’re out of pocket LESS. The healthcare is just as good in most places. That super dooper healthcare of yours is not so good if millions of your citizens can’t use it…
@Freedom Stillexists sure, but you get your money’s worth from those taxes. And yes I know you will be treated in an emergency no matter what. The resulting bill would fuck up many financially though… No one in Europe puts off going to the doctor for financial reasons .
Great advice. I had never really thought about the Uninsured Motorist component of my auto insurance policies like this. Having lived in the Southwest for the past 23 years (Albuquerque for 13 and Las Vegas for the last 10), I have the Uninsured Motorist component of my policy set to 250000 due to the very high numbers of uninsured and/or impaired drivers here. I like the suggestions in the comments to mount cameras too.
Good advice but it is also worth mentioning that those of us that have dedicated medical policy (i.e. through work) would also have medical coverage if hit by an uninsurance vehicle (regardless if on your bike or in your car). Car insurance would likely cover for additional pain and suffering claims vs. medical insurance. It's complicated but as Phil kind of indicated, a good discussion point to have with both your vehicle insurance company and medical insurance company-- before it's needed!!
I thought this was going to be "use daytime running lights" or "get a good mirror" but still good information. There are also outfits that sell cyclist insurance which includes protection for the bike in case of theft but also the rider in case of injury. Usually around $200-300/year.
Mounting some cameras is also likely a good idea. Also, if you have cameras mounted and you ride in an area where the average car you see on the streets is six-figures on wheels, there's a good chance that whoever hits you will have sufficient coverage as well.
What he's talking about is that you can't rely on everybody elese to have insurance, so you better have one yourself, such as health and injury insurance.
Great advice! Just updated my coverage from $20,000 to $100,000 and it only cost me $40 a year. Tried to go up more but the site wouldn’t let me. Will try calling later
Even if the negligent driver who hits you is insured it can still take years to recover monetary damages. Been there, going on three years in litigation now. Although the pandemic may have delayed settlement by at least a year. A lot depends on the state, attitudes of law enforcement who take the accident reports, witnesses, whether you recorded video, etc. If you're in an area where cyclists are considered a nuisance or expendable, you'd better have video. I now run cameras front and rear, every ride. So, yeah, it's better to have your own insurance.
In that regard the US are pretty much a third-world country. Other than that they have a load of beautiful lonesome roads to ride a bike all day without being hassled by a single car.
It is not FREE! The cost is just spread out. The Number 1 Provincial 'line item', is health care. It is not in anyway free or even cheap. I still DO like it for the most part, but there is room for improvement. Yes I am Canadian, and have sirvived a few motor vehicle incidents. Last was hitting a deer on a motorcycle and rupturing my spleen, in 2013. - Cheers
This discussion still applies in Canada. There can be damages TO THE BIKE that can be claimed if they're at fault. A lot of people here probably have expensive bikes. And then there are also damages you could claim based on loss of work time, loss of quality of life, that could get you monetary compensation in that same situation. Its not just all about getting the medical bills paid
I just got hit by a car 2 weeks ago, fortunately, the driver's insurance will cover the replacement cost of the bike. But I will definitely be setting up some precautions in case it happens again.
Phil, you should wear a rear view mirror and have front and back lights blinking. You should also ride on roads that have decent shoulders and less vehicular traffic. You might also invest in a Go-Pro dedicated to rear view coverage. If you are hit you've got video evidence and hopefully a license plate number if its a hit-and-run.
Also buy a Garmin Varia and or a back blinking light with a looking glass rear mirror, a front light is a great idea also. Wear bright colors. Try to keep your route off busy roads. Never think you have the right away.
Agree with you. Adding, cyclists have it wrong when they say, "...hit by a CAR". Cyclists are hit by a DRIVER. These days the DRIVER is often on the phone, speeding, or running a red light. DUI has even increased again recently in the U.S. due to decreased traffic law enforcement. NHTSA and GHSA reports are interesting reading for peds and cyclists.
Buy a little eye piece mirror. It has saved me watching large trucks come up behind on a narrow road with tiny shoulders. Having a back light video running may be valuable post accident.
yep cateye bm45 was a game changer. after 30 years of no mirror , would not ride without one now.catch the close passers before they scare the s#*t out of you. Know there is a car there when traffic noise is high,Know thee is a car 200m behind before you an hear it etc I also run a cycliq fly 6 camera /light on the rear.
Actually, before you do that, DO THIS: 1) Purchase and use front and rear flashing lights. Today's lights are small, bright and long-burning. They work great. Yes, use them during the day and night. 2) Purchase and use a rear-view mirror. It's nice to see that huge truck coming your way, or that distracted driver weaving back and forth. These two things are the best way to PREVENT being hit by a driver. Then having coverage is a good idea. But better than that, support & vote for universal health care in the US. Ideally with a single-payer option to drastically cut costs.
Per State Farm, smart inquiry and thanks Phil; given unforeseen adverse road biking scenarios, action is warranted. For all of $5 more per month, I can increase coverage to $500,000 for necessary protection. I had some, but not enough (in case of catastrophe.) In terms, of economic calculus this is rather smart!
