What is your insurance agent willing to do for you?
When it comes to motor sports, there’s a lot of fun to be had in Idaho. During the summer, people explorer with dirt bikes, ATVs, and UTVs; during the winter, snowmobile tracks go everywhere.
Here is a checklist to consider…
1 Do I want to protect the machine?
Many of the newer toys cost north of $10,000. Can you afford to walk away if you total a UTV or a snow machine? If not, put damage coverage on the machine with an affordable deductible.
Many of the newer toys cost north of $10,000. Can you afford to walk away if you total a UTV or a snow machine? If not, put damage coverage on the machine with an affordable deductible.
2 Do you want liability insurance?
Just because you’re having fun on an off-road vehicle doesn’t mean that you’ll never have a collision with a car or truck. The rack on an ATV can put a nice dent in the tailgate of a pickup. What would you rather pay: $20 for liability insurance for a year or $2000 for the tailgate?
Please remember that no good deed goes unpunished. That friend who couldn’t wait for a ride in your UTV might not be so friendly when he sues you after an accident.
Just because you’re having fun on an off-road vehicle doesn’t mean that you’ll never have a collision with a car or truck. The rack on an ATV can put a nice dent in the tailgate of a pickup. What would you rather pay: $20 for liability insurance for a year or $2000 for the tailgate?
Please remember that no good deed goes unpunished. That friend who couldn’t wait for a ride in your UTV might not be so friendly when he sues you after an accident.
3 Have you thought about Medical Payment Coverage?
People never get hurt having fun, right? $5000 could really help out if you or someone in your family if they suffer a broken arm or a broken collar bone.
People never get hurt having fun, right? $5000 could really help out if you or someone in your family if they suffer a broken arm or a broken collar bone.
Please remember some famous last words…
“I know how to ride; I’ve never had an accident!”
- That may be correct. However quite a few guys have said that just before they rolled an ATV down a hill or hit a stump or rock under the snow with a snow machine.
- Sometimes the greatest risk is not the mountain but getting to the mountain. If your trailer gets hit by a truck or a strap breaks on rough roads, the machines might come home in pieces.
- Watch out for inexperienced drivers. It’s hard for a loving grandparent to tell their grandchildren that they can’t take the UTV for a spin. When UTVs roll, parts get broken and the parts are expensive.
- The experienced drivers made doing cookies in the dirt look easy. The new girlfriend found out that it wasn’t all that easy when she rolled the ATV.
4 Who needs to cover toys in the off season? It’s not going to get wrecked if it’s not moving, right?
Parking the snow machines on a trailer in the pasture may seem fine until your little project to burn weeds in the ditch gets out of control. Plastic melts when it gets too hot.
Coaching tip: Keep coverage on expensive machines all year long.
Some people are happy to drive away with your toys when all they have to do is to back up the pickup and hook on.
Coaching tip: Keep a lock on your trailer hitch. It might be the best insurance you can buy.
Parking the snow machines on a trailer in the pasture may seem fine until your little project to burn weeds in the ditch gets out of control. Plastic melts when it gets too hot.
Coaching tip: Keep coverage on expensive machines all year long.
Some people are happy to drive away with your toys when all they have to do is to back up the pickup and hook on.
Coaching tip: Keep a lock on your trailer hitch. It might be the best insurance you can buy.
5 Won’t my homeowners insurance cover the machine?
Some homeowner’s policies extend liability insurance to motorized vehicles.
Coaching tip: Don’t assume you have liability coverage. Have your agent show you in the policy where the extension of liability insurance to toys is explained.
Some homeowner’s policies cover damage to equipment used to maintain the property around the home. The ATV will be covered if it is used on the property exclusively and is not licensed for use on the road.
Coaching tip: If you are relying on a homeowner’s policy to cover damage to an ATV, don’t take the ATV off of the property! Coverage generally ends when the ATC crossed your property line.
Some homeowner’s policies extend liability insurance to motorized vehicles.
Coaching tip: Don’t assume you have liability coverage. Have your agent show you in the policy where the extension of liability insurance to toys is explained.
Some homeowner’s policies cover damage to equipment used to maintain the property around the home. The ATV will be covered if it is used on the property exclusively and is not licensed for use on the road.
Coaching tip: If you are relying on a homeowner’s policy to cover damage to an ATV, don’t take the ATV off of the property! Coverage generally ends when the ATC crossed your property line.
6 Won’t coverage extend from the pickup hauling the toys?
No! A young man found that out when he slid into a snowbank. Upon impact, the snow machine in the back of the pickup was jettisoned out of the pickup bed. The repairs were expensive.
No! A young man found that out when he slid into a snowbank. Upon impact, the snow machine in the back of the pickup was jettisoned out of the pickup bed. The repairs were expensive.
7 Why do I need liability? I’ll never hurt anyone out in the woods.
Good question! However, passengers can sue riders driving the machines when the passengers are injured.
Campground parking lots can get busy. When space gets tight, collisions happen. Even seemingly small dents in the door of a quad cab can get expensive.
Coaching tip: Ask your agent for a quote on liability insurance for your motorized toys. You’ll be surprised at how inexpensive it is.
Grandma thought that all of the grandkids that came out to the ranch that weekend would have a good time on the ATV. All was well until too many children climbed on the equipment rack behind the seat. When the machine came over backwards, one of the granddaughters was seriously injured when her face was caught between the handlebar and the ground. With no liability insurance, there was no deep pocket for money to pay for the reconstructive surgery.
Good question! However, passengers can sue riders driving the machines when the passengers are injured.
Campground parking lots can get busy. When space gets tight, collisions happen. Even seemingly small dents in the door of a quad cab can get expensive.
Coaching tip: Ask your agent for a quote on liability insurance for your motorized toys. You’ll be surprised at how inexpensive it is.
Grandma thought that all of the grandkids that came out to the ranch that weekend would have a good time on the ATV. All was well until too many children climbed on the equipment rack behind the seat. When the machine came over backwards, one of the granddaughters was seriously injured when her face was caught between the handlebar and the ground. With no liability insurance, there was no deep pocket for money to pay for the reconstructive surgery.
Hey guys, watch this! We don’t have to worry about medical bills, do we?
Ambulance sirens can be heard on a regular basis on summer Saturdays at the sand dunes in St Anthony. Emergency rooms aren’t cheap. Even if you only have $5000 for a medical payment claim, it’s better than no money at all.
