Properly INSURING your Sidecar rig

I am not an Insurance agent, nor have I ever been one, but I have stayed a more than few Holiday Inns, so I have some expertise and experience in how to properly insure your sidecar rig, as a whole.

This issue comes up because one of our own here, has recently had an accident with his sidecar rig, and the insurance company wants to settle with him for much less than a third of what his sidecar rig is worth.

It all comes down to coverage, and we all know that the Insurance companies are in the business to make money, not lose money.

Rather than go into the entire story of this other persons issues, here is how I make sure that I an fully covered with a sidecar rig.

In most states in the US, a sidecar is nothing more than an "accessory" to your motorcycle, and that is how you want to insure it...as "accessory" coverage.

On all of my 2 wheeled motorcycles, I have full coverage insurance, which automatically includes up to $ 3,000.00 of accessories coverage. I pay nothing extra for that included $ 3,000.00 accessories coverage.

On all of my sidecar rigs, I have ADDED in extra coverage for $ 20,000.00 of accessories coverage, because I know that on top of the cost of my motorcycle, I can prove to any insurance company that to replace any of my sidecars, I will spend close to $ 20,000.00 having my sidecars built, and installed by any of the manufacturers in the US. Anything over and above the actual cost of building and installing the sidecars to my bikes will be included in that $ 20,000.00 "accessories" coverage, for things like helmets, riding gear, equipment in the sidecar, etc.

My Point:  Check on your own insurance coverage, and make sure that you have ADDED in some additional "accessories" coverage.

You can add on as much, or as little, as you want to, so if the standard $ 3,000.00 accessories coverage that automatically comes with "most" insurance companies policies is enough for you, then great.

But if you need to have an extra $ 10k, or 15k, or 20k, or....$ 50k....in "accessories" coverage, it costs you nickels and dimes to protect dollars worth of accessories.

Sure, it may seem like money wasted, as most of us don't like paying for insurance, however....IF you need to use it, from an accident, or a Lightning Strike, it sure pays off in the long run.

Also, take 100 pictures of your sidecar rig, and keep them in a file on your computer...and save as many receipts for items you have added to your bike and sidecar, as they are proof of money invested.