And the example was State Farm which I have. Great Tip! I’m doing it- been hit twice but happened to know the hospitals CFO and got items reduced to nothing but what if- good tip
I built 2 successful insurance agencies, CO & OH. Move your liability limits to 500/500/500. It will cost you about an extra 12 dollars (or less) per 6 months. So many benefits: insurance company attorneys will defend you until max is paid out, numerous under insured or uninsured motorists, if you have an umbrella the discounting on it will be more than the increase...etc). Have a beautiful weekend
@@petrushka1611 my pleasure, if I miss the mark again, just keep asking. The most important part of your insurance is the liability. You kill a person in an accident you will owe their income to their family, numbers can get big fast. There is no getting out of this debt, they garnish your wages...very bad times. The three numbers refer to liability to each individual for medical bills, total medical paid, and how much stuff you can damage. It is common for these numbers to be low because, customer is price sensitive & doesn't know any better, and insurance company doesn't want to be on the hook. Insurance companies retain some of the best attorneys. If I have 100/300/50, the attorneys have to defend me until the max is paid out of the policy (exception would be for blatant criminal behavior). So each person could have 100,000 dollars of bills, 300,000 total for medical bills (you kill them the loss is a medical bill in this case, broken back can't work, etc) and 50,000 of stuff. The stuff it is important to understand your state. In Colorado, you are number 2 vehicle in a highway pile up, you are assumed to be at fault. Here in Ohio a city worker falls asleep and drives over your car, your policy will pay. Semi trucks are expensive before you fill them with products. So if you take a policy that is low, 100k/300k/100k...and increase it to 500/500/500 (not 500 single limit, which means you only have 500,000 dollars total, but in my example you could injure people up to 500,000 and 500,000 of stuff it would cost you about 8-12 dollars. It may have increased to 20...for a 6 month window. So you would be insane not to do it. The company has to represent you until they pay the maximum, and you are spending less than 40 per year for the privilege (not to mention medical bills are high, loss of income, etc. Big numbers can happen fast). Also if you ever do an umbrella (a policy that protects your liability over your auto, home, motorcycle) having the higher limits on your auto will give you, usually an 80 dollar plus discount on the umbrella. Do you: have a swimming pool, a big dog, coach, trampoline, tons of kids at your house, sit on boards, assets in excess of 500,000, or is your future income in excess of 500,000? Then get an umbrella. About 200 dollars per year will leave out under insured and uninsured motorist coverage and add 1 million on top of all your policies (also usually adding liable and slander). Live in Colorado where 1 in 4 have no insurance, pay 300 per year on your umbrella and get the under insured or uninsured motorist coverage. (You hit me, you are at fault, you owe me a bunch of money, but you don't have any, with this the insurance company cuts me a check and they go after you garnishing etc). You are 18 years old, going to college, your bachelor degree usually generates 1 million of lifetime earning potential (of course their are exceptions, I got a degree in music most likely not...but you get the idea)...you kill a business owner like me on the motorcycle you would owe my kids my income potential for the rest of my life, if you tear me apart but I survive it would be medical bills and loss of income - all assets and future income is what you risk. So you want your auto to be 500/500/500 for liability, and you want unisured/underinsured motorist coverage (these will default to the same 500/500).. then do as you please. If you lose a car your day is bad, maybe a couple of years. You loose a liability claim your life could be physically ruined. Sorry for my length, please feel welcomed to ask what you are still unclear on, and thanks for your attention. Enjoy a beautiful holiday weekend
Good video and totally agree we all need this coverage while driving - lots of under/uninsured drivers out there. But I’d focus on personal medical coverage first, especially if you have either a high deductible plan (which can be fine for some) or no insurance at all. (Not to mention if you race your bike). Car insurance isn’t meant for this. It’s generally fault based and in a hit and run who’s to say you didn’t just crash your bike on your own (bit harsh, but it can happen...). I realize that Medical coverage is a heck of a lot more expensive and drivers are already paying for auto
Invest in a GoPro or other camera... has saved me a few times from injuries and identifying drivers. Insurance on the person is always a good idea something that you never want to use but great and peace of mind to have it for you and your loved ones. Stay safe!
@@nateh7674 I also find cycling with camera you feel a wee bit safer knowing that if anything happens at least there is a recording I also have ANGi with 3 people hooked up to notifications. You can never account for a bad driver or road conditions but there are things out there that can make the fall out from an unfortunate incident more manageable
Hey Phil, thanks for this intel man. I'm going to check my uninsured motorist coverage tomorrow. Insurance is to your bank account as a chamois is to your taint (or something like that). Which is to say, don't skimp on it. By the way, a good idea is to hedge your road riding with some trail riding. No cars on the trails, but some new skills are required.
This is not advice to be ignored. Look into your individual states' limitations on underinsured coverage, you can frequently have double the underinsured coverage on your policy when compared to your liability and costs a fraction monthly of what liability insurance increases would. As other users are saying having a front and/or rear facing camera on your bike also goes a long way when making claims. currently struggling through this situation now where her insurance will in no way come close to covering my injury (broken c6 & c7 vertebrae), dont be like me!
fwiw, if you're in washington state, i did a comp shop of geico and progressive at beginning of 2024. i do have a relatively old car which i do insure and have a very good driving record. i added coverage up to 300k or so on both and prices were within 1% of each other for geico and progressive. added about $150/6 months to carry this coverage, which requires increased liability coverage to carry a commensurate increased uninsured motorist coverage.
Here in Australia, our car registration pays for insurance in case of injury. I got hit by a car while cycling and as he was 100% at fault (and I had video footage from my Fly12 camera) I had all my doctor and physiotherapy bills paid by the insurance commission. Didn’t cost the driver, and didn’t cost me, all covered by our regular car rego. Our systems, looking after our citizens in times of need.
More cars, more distracted drivers, less PD enforcement, less "give-a-shit" in general. Other than increasing your on-bike vigilance, increasing your insurance is part of the overall strategy. Giving up cycling-IS NOT AN OPTION.
You must have read NHTSA and GHSA reports. I had a five week period of three close calls in San Diego. With 40 years riding, LCI coach, yellow vest, rear daylight blinking, touring bike, crossed U.S. 3X. I spoke with PD, sheriff, CHP, then started reading government reports. Basically our roads have turned into mayhem. My theory: violent crime rates have dropped in the U.S. due to demographics mostly; local governments have cut traffic enforcement budgets (NHTSA report) and cut officers nationwide. At the same time training changed toward security and emergency response. Officers have told me directly, "All we do is respond to emergencies, no more traffic patrols".
It's also called 'Under-insured motorist ' .....I always get it, and it's a cheap add. and then it happened ....My wife's neck was broken (c-1 / C-2) , hit by a kid with not enough insurance. Long story short, my wife got a neck fusion, lots of PT and she is really doing OK now(years later)....considering it all. But it cost a lot, and the under insure coverage made it manageable.
ever since I got an indoor trainer, zwift and trainer road, I literally have no desire to go ride outside. No traffic, no flats, no carrying enough stuff on me to last for 4 hours or having to click clack through a convenience store or coffee shop, no jersey, tunes are at full blast, no traffic, did I mention no traffic? I'll occasionally go out to see if I can PR some climb I like, and I get on the mountain bike regularly, but my days in traffic are pretty much done.
I’m with you, dude. I am exclusively on the trainer from September til May, and even in the summer “riding season”, I am outdoor one time per week. That 1 ride per week will only be 3 miles on a real “road” in a 50 mile ride.......everything else I route through suburban neighborhoods where there is little to no traffic and 25 mph sped limits while en route to “rails to trails”. Insurance is great, but what’s better is not getting hit in the first place. Choose your routes carefully, ride when the traffic is light or non existent, be visible, and don’t be a jerk.
A Prius turned left on me back in November and I t-boned their passenger door. Helmets save lives kids, because scratches and dent on the shell show the back of my head hit the tar. I was scratched up, no serious injury, and only bike damage besides scratches was front wheel needed truing. I definitely looked into what my insurance covered and upped the underinsured/uninsured coverage. Prius wanted to claim I was going to fast, but my Wahoo data would care to disagree. Their insurance finally agreed to pay out only in April, probably because I didn't have serious injury, a lawyer, or a police report, or because they suck. God forbid it happens again, get a police report, an ambulance only files a report if they transport you, and then see your primary doctor to get something on file too. Anything breaks or hurts for real, get a lawyer ASAP.
In Ontario Canada where we don't pay for health care uninsured coverage comes standard with our policies and is almost always $1,000,000. I certainly suggest everyone else increase theirs just be safe
Topanga to Fernwood. On my list of standard routes, though I go out from the valley via geriatric Topanga instead. Nicer climb and descent, far less cars.
