So i've had my gs for 3 weeks and tonight my parents say i might have to sell it! Their healthcare won't cover me if im in an accident on it and to add hospitalization to my bikes policy would mean uping it $1000 (Im on my dad's plan so he would have to add hosp to all 3 bikes). What can I do??? Im thinking tomorrow ill tell them ill sell my car and use the insurance saved (1200 a year) to cover the bike. Anyone else have any ideas?!?!?

See if your parents' company insurance plan has a managed-care plan partnered with a supplemental insurance provider.  Often, there are gaps in coverage of the modern managed-care plan; for example, maybe your Kaiser-Temporarie Munged-Care Plan has great coverage for normal stuff, but no coverage for laser corrective eye surgery; or no coverage for midwives/dulas, chiropractic, or psychotherapy.  To give employees the ability to fill the coverage gaps, most company insurance plans also offer supplemental coverage through a second insurer.  The second insurance policy will cover anything that your normal healthcare provider will not, and may have much higher payout limits.

Of course, you'd need to verify that the extra coverage would cover motorcycle-related injury, but I expect that it would.

check into the legality of this. This issue came up on another forum and I'm pretty sure the conclusion was that insurance companies couldn't discriminate on hobbies...or some such thing. Look into it carefully.

i would think that the insurance couldnt disqualify an injury (on m/c), unless you used that gs for work, you know stuntrider, etc.etc.etc. if you sold the car, what would you do, in inclement weather, to get to work, school, date :mrgreen: , i would look into the legality of this. maybe even sit down and talk w/ agent, and get answer in writing. (incase you have to pursue this) yes riding is dangerous, but then again, so is driving walking, riding a bicycle ect. betcha they cover those good luck though, dont sell the gs if you can avoid it. i have a feeling it would be one thing you would miss baaad

The insurance is not through either of my parents jobs so i don't think they will give money towards supplemental insurance. I never thought about it not being legal to discriminate b/c of hobbies, all I know is they said they could not cover me until I was 21. As far as keeping the car: Ill be at school and will not be able to take a car for at least 2 years which means my only driving time will be june-aug= prime riding times.

If the insurance is not through work, then they have the freedom to shop for a different insurance provider, which doesn't exclude m/c-related claims.  Unless your parents are not motivated to help you.  Even if they are not going to change companies, you can still get supplemental without going through an employer; I just assumed that the reason they weren't changing insurance providers already was because they got insurance through work.  But, yeah, get the exclusion in-writing first before you pay-out any extra money: it may say something like "personal injury protection waived if claimant was operating a motorcycle without legally-required safety gear", which is a very different thing.

But, I can see that this could be a difficult battle if they are ambivalent towards your riding, and you are riding on their dime (insurance costs, at-least, which are probably more than the cost of bike ownership and operation).  Things get alot simpler when the insurance is in your name.

well there is no changing insurance suppliers so ill first ask for the policy in writing then look into supplemental insurace. Anyone else know about the legality of discriminating against hobbies? I have a kickboxing competition in 2 weeks...they don't seem to care about that even tho its just as dangerous.

Quote from: gitarmanwell there is no changing insurance suppliers so ill first ask for the policy in writing then look into supplemental insurace. Anyone else know about the legality of discriminating against hobbies? I have a kickboxing competition in 2 weeks...they don't seem to care about that even tho its just as dangerous.

I was in kickboxing for about 2 years.  I stopped going about 5 months ago because I got sick of it.  Although I never went to tournaments,I must say that riding a motorcycle on the street is far more dangerous. 100 times more dangerous if you ask me!

If you get kicked in the face and knocked out in your tourny, then there are paramedics standing by.  If, on a motorcycle, you lose it in a corner on a country road...... you smash into a tree and lie in a ditch for an hour until someone finds you.  

My advice would have been to look into this before you bought the bike, but it's too late for that now.  

I wouldn't sell your car.  Soon I am selling my bike to buy a car.  I wish there was some other way, but there's not.  Bikes are fun until winter rolls around and it's back to taking the bus, cabs and walking.  I've had to do it 2 years in a row and I refuse to do it for a third.  I just plan on picking up a cheap dirtbike and trailer for $1200 or so.  That'll still be fun.  If I lived in California or florida then I'd just have a motorcycle.

Since I live in canada I don't know where PA is, if it's somewhere warm then sell your car!  

Best of luck to you!

well im not allowed to sell the car and PA=Pennsylvania. When I bought the bike my dad's employer's insurance covered me, but since then he was layed off and thus had to find new insurance. I found out that it is legal to discriminate against certain hobbies, however the AMA currently is trying to pass a bill to make this illegal.

Move to Canada.  Health care is completely free.

yes Canada eh? Not only would the drinking age be lower...but I can get hangover medicine FOR FREE! j/k

I know this may sound a little corny....but this is EXACTLY what AFLAC is for (you know, the little duck?).  It's a supplemental insurance and anyone with a job and current health insurance can get it...just a few bucks per month.  Have your dad talk to his Human Resource dept. at work about this.  Good luck....

my dad's not employed so he may not qualify. Im thinking of looking into insurance through my employer (Applebee's) which might be able to act as a cheap supplement. I also emailed our insurance asking them to tell me exactly how the limitation was worded to see if there is a way around it.
my parents are being really good about; they aren't making me sell it right away and they still want me to take my MSF so we'll see how it goes.

Damn..... when did motorcycling become a Hobby?
I thought it was a form of transportation- some peoples sole form of transport ( It was my only way to get around for almost a year...(1997ish..)).

Riding and racing dirtbikes might be a hobby...but then so is driving and racing off-road vehicles.... yet driving 4 wheel drives isn't considered a hobby...

Ughhh....