VeloNews column: Bike vs. Garage vs. Insurance Co.

[BumbleBeeDave]

This is an excellent column from Mionske at VeloNews outlining things you should know about insurance coverage for your bike, especially if you are absent minded when driving into your garage . . . :eek:

I'm so glad this guy is around. Always informative!

I would just paste the column in here, but just learned the hard way there is a 10,000 character limit on message posts. Who woulda' thunk it!

Anyway, here's the link . . .

http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/9441.0.html

BBD

[Tom]

I have yet to see the insurance company that offered Stupidity Insurance. With all apologies to those kind readers that have driven their bike into the garage siding*, I can't see why the insurance company should indemnify somebody against what is not an accident but just a mental vapor lock.


* There's a damn good reason why I don't have a roof rack for my bike. It would only be a matter of time.

[JeffreyG]

Once I crashed and wrecked a friends bike and I could not afford to replace it. So I called up my insurance co. at the time and told them it was lying in the driveway and that I ran over it with my car. They paid for it, no questions asked. Considering how much I was paying for insurance at the time I was glad to get something out of it.

[e-RICHIE]

Once I crashed and wrecked a friends bike and I could not afford to replace it. So I called up my insurance co. at the time and told them it was lying in the driveway and that I ran over it with my car. They paid for it, no questions asked. Considering how much I was paying for insurance at the time I was glad to get something out of it.

doesn't your act serve to drive up the premiums
of all those less likely to do the same? i'm just
curious - not condemning or condoning you.

[LegendRider]

doesn't your act serve to drive up the premiums
of all those less likely to do the same? i'm just
curious - not condemning or condoning you.

His act drives up the premiums paid by all consumers irrespective of whether they make fraudulent claims.

[e-RICHIE]

His act drives up the premiums paid by all consumers irrespective of whether they make fraudulent claims.


that's what i meant - he is also driving up
his own future premiums, and yours, and
mine...no soup for him atmo cheers. :beer:

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . to get a roof rack for my bikes. I just have nightmares about soone or later! . . . :eek:

Makes me wonder, though, if there are any roof racks that let you lay the bike on it's side to decrease the vertical profile.

BBD

[JeffreyG]

His act drives up the premiums paid by all consumers irrespective of whether they make fraudulent claims.

I'm not trying to un-ring the bell, but I was young and It seemed like a good idea at the time. Its no stupider than someone driving a rack full of bikes into a garage.

IMHO insurance co.s will continue to raise premiums wether or not people make claims, its just an excuse.

[e-RICHIE]

I'm not trying to un-ring the bell, but I was young and It seemed like a good idea at the time. Its no stupider than someone driving a rack full of bikes into a garage.

IMHO insurance co.s will continue to raise premiums wether or not people make claims, its just an excuse.


okay - thanks.

[bironi]

I know a woman in the Seattle area, who ruined 3 bikes crashing her bike rack into here garage. Her husband took down the old garage.

[Hysbrian]

yeah i don't think that anyone "wins" in this game (insurance).
Sooo.....
I might as well get something like my legs insured...just for kicks.
I think that's
BANANAS

[SoCalSteve]

okay - thanks.

Quote of the day!

No soup for you (not even the Mulligatawny)

Steve

[flydhest]

I'm not trying to un-ring the bell, but I was young and It seemed like a good idea at the time. Its no stupider than someone driving a rack full of bikes into a garage.

IMHO insurance co.s will continue to raise premiums wether or not people make claims, its just an excuse.

The claim of driving the car over the bike isn't stupid in the way crashing the bike into the garage is stupid, it's fraud, a violation of the law and lying.

[Ken Robb]

Yo Jeff: What you did here is confess to felony insurance fraud.

[kestrel]

I am certainly not condoning fraud in regard to lying about how a bike got damaged, but....... isn't it the insurance company's responsibility to investigate such claims. Surely a collision expert can tell the difference in a bike that's been run over, and a bike that's been scraped off the top of a car by a building as it was being transported into a garage.

I did the very same thing to my Serotta Ti years ago. The insurance company sent an adjuster to verify the claim on my homeowners. He was astute enough to notice a piece of leaf in my rear spoke and I had to sheepishly explain to him that happened when I, in a fit of rage upon seeing the bent frame, heaved the bike into the natural area to the side of the garage. I ended up paying for the repairs myself.

[gasman]

After driving my car into the garage (yikes twice) over 10 year period I decided that the way to keep me from doing it again was to place the garage door opener on the back seat or inside a glove box-somewhere different. I haven't had the same misfortune again.

[Len J]

I am certainly not condoning fraud in regard to lying about how a bike got damaged, but....... isn't it the insurance company's responsibility to investigate such claims. Surely a collision expert can tell the difference in a bike that's been run over, and a bike that's been scraped off the top of a car by a building as it was being transported into a garage.

I did the very same thing to my Serotta Ti years ago. The insurance company sent an adjuster to verify the claim on my homeowners. He was astute enough to notice a piece of leaf in my rear spoke and I had to sheepishly explain to him that happened when I, in a fit of rage upon seeing the bent frame, heaved the bike into the natural area to the side of the garage. I ended up paying for the repairs myself.

detect it, doesn't make it any less fraud.

I'm paying for this and I don't like it.

Len

[Hard Fit]

I've basically decided that cars and bikes don't mix. I can understand the putting the garage opener in a strange place, but what happens if you have a low overhang someplace else. I drove my bikes into a low overhang at a motel after being on the road waaay toooo long.

[kestrel]

detect it, doesn't make it any less fraud.

I'm paying for this and I don't like it.

Len

You are absolutely correct Len. I wasn't attempting fraud, I simply followed the advice of my insurance agent and allowed them to decide if it was a reasonable claim on my homeowner's policy. I would think that any decent company would want to examine the "claimed" damage, therefore protecting itself from fraud.

[Len J]

You are absolutely correct Len. I wasn't attempting fraud, I simply followed the advice of my insurance agent and allowed them to decide if it was a reasonable claim on my homeowner's policy. I would think that any decent company would want to examine the "claimed" damage, therefore protecting itself from fraud.

Lying to the agent is attempted fraud........Did you Lie?

Len

[Fixed]

bro how many of you cats have driven away without your front wheel after putting your bike in the rack? cheers :beer:

[Len J]

bro how many of you cats have driven away without your front wheel after putting your bike in the rack? cheers :beer:

Not only have I ridden away, I've backed over the wheel! D'oh! But I didn't ask my insurance co to pay for my own stupidity.

Len

[kestrel]

Lying to the agent is attempted fraud........Did you Lie?

Len

I see where you are going Len, I just don't think many insurance companies would press the fraud issue with JefferyG if they examined the bike and found the damage to be inconsistent with his claim. They would state their findings, and deny or pay the claim. (That isn't to say they wouldn't immediately cancel his insurance policy in light of his statements contrary to the facts.)

Note: Most companies also cover the bike whether you run it over accidentally or run it into a wall above a garage door.

[shaq-d]

fraud here is being used in a legal term. luckily, not everything illegal is immoral.

sd

[shinomaster]

doesn't your act serve to drive up the premiums
of all those less likely to do the same? i'm just
curious - not condemning or condoning you.



It all equals out....

Over the past six years I figure my company has paid out over $18,000 to cover me with health insurance. I go to the doctor about once a year... Every year the rates go up and I get less out of it. They suck.