Thanks for the idea and totally agree to the insurance, will look into it. While in the topic of spending money for things that we hope to never need, invest another $100-200 in your first level of protection which is to ride defensively - not to trying to turn this into be a Garmin commercial, but get their light/radar system (or equivalent from another vendor), also having an action camera helps but those are limited to orientation. I've seen people with front and rear cameras, but I feel that is a bit overkill having to worry about charging the cameras and having memory cards available etc. and Murphy's law dictates that I might need the camera after the battery died
radar tech only tells you in general there is a car behind you. not slamming the tech, its nice to get a heads up, but doesnt offer any protection. in regards to cameras, since the US doesnt use front plates (stupid) a rear facing camera will do you little good in providing ID of the car that hit you and if hit, by the time the car passes you, your camera is no longer facing forward to get plate as your prolly in a ditch facing any which direction. all cameras do is prove you were hit and didnt just fall
I am lucky. I live in Victoria Australia. Being in Australia the medical costs of an any accident will be covered automatically. Not just road accidents. Being in Victoria the coverage extends a lot further in the case of road accidents. Your out of pocket expenses are mainly property. Your bike and gear is not covered. That is between you and the other party. But it is nice to know that genuine emergencies are always catered for. I wish you too could live in a truly free society.
I got hit from behind a couple years ago, the fight with the insurance was a complete pain in the ass. Luckily I had good lawyers and I didn’t have to pay a dime for my medical bills which were about 50k. After that I got into Mountain Biking because if I was gonna get hurt I wanted it to be my own fault and not someone on the phone. Now I race DH and love it! But definitely want to slowly get back into long day on a road bike. Gonna get a gravel bike and start from there.
You just made me think how lucky I am to live in Australia and not have to worry about ridiculous medical costs if I was in an accident - your health system sucks!
@@mvnorsel6354 And the Medicare Levy we pay with our tax is a fraction of what Americans pay and we get complete coverage. But hey, at least they're "free" right? lol.
The camera can record an accident. But all evidence does not help you if the person injuring you does not have insurance or is broke. Good injury insurance for those cases doesn't cost more than a mini camera.
Phil, I think you're better at this kind of stuff than Everesting, ZING! Seriously though, my crystal ball just told me this type of content, (smart shit not commercials) is your true RUclips path. It's your gift embrace it.
Here in UK I was knocked off by hit and run driver, broken cheek bone nearly lost an eye, the surgery that was supposed to reset my cheekbone was delayed cause the consultant was playing golf that weekend and the bone set in wrong place, he tried to break it again to reset it but failed causing more damage, kicked out of hospital after a few days with massively swollen eye stuck pointing upwards and had to live with my sister for a couple of months whilst I recovered, got nothing in compensation but the health "care" was free lol. That is the one and only time I've even been in hospital in over 50 years of paying national insurance, I suffer with back problems that prevent me from working but NHS cant/wont fix it. Nothing is perfect, but I think I'd rather pay for proper insurance that works when its needed than forced to pay more for insurance that doesn't, but I do know lots of older people who have had hips knees etc etc done which allows them to carry on their lives, it just depends on the luck of the draw as to what your local doctors are like.
If you're a full-time cyclist, having an always running, rear-facing camera that can capture any basic details of a hit-and-run could be helpful, in addition to the insurance mentioned. Does anyone have experience with obtaining separate insurance coverage as a biker if you don't already have automobile insurance to add it to?
Got hit by a car years ago..hit and run. Luckily someone told me about filing a uninsured motorist claim with my insurance. Customer service was poor at best but I got 3000 dollars from them that paid for my ambulance ride and other things my health insurance didn’t cover.
Excellent! For all road rides on Maui! Be AWARE! Maui is NOT the same place as 5 years ago!!!! Lots of Text and Driving, Lots of drinking and stoners and lots of drivers with an unfriendly attitude on Maui's roads. What out roadies, Maui's drivers are DANGEROUS!!!!!!!!! Its like riding in a 3 rd world countries, good luck!
PIP. is another item on your insurance. Most people don't have enough coverage. After getting hit I discovered the other person only had $10,000 Coverage, so my insurance had to kick in. I raised mine to $50,000. Something else to think about.
Phil! Thanks for the awesome content! Quick question, did you have health insurance when you got hit? I imagine health insurance should cover the medical expenses but maybe I'm missing something.
Yes, seems like health insurance would cover this. At least good health insurance would. I think he does say that he has health insurance and that they're still haggling over $200k in coverage several years after the accident. Seems like much is left unexplained. In any case, everyone should have health insurance. That goes double for cyclists, since there are many ways to get badly injured on a bicycle that don't involve cars (and thus don't involve auto insurance) or fault by other people in any way. Involvement of an auto in a bike collision does not mean your health insurance doesn't apply, although it may lead to a dispute between the insurers (health insurer, auto insurers) regarding which insurance policy is going to end up paying.
Great points Phil. From a Canadian insurance professional & rookie cyclist. Thanks. PS. Thanks for killing the triple crown KOMs in Vancouver, bc (LOL). Cheers & Ride-on....
As a driver and a cyclist...I can tell you that the best thing you can do to avoid being hit is so obvious...wear really bright colours and consider lights for when it's dusk or dark. This won't save you from a drunk driver or a driver who is texting and not paying attention, but it will help with you being seen by others.
How does auto insurance cover cover bicycle ride accidents? When I sign up for auto insurance, when filling out the application there's no mention of bicycle riding. how does this work?
Thanks for this video, I ride a lot and this is one thing I am going to do, what is better to have a front or rear camera? And make any suggestions? Thanks guys
Solid advice. Thankfully in Canada with universal healthcare, we don't have to worry about crippling (see what I did there?) hospital bills. In the 44+ seasons I've been riding I've been hit 16 times. Worst injury was a broken wrist, thankfully. But every driver has had insurance and then of course universal health care as a back-up. But I have the caveat in my car insurance too. All important, responsible, adult stuff. Well done, Phil.
Hey Phil, what is the recommendation if you don't have auto insurance cause you exclusively ride? I don't have a car so I don't have auto insurance. I bike to get everywhere.
Don’t live in the USA. Talk about effed up. What if you don’t have a car? Best advice is to have a camera mounted like you do, with a battery extender hookup.
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My Grandpa did this and it meant he was fully covered when he was hit on his bike at like age 80. We asked him why he had so much uninsured motorist coverage and he said he assumed the type of person to hit him was also probably the type of person who didn't have enough auto insurance.
This is the most convincing argument. Thank you for sharing.
Wise Man 👍
Smart man!
Phil's video makes sense. In Phil's native (US) state (Georgia), it is estimated that 25% of motorists drive uninsured. You can't argue with their logic: 1) they won't go to jail 2) they have insufficient assets to collect as a remedy for your damages. No need to change their habits because more uninsured motorists vote than cyclists.
