New insurance today.

[T.J.]

FYI

 

Well after taking a short ride yesterday and today its snowing and 25 degrees colder. I decided to check on insurance. I have had Progressive for 16 years but when I turned eligible for Medicare a few years back things changed.

 

Bluecross nor Medicare will cover any medical on a motorcycle if I hit a deer, run off the road or have any accident. Comprehensive does not cover you or your passenger unless you are involved with another vehicle. Any Motorcycle Insurance Co. will not cover you for medical only your bike if you have an accident that does not involve a vehicle. I did not know this till yesterday. You have to purchase what they call medical expense. 10.20.50, or 100k.

Your choice if you think you want it. I think I do, so asked Progressive to quote me a policy for both bikes I own. (1 year) $1254.00 that includes 50K Medical for both bikes total.

 

I have a quote from Allstate today for the same coverage, $760. a year for both bikes. $500. deductible Collision/Comprehensive. If you have a trailer you pull. It will not be covered unless you pay extra. I always thought it would be like a automobile. If it was hooked to your car it was covered.

 

You also have to make sure you have "Guest Liability" in other words a passenger. It cost $8.10 extra on the Venture and $5.97 on the Honda ST. Go figure.

 

I got educated and hope this will help some others out on this sight. If in doubt. Ask your insurance agent. Don't trust me. I have checked with four different insurance agents today. All were the same. It makes a difference if you have Medicare.

[BlueSky]

Good information. Thanks. I had wondered about that.

[cowpuc]

YEEEE OUCH TEEJ!!

 

Hope you looked at your insurance Agent and told em its a good thing your retired cause you will have to spend a lot more time racking up miles on your scoots to justify those prices LOL!!

 

Got an idea brother,, make a BUNCH of our Greet-Meet and Eat Meats this summer,, all those free Hot Dogs should off-set your insurance costs significantly!!

[T.J.]

Sorry Puc,

 

I am not retired as of yet. I keep saying, another two years. I actually think I am into the last two year period.

 

Hot dogs sure sound good along with and a lot more miles on the scoot.

 

Springs a comin.

[Dano]

Hmmm, when I took out that 8-point buck 4 years ago,,,, Progressive wrote me a complete check for the bike and all my gear I had on....

 

Anthem Blue Cross/ Blue Shield paid up to $236k on the horsepital/recovery/aftercare,,, I only owed another 16k on my share....

 

STILL looking for a deer association to sue for him runnin' out in front of me!

[T.J.]

But........ Dano, did you have​Medicare? This is what they told me. When you have Medicare they will not cover accidents.

[Larry1963]

Hmmm, when I took out that 8-point buck 4 years ago,,,, Progressive wrote me a complete check for the bike and all my gear I had on....

 

Anthem Blue Cross/ Blue Shield paid up to $236k on the horsepital/recovery/aftercare,,, I only owed another 16k on my share....

 

STILL looking for a deer association to sue for him runnin' out in front of me!

 

I know the president and other say our country is in the best of condition and jobs are good. And I know Obamacare is the answer to our prayers with universal health care coverage. However, 16K would break most of us. I have two insurances, Tri Care Prime, from my retirement, and BC&BS, I had a stroke like event, Bell Palsy, you would think I had plenty insurance. I got a bill for 3K yesterday, for one emergency room visit for possible stroke. I can appeal it, which I am, but we all need to look to make sure we have enough coverage.

[steamer]

I know the president and other say our country is in the best of condition and jobs are good. And I know Obamacare is the answer to our prayers with universal health care coverage. However, 16K would break most of us. I have two insurances, Tri Care Prime, from my retirement, and BC&BS, I had a stroke like event, Bell Palsy, you would think I had plenty insurance. I got a bill for 3K yesterday, for one emergency room visit for possible stroke. I can appeal it, which I am, but we all need to look to make sure we have enough coverage.

Care

Larry, what is bc&bs and why didn't Tri Care cover the emergency room visit? we have never had a problem with Tri Care covering ER or any other med bills.

