Do scooter drivers catch break on insurance?

While it’s true that drivers save gas money driving scooters and motorcycles, do they really save money in the end? Besides the price of a scooter or motorcycle and the fuel costs that come with it, auto insurance is another thing that drivers should consider. “By and large motorcycle rates are real competitive now,” says Mike Flowers, the owner of a local Allstate agency.

Motorcycle insurance is the usual blanket term given to insurance covering those who ride motorcycles, scooters and mopeds. Insurance companies consider a variety of factors when determining rates. Age, driving record, size of motorcycle or scooter, marital status and time with a motorcycle license are among variables considered byinsurance companies.

Under Texas law, a driver is required to have liability insurance. The minimum liability that a driver of an automobile must carry is $25,000 in bodily injury for one person, $50,000 in bodily injury for all injuries in one accident and $25,000 for property damage liability. Both motorcycles and cars have the same liability requirements. “We’re getting three or four calls every other day for people who are driving to Austin and San Antonio for work and want to save money on gas,” Flowers said. “It’s constant.”

Gene Wheeler of New Braunfels has been driving scooters for almost two years. “I love it,” Wheeler said. So much so that he is part of a group of scooter lovers that call themselves the Texas Road Rats. One of the Road Rats’ favorite rides is on River Road of Loop 337. He says that it costs him $179 a year to fully cover his 400 cc Suzuki Bergman. His car is insured for $456 a year. He describes himself as aninsurance shopper; looking for better rates once his policy expires.

“Last year I had Progressive, until they raised their rates,” Wheeler said. He says that in his experience in shopping for motorcycle insurance, a driver receives almost uniform rates for driving a scooter between 50 and 400 cc’s. He said rates get higher and began to vary for 400 cc’s and above

news source : http://herald-zeitung.com/