Hi Phil, I got hit on Laguna Canyon Road in 2018. It broke both my legs (bones came through on the left leg), both my arms (bones cam through on my right wrist), 5 ribs, collarbone and a skull fracture. There is good news. My spine works. My first 24 hours at a level one trauma center was $144,000. Your evaluation of the insurance picture agrees with my experience. Man did that hurt. I am a former competitive track athlete (800m, 1500m) but I can't run with all that metal in my left leg - goes numb. I am back on the bike but not Laguna Canyon Road. I am also swimming and lifting now. When I watch your videos I sometimes cringe in sympathetic fear as a car goes by (texting?) I still love riding but I try to stay off the places I could have that again. Enjoy your channel. Thanks
I can't imagine living in a country where being the victim of car violence could cause you go go bankrupt and the general population just accepting that getting injured or ill comes with a risk of financial ruin. Mental.
But that's exactly what most Americans think "freedom" is.
In this case, Americans don't care about cyclist. The amount of rage against cyclist is insane. American's care more about animals than they do cyclist. That's the level of ignorance we are at.
@@einundsiebenziger5488 Nah. That's not it. It has more to do with distrust of the government, since our government has botched so many things that end up hurting it's own citizens.
In America we are able to choose to pay for this coverage. You think your country is better bc it forces you to pay it in taxes. I'll take the freedom the United States gives me over socialist health care.
We like to think we're the greatest country in the world; we're really the greatest military-industrial complex, that's about it.
Best thing to come out of the US health system is Breaking Bad
Also some vaccines for some pandemic or whatever.
I literally couldn't get past a few episodes because of how ridiculous the premise is. Realistic, but ridiculous nonetheless.
@@jerheck Vaccines came from research universities. All the more reason for free tuition.
Thanks! Just checked mine and have the same coverage. Like a good neighbor, Phil Gaimon is there!
Insurance claims manager from indiana and a cyclist. You want to purchase some personal injury protection here. In Indiana in order to use uninsured motorist coverage on an auto policy it has to be confirmed the party who hit you does not have insurance, if they hit and run that cannot be confirmed and so that coverage can be denied to you.
What's the cost of personal injury protection to something similar to what Phil got, 250k?
@@rcranes2227 The cost would be subjective on many factors. I spoke to my litigation manager yesterday and he said that in some circumstances medical payments coverage which is an endorsement to the auto policy could apply as well. I upped mine from 5k to 25k which would more than cover any out of pocket max from my health insurance. Also, get yourself a road ID bracelet. I ride at night alot and it has my info and emergency contacts on it in case I am unable to respond to first responders.
Insurance companies the whole world over - Premiums, premiums, premiums but they don't want any claims and set about inveigling bona-fide claims in any way they can
Yes, yes ,yes, yes, yes. My wife was hit by an underinsured motorist and we had $175k in bills. The helicopter was $44k. DO THIS.
I don't own a car. I cant just call the insurance company up and say "Hey increase my uninsured rate". I gave driving up 3 years ago. Since driving and a drivers license is only a privilege. I do possess a drivers license and I do have homeowner and Mortgage payment protection insurance. I just feel the state and city needs to do more public transport and metro services and carry that burden for me being a tax payer. I'd much rather see that built than them quibbling over immigration here in Texas. So, how would bike legal address that?
Shouldn't the burden be on the person at fault? Why are we trying to get money from the government or cover it ourselves? Riding a bike on a vehicle road adds risk. You should cover your liability of the risk. For others that may be liable, I have GoPros front and rear to document. Near misses and negligent driving should be prosecuted, too.
I'm not a fan of the responsible having to shoulder the burden while the irresponsible not being held accountable.
The last thing we need more of in America is MORE government. Government is the most inefficient and ineffective means to accomplish anything. Want to pay $100 for something that should cost $10 in reality to accomplish, then let the government get their hands in it. Not to mention public transportation anywhere outside of major craphole cities isn't feasible. The public transportation systems we do have are costly, inefficient, nasty, and crime ridden.
And to your point of "quibbling" over ILLEGAL immigration here are some facts for you. In just the last month 150,000 illegals have crossed over the border. Many of those in Texas where you live. This massive influx of illegals costs MILLIONS and MILLIONS of dollars to police, house, process, etc.
Life is not all puppies and unicorns princess.
@@willgill document what? since US cars dont have front plates and chances are, your front camera is looking anywhere but front after a hit to catch a plate. sadly near misses and negligent driving on a cyclist is rarely prosecuted. just think how many tickets could be written in a day for cars that dont follow the 3' distance law
@@rogerw-interested 31 states require front license plates. Mine is one of them. I recommend promoting them. I also have both front and rear cameras increasing the odds of capturing identifying information.
This good information. I was hit from behind and they ran. I went over so fast and was in such a "safe" zone, it didn't even occur to me I was hit by a car. Thankfully it was just a broken clavicle and ribs with no compounds or lung punctures. I was in shock and did what every normal person does, I somehow managed to get my bike rolling, rode home, took a shower and drove to the hospital because I didn't feel like paying insane amounts of money to an ambulance company. As I stood in the hospital room with an old pillow made into a sling, the doctor turned the mirror in room towards me and asked me how I was still standing. Getting a good look at myself standing in my underwear, I could see that I hadn't pulled all the jersey out of the lacerations in my shoulder. I think I said something like, "if I sit I won't be able to stand again". Thankfully, I got out of there with some x-rays, an overpriced sling and prescriptions for a lot of pain killers that I never took. Insurance covered all the hospital stuff, but as I looked over their costs I noticed the guy who "fitted me for a sling" billed $530 per hour... nice gig, they should've told me that was an option on career day. It wasn't until days later, looking at my bent rear wheel that I realized the car behind me hit me and then drove around me. I still don't know how I got that wheel to spin and I don't really remember riding home until I hit the cobblestones in my drive... which jolted me back to a world of pain.
And yet again America shows the way in how not to do insurance and health care...
@Kermit Believe it or not, other countries do that too ;) They just don’t send you bankrupt!
A friend of mine got hit by a hit and run driver, broke his hip.he used uninsured motorist, and got a check for $250,000 . they never found the motorist.great advice!
Don't they have to find the motorist to verify he/she does not have enough coverage before uninsured/underinsured pays? I had my motor scooter hit by a car in a parking lot (I was not there) and my insurance company only paid after I was able to find the owner of the vehicle that caused it and they confessed to my insurance company they had no insurance.
@@alanklainbaum1473 evedently not. He had no problem getting a check. This happened in Virginia.
I sold insurance for a little while. Un/Underinsured is critical for not only your cycling but if you get in a car accident. As Phil said, you cannot control the amount of coverage other drivers have. You can only control your own coverage.