[Eck]

I am not on Medicare (yet) but next year I will be. This is good information TJ and I thank you for bringing it up because I would have never asked about coverage when riding my bike while on Medicare. I am presently on that so called "affordable" care now and will be until April 2nd,2017.. I went to the hospital (per my family Dr's referral), to get an MRI three weeks ago. The lady behind the desk asked: Are you here for your MRI today? I said yes. She said, well I checked with your insurance and you will have to pay $2,141.00..........I about fell out.. I wrote her a check and got my MRI.. Last week, my family Dr. referred me to a spine specialist, so I go see him. He looks at the MRI, asks me a few questions, while pushing and pulling on my arms and shoulders, then says I need to go get another MRI because my 1st MRI only shows 3/4 of my spine and it does not show anything in the neck area...Off I go back to the Hospital, and Im told I have to pay $680.00 this time.

In short, this is some kind of racket the Hospital and Dr's have going on with the insurance Companies in my opinion....I'll stop here before I say what I really want to say..

 

Edited February 8, 2016 by Eck

[Larry1963]

Care

Larry, what is bc&bs and why didn't Tri Care cover the emergency room visit? we have never had a problem with Tri Care covering ER or any other med bills.

The church I work for has Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Tricare prime does not work well with other insurance companies.

 

I have had a couple medical issues last year, Tricare prime sent me a letter to get an obamacare supplement

[Dano]

Well, no Medicare yet and probably won't due to MC coverage,,,,then why do they still cover car drivers???

 

Of course I won't go into the horsepital double billing insurance company for my helicopter flight in there or the landing....

 

And I didn't even get to look out the dang window!

[Brake Pad]

I have Geico 238.00 a year full coverage, 500.00 deductible, 50K 100K and covers trailer, no points or tickets EVER on my license

[T.J.]

Well, no Medicare yet and probably won't due to MC coverage,,,,then why do they still cover car drivers???

 

Of course I won't go into the horsepital double billing insurance company for my helicopter flight in there or the landing....

 

And I didn't even get to look out the dang window!

 

Dano,

 

You really don't have a choice. It is my understanding you must go on Medicare when you turn 65. You don't have a choice if you want insurance. I did not choose it to save money. It chose me to pay money.

 

All this info is to do some homework ahead of time. All it takes is a phone call into your insurance agent and get educated. Again I say. Don't trust me, and don't trust your insurance to do the work for you. Mine did not tell me two years ago. I found out really by accident with another agent.

[bongobobny]

Sooo, if I wreck I WON'T be covered under Medicare?? How about the VA?? I'm 80% disabled...

[MikeWa]

Sooo, if I wreck I WON'T be covered under Medicare?? How about the VA?? I'm 80% disabled...

 

I believe at 80% VA you will be covered same as for anything else. But at 80% you should push for unemployability. It will bump your compensation to the same as 100% and provide other benefits as well.

 

Mike

[bongobobny]

Waaaaay ahead of you Mike, but thanks anyway!

[jakester]

Ok guys,

I am an Insurance agent for over 20 years. I've never personally heard of such a thing as you describe.

I pulled out a Medicare supplement outline of coverage, went through it, nothing about not covering a motorcycle related injury reguardless. I wet to Medicare.gov website, nothing there either. I called 1-800-medicare and spent over half an hour with them looking and asking very specific questions about what you describe, nothing there either.

So here goes my attempt to explain how Medicare works.

Part A- Hospital coverage

Part B- Dr office coverage

If a physician orders it and does a medically necessary procedure, reguardless motorcycle related or not, its covered. Does not mater at the Dr office or the Hospital.

Now as for your supplement---, as for the traditional supplements , Plan A through Plan N, if medicare approves an expence, it is covered under the terms of your supplement(different supplements have different levels of coverage) Plans F and G are most common around here. So call 1-800-medicare and follow up on my research as I do not see where a bike wreck cannot be covered for medically necessary procedures.

The medical expence policies you refer to were designed to get around state laws requiring health insurance in minimum amounts to satisify state laws.

As for trailer coverage, trailers have never on any vehicle carried over any coverage except liability form the tow vehicle, unless you were not the owner of said trailer.

My two cents

Bill

[MikeWa]

Thanks Bill

[bongobobny]

Yup!! Thanks Bill!! Had me skeered for a minute...

[T.J.]

Ok guys,

I am an Insurance agent for over 20 years. I've never personally heard of such a thing as you describe.

I pulled out a Medicare supplement outline of coverage, went through it, nothing about not covering a motorcycle related injury reguardless. I wet to Medicare.gov website, nothing there either. I called 1-800-medicare and spent over half an hour with them looking and asking very specific questions about what you describe, nothing there either.

So here goes my attempt to explain how Medicare works.

