Vermont Motorcycle Insurance

Vermont Statute (V.S.A., Title 23, Chapter 11, §800) states that:

”No owner of a motor vehicle required to be registered, or operator required to be licensed or issued a learner’s permit, shall operate or permit the operation of the vehicle upon the highways of the State without having in effect an automobile/motorcycle liability policy or bond.”

For most riders in the state, the best option is to have a Vermont-endorsed motorcycle insurance policy in place.

Vermont Motorcycle Insurance Laws

Vermont is an ”at fault” motorcycle insurance state. That means that a rider can be liable for all damages that occur as a result of an accident if they are found to be at fault. If you do not have coverage in place, you will face a license suspension, possible jail time, and can be sued for all damages. Even if you have coverage in place, but it is not sufficient to cover all damages resulting from an at fault accident, you can be sued for any remaining balances.

According to Vermont statutes, a motorcycle is a…

”motor-driven cycle equipped with two or three wheels, lacks foot pedals, a power source providing more than two brake horsepower, piston or rotor displacement in excess of 50 cubic centimeters, can travel unassisted, at a speed exceeding 30 miles per hour on a level road surface, and is equipped with a power drive system that requires clutching or shifting by the operator after the drive system is engaged.”

Vermont is famous for its beautiful rides. When you are not conquering miles of open road, you can find challenging rides in Montpelier. Whether you are competing with congested traffic or riding in wide open country, your bike needs to be street legal at all times. In Vermont, street legal motorcycle requirements are as follows:

• Eye protection: required, unless equipped with a windscreen.
• Handlebar height: maximum of 15 inches above the seat.
• Helmet: required for all riders and passengers and must have reflectorization.
• Mirrors: one required.
• Turn Signals: required.
• Passenger Seat and Passenger Footrests: required if carrying a passenger. No age restriction for passengers.
• Headlight: required, a modulating daytime headlight is approved.
• Muffler: required. No acoustical requirements.
• Safety Inspection: required.

Vermont Motorcycle Insurance Requirements

The Vermont legislature has established that the minimum motorcycle insurance coverage amounts are to be:

• $25,000 for death or bodily injury to one person
• $50,000 for death or bodily injury to two or more persons
• $10,000 for damage or destruction of property

The minimum coverages in Vermont are inadequate, especially when you consider the cost of medical attention. An accident that results in a serious injury could quickly exceed those limits. To make matters worse, if you are at fault and your policy falls short, you will be responsible for all additional costs, potentially draining your life savings. Even if you are not at fault, but the at fault motorist is uninsured, the minimum coverages may not be sufficient.

• Collision coverage: this protects your bike in an accident with another vehicle or stationary object. It does not cover non-collision mishaps stemming from weather, theft, etc.
• Comprehensive coverage: this protection covers items like fire, wind, water, theft, and vandalism.
• Uninsured/Under-insured motorist coverage: at any given time approximately 9 percent of the motorists in Vermont are uninsured. With so many uninsured motorists on the roads you can understand the need for this type of coverage. The under-insured aspect of the policy protects you in case the other driver is from a state with lower minimum requirements or the injuries exceed the policy caps of an at fault motorist.
• Bodily injury coverage: this protection covers certain costs if you injure or kill someone in an at-fault accident. It also protects your passenger. As you can see above, some of this is required by the state, but it’s smart to have higher limits in place.

VT Motorcycle Insurance Quotes

It’s difficult to estimate how much coverage will cost you. That’s because rates We have created an easy to use tool so that you can get quotes for the Vermont motorcycle insurance that you need. All you have to do is enter your rider and motorcycle information and you will receive several quotes from reliable companies like Progressive, Geico, Dairyland, and more.