I have mine at $500,000 per person through Geico. $427.10 per 6 months. Expensive, but worth it.
shit, thought zwift has become expensive
How does auto insurance cover cover bicycle ride accidents? When I sign up for auto insurance, when filling out the application there's no mention of bicycle riding. how does this work?
@@SobercoachByronTGIFriday You're on a vehicle on the open road is how I understand it. If you're not on the road and a car hits you on the sidewalk or something I don't think you're covered.
@@SobercoachByronTGIFriday It's been about 8 years, but if memory serves it's because you are, from a legal standpoint, operating a vehicle on public roads.
@@SobercoachByronTGIFriday I'm in the beginning of this process now unfortunately. Got hit on my bike and broke multiple ribs this weekend. It's the same rules for pedestrians. Your health insurance should have you covered. But they would obviously prefer the driver's insurance to pay the bill. That's when the discussion about uninsured motorist coverage etc... becomes legally relevant and your auto insurer gets dragged into it.
@Phil Gaimon Super-appreciative of this post Phil. An awesome piece of info that I had never thought of! Thank you.
This is a fact, good for your Phil!. Someone in this thread made a comment about medical insurance. Know this, if you get a legal settlement, your medical insurance will take their cut FIRST. IOW, they’ll want all the bills they covered reimbursed out of the legal settlement. So when you go after those funds you need to add your medical costs on top of the your settlement. Not just out of pocket, TOTAL medical costs. That’s where you start to run into problems if the other party has their Liability insurance set at a low amount.
Haha but medical insurance is usually so generous
Does not work this way in Michigan. My insurance settlement was not touched by my auto insurance. My auto insurance covered my medical bills. I had two payments from the insurance company of the person that caused my injuries. first I received payment for the broken bike. and then I received money for a civil action I took against the insurance company. this was settled out of court. Since you never know what will happen in court.
@@Joet1345 who said anything about Michigan? 🤦
@@bfitzgerald53 I did since I live in Michigan. pretty sure each state is different. you did not mention any state.
Another way to do this is Personal Injury Protection (PIP). Uninsured motorist will protect you if you get hit, but PIP should cover you in the event of a crash, even if no car is involved.
Thanks, Phil! I work in the insurance industry (not auto) and I had no clue where to look for something like this. Luckily I have a decent amount of coverage but the peace of mind from knowing is huge.
Just upped my State Farm, Thanks for this! For all our European friends, please realize that a great deal of people in the US want better healthcare, education, foreign policy, ext. It honestly varies greatly between states, I live in New England and we definitely have a different culture than other parts of the US. Not always better, but different.
New England is the best part of the US.
If you ride in the U.S,. make sure you are on dirt!
That would be fine if the US actually had better healthcare, education or foreign policies...
@Freedom Stillexists 60%? What bullshit. You’re clearly brainwashed.
You pay LESS for healthcare in Europe or Australia or wherever they don’t have the insane American system. It doesn’t matter if it comes out of your taxes or directly, you’re out of pocket LESS.
The healthcare is just as good in most places.
That super dooper healthcare of yours is not so good if millions of your citizens can’t use it…
@Freedom Stillexists sure, but you get your money’s worth from those taxes.
And yes I know you will be treated in an emergency no matter what. The resulting bill would fuck up many financially though… No one in Europe puts off going to the doctor for financial reasons .
Great advice. I had never really thought about the Uninsured Motorist component of my auto insurance policies like this. Having lived in the Southwest for the past 23 years (Albuquerque for 13 and Las Vegas for the last 10), I have the Uninsured Motorist component of my policy set to 250000 due to the very high numbers of uninsured and/or impaired drivers here. I like the suggestions in the comments to mount cameras too.
Not Boring! Excellent and thank you for posting!
Good advice but it is also worth mentioning that those of us that have dedicated medical policy (i.e. through work) would also have medical coverage if hit by an uninsurance vehicle (regardless if on your bike or in your car). Car insurance would likely cover for additional pain and suffering claims vs. medical insurance. It's complicated but as Phil kind of indicated, a good discussion point to have with both your vehicle insurance company and medical insurance company-- before it's needed!!
Murphy just came knockin on my door - thanks for this. Came in handy.
I thought this was going to be "use daytime running lights" or "get a good mirror" but still good information. There are also outfits that sell cyclist insurance which includes protection for the bike in case of theft but also the rider in case of injury. Usually around $200-300/year.
What if I don’t have auto insurance (don’t own a car)? Would you recommend a bike specific insurance?
I would call an insurance company and ask if you can get uninsured motorist coverage by itself
@@worstretirementever Can you please pin this so other people can see?
Mounting some cameras is also likely a good idea. Also, if you have cameras mounted and you ride in an area where the average car you see on the streets is six-figures on wheels, there's a good chance that whoever hits you will have sufficient coverage as well.
That is not always true in SoCal. We have many people trying to "impress the Joneses" and driving leased cars, with minimal insurance and no assets.
mounting rear camera wont do much good since the US doesnt have front plates
What If you don't own a car?
I cycle everywhere, and have for over 35 years.
Personal Injury insurance
What he's talking about is that you can't rely on everybody elese to have insurance, so you better have one yourself, such as health and injury insurance.
Great advice! Just updated my coverage from $20,000 to $100,000 and it only cost me $40 a year. Tried to go up more but the site wouldn’t let me. Will try calling later
Even if the negligent driver who hits you is insured it can still take years to recover monetary damages. Been there, going on three years in litigation now. Although the pandemic may have delayed settlement by at least a year.
A lot depends on the state, attitudes of law enforcement who take the accident reports, witnesses, whether you recorded video, etc. If you're in an area where cyclists are considered a nuisance or expendable, you'd better have video. I now run cameras front and rear, every ride.
So, yeah, it's better to have your own insurance.
My final settlement, day before trial, 4 years.
Cyclists as nuisance or expendable, that is every state, especially in the south. I've toured across the U.S. twice since retiring.
What kind of 3rd world country problem is this?
In that regard the US are pretty much a third-world country. Other than that they have a load of beautiful lonesome roads to ride a bike all day without being hassled by a single car.
That's a nightmare! Two words, Free Health care. Glad I live in Canada.
It is not FREE! The cost is just spread out. The Number 1 Provincial 'line item', is health care. It is not in anyway free or even cheap.
I still DO like it for the most part, but there is room for improvement. Yes I am Canadian, and have sirvived a few motor vehicle incidents. Last was hitting a deer on a motorcycle and rupturing my spleen, in 2013. - Cheers
This discussion still applies in Canada. There can be damages TO THE BIKE that can be claimed if they're at fault. A lot of people here probably have expensive bikes. And then there are also damages you could claim based on loss of work time, loss of quality of life, that could get you monetary compensation in that same situation. Its not just all about getting the medical bills paid
Wow that's a big medical fee. Makes me appreciate the NHS!
