Colorado is a bucket-list destination for motorcycle enthusiasts around the country, with iconic scenic rides like Independence Pass, the Mount Blue Sky Byway, and the breathtaking Million Dollar Highway. It’s also a state with over 170,000 registered motorcycles used by residents for daily transportation and weekend recreation.
Although motorcyclists love the unbeatable exhilaration of a ride in the open air, the same unenclosed experience that makes a motorcycle ride so thrilling also places riders at a high risk of serious and catastrophic injuries in an accident.
Before hitting the scenic Rocky Mountain highways, Colorado motorcyclists must carry at least the minimum insurance coverage required by the state. Our Denver motorcycle accident lawyers explain below.
Compulsory Liability Insurance for Motorcycles in Colorado
Colorado’s motorcycle insurance laws only require motorcyclists to carry basic liability policies. These policies do not cover property damage or injuries to the rider or their bike but only provide coverage to others in the event of an accident. The minimum liability coverage required in Colorado includes:
- $15,000 in property damage coverage per accident
- $25,000 per person in bodily injury coverage
- $50,000 total bodily injury coverage per accident
If a motorcyclist in Colorado causes an accident with property damage and injuries to another motorcyclist or motorist, their insurance must cover the damages up to the limits of their policy.
What Optional Coverage Can I Add to My Motorcycle Liability Insurance?
There are many policies available to motorcyclists that go beyond the minimum required liability coverages. Common additions to motorcycle insurance include the following:
- Personal Injury Protection: this policy provides coverage for medical expenses and lost wages to the policyholder after an accident
- Comprehensive Coverage: this provides compensation for motorcycle repair or replacement for any damage caused by factors beyond the rider’s control such as vandalism, theft, or damage from falling limbs or a fire in a garage
- Collision Coverage: this policy provides coverage for damage to a motorcycle in a collision with an object like a guard rail or tree, or in a collision with a vehicle
- Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage: this covers damages like property damage and medical costs to the policyholder if a driver causes a motorcycle accident and has no insurance, lapsed insurance, or inadequate insurance
- Total Loss Coverage: this pays the total value to replace a motorcycle that’s under two years old if extensive damage makes it irreparable
- Carried Contents Insurance: this covers property damage to possessions carried on a motorcycle
- Enhanced Injury Protection: this protection provides $250 in lost wages compensation per week for up to two years
Any of these policies are available through major insurance providers.
What If Someone Else Causes My Motorcycle Accident?
Motorcyclists aren’t perfect and sometimes make mistakes, but many accidents occur due to the negligence of a motorist. When a careless or reckless driver causes an accident, they are liable for damages to the victim, including property damage, medical expenses, lost wages, and compensation for pain and suffering. In fault-based insurance states like Colorado, an at-fault driver’s insurance must cover a motorcyclist’s damages.