Does Motorcycle Insurance Coverage Have to Have Personal Injury Protection or PIP Coverage?

When people set up their insurance policies, they often have questions about what the different types of coverage mean and what options are best for them. The most common question we hear from motorcyclists is whether or not their motorcycle insurance policy is required include personal injury protection (PIP).
Not only are motorcycles not required to have personal injury protection coverage, even in no-fault states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania, but they typically are not allowed to be covered under such policies. Automobile policies that cover cars typically exclude motorcycles. While passengers involved in car accidents can access their own insurance policy’s PIP coverage even though they weren’t driving and were in someone else’s vehicle, a motorcyclist does not have the same option. Part of the reason for this exclusion is the high risk of injuries, particularly extensive ones.

Why PIP Coverage Doesn’t Apply to Motorcycles

PIP coverage is the portion of an automobile insurance policy that pays for an accident victim’s medical expenses. However, motorcyclists have an extremely high rate of accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that motorcyclists are eight times more likely than people driving or riding in passenger cars to be injured in an accident, and 35 times more likely to die in an accident. The extent of injuries is also a factor. Motorcycles offer riders much less protection from impact than the typical passenger car does. The injuries are often extensive, and the medical expenses associated with motorcycle collisions are very high. Some states consider riding a motorcycle an “assumed risk.”

How Insurance Works in a Motorcycle Accident

When a victim suffers injuries in a motorcycle accident, a health insurance policy typically is responsible for paying the medical bills. For victims whose health insurance policies have high deductibles or high hospital copays, this can cause a financial hardship, especially when victims are already dealing with such severe injuries that they may be at least temporarily unable to return to work. For motorcyclists who do not have health insurance and mistakenly believe that their motorcycle insurance will cover their medical expenses just as their auto insurance would in a car crash, this detail is anything but minor. If an insurance agent hasn’t explained the policy thoroughly, motorcycle accident victims could find themselves seriously injured and without any medical coverage at all.