I just got hit by a car 2 weeks ago, fortunately, the driver's insurance will cover the replacement cost of the bike. But I will definitely be setting up some precautions in case it happens again.
Phil, you're just a good guy. Thanks, man.
Phil, you should wear a rear view mirror and have front and back lights blinking. You should also ride on roads that have decent shoulders and less vehicular traffic. You might also invest in a Go-Pro dedicated to rear view coverage. If you are hit you've got video evidence and hopefully a license plate number if its a hit-and-run.
no front plates in the US
Also buy a Garmin Varia and or a back blinking light with a looking glass rear mirror, a front light is a great idea also. Wear bright colors.
Try to keep your route off busy roads. Never think you have the right away.
Agree with you. Adding, cyclists have it wrong when they say, "...hit by a CAR". Cyclists are hit by a DRIVER. These days the DRIVER is often on the phone, speeding, or running a red light. DUI has even increased again recently in the U.S. due to decreased traffic law enforcement. NHTSA and GHSA reports are interesting reading for peds and cyclists.
30 years ago I had an accident that resulted in $250K in bills. I can't imagine what it would be today.
That's rough - did you make a full recovery?
@@uraniumjoe It took about 12 years, but, yes, I would consider myself recovered.
Buy a little eye piece mirror. It has saved me watching large trucks come up behind on a narrow road with tiny shoulders. Having a back light video running may be valuable post accident.
yep cateye bm45 was a game changer. after 30 years of no mirror , would not ride without one now.catch the close passers before they scare the s#*t out of you. Know there is a car there when traffic noise is high,Know thee is a car 200m behind before you an hear it etc I also run a cycliq fly 6 camera /light on the rear.
Handlebar-mounted mirrors can also be good. I use one and it provides a nice view of what's approaching from behind.
Actually, before you do that, DO THIS:
1) Purchase and use front and rear flashing lights. Today's lights are small, bright and long-burning. They work great. Yes, use them during the day and night.
2) Purchase and use a rear-view mirror. It's nice to see that huge truck coming your way, or that distracted driver weaving back and forth.
These two things are the best way to PREVENT being hit by a driver.
Then having coverage is a good idea.
But better than that, support & vote for universal health care in the US. Ideally with a single-payer option to drastically cut costs.
I keep my UMI at 1 mill. It's not that expensive and it's my lottery ticket should anything bad happen.
what is UMI?
@@grantdoyle1259 uninsured motorist insurance, i guess.
Per State Farm, smart inquiry and thanks Phil; given unforeseen adverse road biking scenarios, action is warranted. For all of $5 more per month, I can increase coverage to $500,000 for necessary protection. I had some, but not enough (in case of catastrophe.) In terms, of economic calculus this is rather smart!
And the example was State Farm which I have. Great Tip! I’m doing it- been hit twice but happened to know the hospitals CFO and got items reduced to nothing but what if- good tip
I was the victim of a hit and run in 2015 (a SUV swerved into the bike lane down Venice Blvd., hit me, then sped off). Wish I knew this then.
I built 2 successful insurance agencies, CO & OH. Move your liability limits to 500/500/500. It will cost you about an extra 12 dollars (or less) per 6 months. So many benefits: insurance company attorneys will defend you until max is paid out, numerous under insured or uninsured motorists, if you have an umbrella the discounting on it will be more than the increase...etc). Have a beautiful weekend
Could you give more detail for those of us who don't speak insurance fluently?
@@petrushka1611 my pleasure, if I miss the mark again, just keep asking. The most important part of your insurance is the liability. You kill a person in an accident you will owe their income to their family, numbers can get big fast. There is no getting out of this debt, they garnish your wages...very bad times.
The three numbers refer to liability to each individual for medical bills, total medical paid, and how much stuff you can damage. It is common for these numbers to be low because, customer is price sensitive & doesn't know any better, and insurance company doesn't want to be on the hook.
Insurance companies retain some of the best attorneys. If I have 100/300/50, the attorneys have to defend me until the max is paid out of the policy (exception would be for blatant criminal behavior). So each person could have 100,000 dollars of bills, 300,000 total for medical bills (you kill them the loss is a medical bill in this case, broken back can't work, etc) and 50,000 of stuff. The stuff it is important to understand your state. In Colorado, you are number 2 vehicle in a highway pile up, you are assumed to be at fault. Here in Ohio a city worker falls asleep and drives over your car, your policy will pay. Semi trucks are expensive before you fill them with products.
So if you take a policy that is low, 100k/300k/100k...and increase it to 500/500/500 (not 500 single limit, which means you only have 500,000 dollars total, but in my example you could injure people up to 500,000 and 500,000 of stuff it would cost you about 8-12 dollars. It may have increased to 20...for a 6 month window. So you would be insane not to do it. The company has to represent you until they pay the maximum, and you are spending less than 40 per year for the privilege (not to mention medical bills are high, loss of income, etc. Big numbers can happen fast).
Also if you ever do an umbrella (a policy that protects your liability over your auto, home, motorcycle) having the higher limits on your auto will give you, usually an 80 dollar plus discount on the umbrella. Do you: have a swimming pool, a big dog, coach, trampoline, tons of kids at your house, sit on boards, assets in excess of 500,000, or is your future income in excess of 500,000? Then get an umbrella. About 200 dollars per year will leave out under insured and uninsured motorist coverage and add 1 million on top of all your policies (also usually adding liable and slander). Live in Colorado where 1 in 4 have no insurance, pay 300 per year on your umbrella and get the under insured or uninsured motorist coverage. (You hit me, you are at fault, you owe me a bunch of money, but you don't have any, with this the insurance company cuts me a check and they go after you garnishing etc).
You are 18 years old, going to college, your bachelor degree usually generates 1 million of lifetime earning potential (of course their are exceptions, I got a degree in music most likely not...but you get the idea)...you kill a business owner like me on the motorcycle you would owe my kids my income potential for the rest of my life, if you tear me apart but I survive it would be medical bills and loss of income - all assets and future income is what you risk.
So you want your auto to be 500/500/500 for liability, and you want unisured/underinsured motorist coverage (these will default to the same 500/500).. then do as you please. If you lose a car your day is bad, maybe a couple of years. You loose a liability claim your life could be physically ruined.
Sorry for my length, please feel welcomed to ask what you are still unclear on, and thanks for your attention. Enjoy a beautiful holiday weekend
@@JimKJeffries Thanks!
Good video and totally agree we all need this coverage while driving - lots of under/uninsured drivers out there. But I’d focus on personal medical coverage first, especially if you have either a high deductible plan (which can be fine for some) or no insurance at all. (Not to mention if you race your bike). Car insurance isn’t meant for this. It’s generally fault based and in a hit and run who’s to say you didn’t just crash your bike on your own (bit harsh, but it can happen...). I realize that Medical coverage is a heck of a lot more expensive and drivers are already paying for auto
Invest in a GoPro or other camera... has saved me a few times from injuries and identifying drivers. Insurance on the person is always a good idea something that you never want to use but great and peace of mind to have it for you and your loved ones. Stay safe!
how would a camera save you from injuries?
