by Maggie West

Created on: December 30, 2008   Last Updated: January 08, 2009

A low speed collision can easily total most motorcycles and leave their drivers with medical bills and other expenses that range from thousands of dollars to the hundreds of thousands. Unlike passenger cars, motorcycles are not built to withstand even minor impacts without sustaining considerable damage, and serious injury to the rider.

Underinsured (UIM) and Uninsured Motorist (UM) Insurance protects the motorcyclist's investment and guards against unnecessary hardships. Uninsured motorists are drivers who have no insurance, while underinsured motorists are those who purchase the minimum amounts required by law. In most cases this is not enough insurance to cover the total cost of an accident.

If injured in a collision the motorcyclist will likely incur medical expenses, face repairing or replacing the motorcycle, and miss days, weeks or even months of work. His/her ability to perform regular business and domestic functions will probably also suffer. Customary Auto and Health insurance policies cover some of these contingencies, but not all. And such an incident can lead to higher premiums in both. Plus, neither of these compensates for lost wages or temporary disability.

For the average person, the amount needed to recuperate can be unaffordable. For someone of simpler means, the cost of a motorcycle accident can be devastating.

This is where the Underinsured and Uninsured Insurance coverage comes in. The premiums are reasonable when one weighs the benefits against the likelihood of a collision, many of which are beyond even the most experienced motorcyclist's ability to prevent. And for a minimal amount per year, motorcyclists can protect themselves against inattentive drivers - a leading cause of car/motorcycle collisions.

Roughly 8% of North Carolina's drivers are uninsured and this figure rises in low-income and minority neighborhoods. And in these uncertain economic times they will probably increase rather than decrease. Even many insured drivers have only the designated minimum coverage: Property Damage - $25,000; Bodily Injury (1 person) - $30,000; Bodily Injury (all persons) - $60,000.

North Carolina's UIM/ UM insurance not only protects against these uninsured and underinsured motorists, but hit-and-run drivers as well.

Every motorist, particularly motorcyclists, living in North Carolina should know that it's a contributory negligence state; which means that if the driver of any vehicle is in any way at fault, he or she cannot receive full compensation

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