Part A- Hospital coverage

Part B- Dr office coverage

If a physician orders it and does a medically necessary procedure, reguardless motorcycle related or not, its covered. Does not mater at the Dr office or the Hospital.

Now as for your supplement---, as for the traditional supplements , Plan A through Plan N, if medicare approves an expence, it is covered under the terms of your supplement(different supplements have different levels of coverage) Plans F and G are most common around here. So call 1-800-medicare and follow up on my research as I do not see where a bike wreck cannot be covered for medically necessary procedures.

The medical expence policies you refer to were designed to get around state laws requiring health insurance in minimum amounts to satisify state laws.

As for trailer coverage, trailers have never on any vehicle carried over any coverage except liability form the tow vehicle, unless you were not the owner of said trailer.

My two cents

Bill

 

This is why understanding insurance is so hard for us folks. Thanks for your input Bill. Three out of four insurance agents told me the info I gave about not being covered in non related accident with another vehicle while having MEDICARE insurance. I called my new insurance today and asked the same question. Will I be covered if I hit a deer, or run off the road with Medicare insurance under comprehensive only with his insurance. "His" understanding is "NO" I read him your statement word for word and he is going to contact his underwriter and get back with me.

 

I can call it quits if you all would prefer and drop this discussion about insurance. I just wanted to make folks aware of what I was told. I have said, "don't trust me" call your insurance. It seems they all do not agree. Go figure.

 

If my insurance agent gets back with me and has info. regarding Medicare. Then I will share one more time. Then call it quits with what ever he says.

 

It's really snowing here in my part of Michigan. T'is the season.

[jakester]

Hey TJ,

Don't call it quits.. This is how we grow to understand something that we are not comfortable with. This is why I put my resource contact information, so that if you are not satisfied with my answers, then follow my trail, and confirm the answers that I provided. If you call a p&c agent , they may not be at all educated with the Life and Health side of insurance. Don't let the snow get you down. Weather is going to be nice here this week, maybe able to get a ride in here or there.

Bill

[cowpuc]

Hey Teej, I am one who would really NOT prefer you call it quits as far as input here. Understanding insurance companies and predicting how they will respond to a claim is a tough job. I have had a couple of big dollar claims that the insurance companies I was dealing with found a way to weasel out of paying out and I can tell you from first hand experience that it is no fun. I think one of the greatest ways to protect ourselves from being found in that set of shoes is by doing exactly what you have done with this thread - YOU ARE APPRECIATED TJ!

I also know that being a "No Fault" State, Michigan has some strange insurancing practices when it comes to motorcycles that may or may not be pertainent to this thread. We (Michigan) have the Catastrophic Fund that we are charged for in our policies (and its a pretty hefty sum) whether it be for Auto or Motorcycle. The way that works (to my understanding) is that if an injury claim goes over a certain amount (thinking that number is 300k dollars) that the coverage gets picked up by "the fund". There is a huge loop hole in the fund rules that says that if you are injured on your scoot and the accident does not involve a car, you are NOT covered. Sad because we (in Michigan) are required to pay for the fund but we have totally different rules when on our motorcycles than in the car.

[jakester]

Hey TJ,

Something I noticed. You mentioned comprehensive coverage and Medicare. Medicare is a government health insurance program primarily for those 65 and older, there is no " comprehensive" in this coverage. Comp is a Property and Casualty(p&c) term. We may be talking about two totally different coverages. From what Puc has said, your agents may be speaking of the no-fault fund in your state and its rules specific for your state and its fund. This would be totally separate from Medicare with a supplement.

Bill

[T.J.]

My agent was out of the office yesterday sick. Suppose to get back with me on Medicare coverage in the Great Lakes State.

 

It is only 9 deg. this morning and has been snowing the last two days. Can't believe I road a week ago at 53 deg.

 

I shall post when I get more info. Hopefully something we can all understand.

[mirider]

I can vouch that Medicare WILL pay medical costs from a motorcycle accident here in Michigan. While not a serious accident, last spring I dumped my bike on a slow speed turn in a parking lot. Wife on back was not holding on and fell off breaking her shoulder. ER costs of over $2500, Dr. visits, and a series of rehab sessions were all covered....... I have Progressive Insurance and don't pay extra for medical payments as I was told my Medicare policy would cover any accidental injuries and so far, that has been true. I do have a medicare advantage plan which may be a little more liberal than the conventional medicare policy.

Edited February 11, 2016 by mirider