@@duschinger Doesn't save you from injuries but proves that you weren't liable. If you had a green the driver can't say that you didn't
@@nateh7674 I also find cycling with camera you feel a wee bit safer knowing that if anything happens at least there is a recording I also have ANGi with 3 people hooked up to notifications. You can never account for a bad driver or road conditions but there are things out there that can make the fall out from an unfortunate incident more manageable
Hey Phil, thanks for this intel man. I'm going to check my uninsured motorist coverage tomorrow. Insurance is to your bank account as a chamois is to your taint (or something like that). Which is to say, don't skimp on it. By the way, a good idea is to hedge your road riding with some trail riding. No cars on the trails, but some new skills are required.
This is not advice to be ignored. Look into your individual states' limitations on underinsured coverage, you can frequently have double the underinsured coverage on your policy when compared to your liability and costs a fraction monthly of what liability insurance increases would. As other users are saying having a front and/or rear facing camera on your bike also goes a long way when making claims.
currently struggling through this situation now where her insurance will in no way come close to covering my injury (broken c6 & c7 vertebrae), dont be like me!
fwiw, if you're in washington state, i did a comp shop of geico and progressive at beginning of 2024. i do have a relatively old car which i do insure and have a very good driving record. i added coverage up to 300k or so on both and prices were within 1% of each other for geico and progressive. added about $150/6 months to carry this coverage, which requires increased liability coverage to carry a commensurate increased uninsured motorist coverage.
Here in Australia, our car registration pays for insurance in case of injury. I got hit by a car while cycling and as he was 100% at fault (and I had video footage from my Fly12 camera) I had all my doctor and physiotherapy bills paid by the insurance commission. Didn’t cost the driver, and didn’t cost me, all covered by our regular car rego. Our systems, looking after our citizens in times of need.
More cars, more distracted drivers, less PD enforcement, less "give-a-shit" in general. Other than increasing your on-bike vigilance, increasing your insurance is part of the overall strategy.
Giving up cycling-IS NOT AN OPTION.
You must have read NHTSA and GHSA reports. I had a five week period of three close calls in San Diego. With 40 years riding, LCI coach, yellow vest, rear daylight blinking, touring bike, crossed U.S. 3X. I spoke with PD, sheriff, CHP, then started reading government reports. Basically our roads have turned into mayhem. My theory: violent crime rates have dropped in the U.S. due to demographics mostly; local governments have cut traffic enforcement budgets (NHTSA report) and cut officers nationwide. At the same time training changed toward security and emergency response. Officers have told me directly, "All we do is respond to emergencies, no more traffic patrols".
Car insurance will cover you while cycling ?
I had no idea.
I'm going to guess that not all states are the same ?
Very informative. Can you pls tell me what bike helmet you are wearing?
lazersport.us/discount/PHILSENTME
It's also called 'Under-insured motorist ' .....I always get it, and it's a cheap add. and then it happened ....My wife's neck was broken (c-1 / C-2) , hit by a kid with not enough insurance. Long story short, my wife got a neck fusion, lots of PT and she is really doing OK now(years later)....considering it all. But it cost a lot, and the under insure coverage made it manageable.
ever since I got an indoor trainer, zwift and trainer road, I literally have no desire to go ride outside. No traffic, no flats, no carrying enough stuff on me to last for 4 hours or having to click clack through a convenience store or coffee shop, no jersey, tunes are at full blast, no traffic, did I mention no traffic? I'll occasionally go out to see if I can PR some climb I like, and I get on the mountain bike regularly, but my days in traffic are pretty much done.
I’m with you, dude. I am exclusively on the trainer from September til May, and even in the summer “riding season”, I am outdoor one time per week. That 1 ride per week will only be 3 miles on a real “road” in a 50 mile ride.......everything else I route through suburban neighborhoods where there is little to no traffic and 25 mph sped limits while en route to “rails to trails”. Insurance is great, but what’s better is not getting hit in the first place. Choose your routes carefully, ride when the traffic is light or non existent, be visible, and don’t be a jerk.
A Prius turned left on me back in November and I t-boned their passenger door. Helmets save lives kids, because scratches and dent on the shell show the back of my head hit the tar. I was scratched up, no serious injury, and only bike damage besides scratches was front wheel needed truing. I definitely looked into what my insurance covered and upped the underinsured/uninsured coverage.
Prius wanted to claim I was going to fast, but my Wahoo data would care to disagree. Their insurance finally agreed to pay out only in April, probably because I didn't have serious injury, a lawyer, or a police report, or because they suck. God forbid it happens again, get a police report, an ambulance only files a report if they transport you, and then see your primary doctor to get something on file too. Anything breaks or hurts for real, get a lawyer ASAP.
What is recommended if you do not have car insurance?
America is a fantastic country - but I love being British and I am eternally grateful for our NHS
In case of a hit and run, I'd want enough insurance to cover medical cost plus the cost of the private investigator to hunt that SOB down.
Sadly, America is the proud home of the hit and run tactic
In Ontario Canada where we don't pay for health care uninsured coverage comes standard with our policies and is almost always $1,000,000. I certainly suggest everyone else increase theirs just be safe
Aren’t you guys super locked up right now?
@@Wesrl Yes. Like a lot of places I'm sure, the rules are a bit confusing. I can ride alone. I can ride with someone I live with, but not in groups.
nice quick ad, bro. you got me, i clicked
Phil - technical question - what camera did you use to shoot this video?
Topanga to Fernwood. On my list of standard routes, though I go out from the valley via geriatric Topanga instead. Nicer climb and descent, far less cars.
This is excellent advice and thanks for putting it in a short, succinct video!
Thanks for the idea and totally agree to the insurance, will look into it. While in the topic of spending money for things that we hope to never need, invest another $100-200 in your first level of protection which is to ride defensively - not to trying to turn this into be a Garmin commercial, but get their light/radar system (or equivalent from another vendor), also having an action camera helps but those are limited to orientation. I've seen people with front and rear cameras, but I feel that is a bit overkill having to worry about charging the cameras and having memory cards available etc. and Murphy's law dictates that I might need the camera after the battery died
radar tech only tells you in general there is a car behind you. not slamming the tech, its nice to get a heads up, but doesnt offer any protection. in regards to cameras, since the US doesnt use front plates (stupid) a rear facing camera will do you little good in providing ID of the car that hit you and if hit, by the time the car passes you, your camera is no longer facing forward to get plate as your prolly in a ditch facing any which direction. all cameras do is prove you were hit and didnt just fall
I am lucky. I live in Victoria Australia. Being in Australia the medical costs of an any accident will be covered automatically. Not just road accidents. Being in Victoria the coverage extends a lot further in the case of road accidents. Your out of pocket expenses are mainly property. Your bike and gear is not covered. That is between you and the other party. But it is nice to know that genuine emergencies are always catered for. I wish you too could live in a truly free society.
How does this compare to umbrella insurance? Should we have one, or the other, or both?
I got hit from behind a couple years ago, the fight with the insurance was a complete pain in the ass. Luckily I had good lawyers and I didn’t have to pay a dime for my medical bills which were about 50k. After that I got into Mountain Biking because if I was gonna get hurt I wanted it to be my own fault and not someone on the phone. Now I race DH and love it! But definitely want to slowly get back into long day on a road bike. Gonna get a gravel bike and start from there.
Yeah I know about this already, because I learned the hard way.
You just made me think how lucky I am to live in Australia and not have to worry about ridiculous medical costs if I was in an accident - your health system sucks!
Its madness for such a rich country. I'm happy to pay taxes for a ' safety net '.
@@mvnorsel6354 And the Medicare Levy we pay with our tax is a fraction of what Americans pay and we get complete coverage. But hey, at least they're "free" right? lol.
Thanks for that PSA, I just upped mine.
A good preventative measure is the Garmin Vario light/radar unit. No replacement for good insurance, but nice to have on board.
how is that preventative? tells you something is there, doesnt protect you at all
Having a Cycliq ,GoPro or something similar also helps! Great segment Phil!
The camera can record an accident. But all evidence does not help you if the person injuring you does not have insurance or is broke. Good injury insurance for those cases doesn't cost more than a mini camera.
Phil, I think you're better at this kind of stuff than Everesting, ZING! Seriously though, my crystal ball just told me this type of content, (smart shit not commercials) is your true RUclips path. It's your gift embrace it.
Great advice, Phil. Worth checking it out. Thank you
Good stuff. Thanks for the info.
Alternatively, vote for the guys who will give you national single-payer health insurance!
Here in UK I was knocked off by hit and run driver, broken cheek bone nearly lost an eye, the surgery that was supposed to reset my cheekbone was delayed cause the consultant was playing golf that weekend and the bone set in wrong place, he tried to break it again to reset it but failed causing more damage, kicked out of hospital after a few days with massively swollen eye stuck pointing upwards and had to live with my sister for a couple of months whilst I recovered, got nothing in compensation but the health "care" was free lol.
That is the one and only time I've even been in hospital in over 50 years of paying national insurance, I suffer with back problems that prevent me from working but NHS cant/wont fix it.
Nothing is perfect, but I think I'd rather pay for proper insurance that works when its needed than forced to pay more for insurance that doesn't, but I do know lots of older people who have had hips knees etc etc done which allows them to carry on their lives, it just depends on the luck of the draw as to what your local doctors are like.
If you're a full-time cyclist, having an always running, rear-facing camera that can capture any basic details of a hit-and-run could be helpful, in addition to the insurance mentioned. Does anyone have experience with obtaining separate insurance coverage as a biker if you don't already have automobile insurance to add it to?
Got hit by a car years ago..hit and run. Luckily someone told me about filing a uninsured motorist claim with my insurance. Customer service was poor at best but I got 3000 dollars from them that paid for my ambulance ride and other things my health insurance didn’t cover.
I literally stopped this video, called USAA, and added it. Thanks Phil!!!!
Thank you Sir, I will do exactly that, call my agent and tell him that you said I should.
This is one of those, why did I not think of that?
Excellent! For all road rides on Maui! Be AWARE! Maui is NOT the same place as 5 years ago!!!! Lots of Text and Driving, Lots of drinking and stoners and lots of drivers with an unfriendly attitude on Maui's roads. What out roadies, Maui's drivers are DANGEROUS!!!!!!!!! Its like riding in a 3 rd world countries, good luck!
Yep, I got hit 25 years ago. Without uninsured motorist coverage, I would have owed $100K back then.
PIP. is another item on your insurance. Most people don't have enough coverage. After getting hit I discovered the other person only had $10,000 Coverage, so my insurance had to kick in. I raised mine to $50,000. Something else to think about.
Exactly why I quit riding my bike on the road. I've been mountain biking for 30+ years - I hardly ever see cars or trucks on the single track.
Better get ready for the e bikes
Phil! Thanks for the awesome content! Quick question, did you have health insurance when you got hit? I imagine health insurance should cover the medical expenses but maybe I'm missing something.
Yes, seems like health insurance would cover this. At least good health insurance would. I think he does say that he has health insurance and that they're still haggling over $200k in coverage several years after the accident. Seems like much is left unexplained. In any case, everyone should have health insurance. That goes double for cyclists, since there are many ways to get badly injured on a bicycle that don't involve cars (and thus don't involve auto insurance) or fault by other people in any way. Involvement of an auto in a bike collision does not mean your health insurance doesn't apply, although it may lead to a dispute between the insurers (health insurer, auto insurers) regarding which insurance policy is going to end up paying.
@@hsitz Thanks for the insight Herbert!
Great points Phil. From a Canadian insurance professional & rookie cyclist.
Thanks.
PS. Thanks for killing the triple crown KOMs in Vancouver, bc (LOL).
Cheers & Ride-on....
As a driver and a cyclist...I can tell you that the best thing you can do to avoid being hit is so obvious...wear really bright colours and consider lights for when it's dusk or dark. This won't save you from a drunk driver or a driver who is texting and not paying attention, but it will help with you being seen by others.
Thanks for the heads up @Phil Gaimon. If I have health insurance do I still need to do this?
Yes health insurance is not to be trusted
@@worstretirementever Good point. I'll be taking your advice.
How does auto insurance cover cover bicycle ride accidents? When I sign up for auto insurance, when filling out the application there's no mention of bicycle riding. how does this work?
Thanks for this video, I ride a lot and this is one thing I am going to do, what is better to have a front or rear camera? And make any suggestions? Thanks guys
We're good 🇨🇦
Gold! Thanks Phil
Solid advice. Thankfully in Canada with universal healthcare, we don't have to worry about crippling (see what I did there?) hospital bills. In the 44+ seasons I've been riding I've been hit 16 times. Worst injury was a broken wrist, thankfully. But every driver has had insurance and then of course universal health care as a back-up. But I have the caveat in my car insurance too. All important, responsible, adult stuff. Well done, Phil.
Hey Phil, what is the recommendation if you don't have auto insurance cause you exclusively ride? I don't have a car so I don't have auto insurance. I bike to get everywhere.
Don’t live in the USA. Talk about effed up. What if you don’t have a car?
Best advice is to have a camera mounted like you do, with a battery extender hookup.
Thanks, Phil for this vital message.
That was actually really informative 👏 I'ma have to look into that...
A dumb question here. Would medical insurance like Kaiser's deductible plan not cover the cost?
Most educational video yet👍
This is the best tip I heard in a while. Just upped mine to the max (100K) for only $20 more every 6 months.