Drop your insurance over the winter ?

[WildKat]

I was talking to a couple guys at work today, shooting the bull about bikes, riding, the weather, etc. Then one of them had asked about insurance, and if I kept insurance on it all through the winter when Im not riding. I said that yeah I just keep it going, if for no other reason, than those indian summer days where its early February and you end up w/ like a 65 degree & Sunny day... ( and then the next day you end up getting blasted w/ artic temps and snow again ) Anyhow, does anyone who lives in an area where either bike insurance isnt mandated or they're bike is paid for; drop their insurance over the winter months and then start it back up in the spring ?

Thoughts ?

[Char]

That's funny that you started this because Allen and I were talking about this about a week ago. My inspection is due in October and I asked him it we were going to keep the bike on our insurance over the winter or are we goign to cancel it.

He said we're just going to keep the bike insured because you never know what could happen. Not only that, he is going to inquire about putting the Kat on our Homeowner's insurance. With it being in our garage, anything could happen. Besides that he thinks it's a hassle to cancel and then start back up in the spring.

[Anonymous]

winter : what is this winter you speak of?????

[masrapido]

That´s simpli impossible to do in Spain. Insurance companies are evils!

[WildKat]

When you pay a year in advance it just makes sense to keep it going for sure, but when you pay monthly and you're bike is just sitting in a garage in the corner all covered up, its quite tempting to save that money and then start it back up in the spring. But as charlie mentioned if anything happens to it in storage, falls over, run into by the car, something happens to your house, then your sunk!

[woobie]

UP here in Ontario you "can" cancel over the winter but the insurance company will screw you two ways.

1. Your refund is based on a %, the longer you've had insurance the less you get back. Basically if you've been insured for say 3 or 4 months you will get next to nothing back when you cancel.

2. now this one is the killer, when you cancel in the Fall and go to renew in the spring you are treated as a brand new customer and rider so no discounts and they hit you with a higher rate!!!

[BraadaJim]

Don't play with fire, don't get burned. Keep your insurance up. Too many things can happen and for no more than it costs your better off to have one less thing to worry about. I run through Geicko and they factor in winter time into my insurance and when I paid for the year it included a reduced premium for the winter months, something like 20%. If your really considering it you would be ahead to discuss it with you agent first. If nothing else you may be able to drop everything but theft and collision (damage) to keep coverage at a lower rate and still save some money.

[tzortn]

I keep my insurance year round for those "just in case" situations. Currently I store my bike in a shed and anything could happen to it. Plus down here are are enough nice days that I end put taking the bike out all year long.

[skasner]

I'm keeping mine... and paid a year in advance on it. I figure my renters insurance doesnt cover the bike, so if something happened to my townhouse and the bike was damaged in my garage... i'm screwed.

Besides that, it doesnt cost that much anyhow to insure a Kat.

[Myrddraal]

Winter?

[Mojoe]

Don't play with fire, don't get burned. Keep your insurance up. Too many things can happen and for no more than it costs your better off to have one less thing to worry about. I run through Geicko and they factor in winter time into my insurance and when I paid for the year it included a reduced premium for the winter months, something like 20%. If your really considering it you would be ahead to discuss it with you agent first. If nothing else you may be able to drop everything but theft and collision (damage) to keep coverage at a lower rate and still save some money.

I agree 100%. It would suck if you removed insurance cuz you don't ride in the winter, then the place you have your bike stored burns down. Besides, most places do factor the winter thing. For each $100 you pay, you might get $20-25 back. It is not enough to risk having no coverage.
I inquired about it once. I pay $260 a year...or $240...something like that. I was only going to get back like $60 if I canceled it. Most companies also charge a service fee for cancelling a policy.

[md86]

Yeah , I have Geiko's sunny-day layup thing . Basically they realize I won't ride as much in the winter , and if I DO , I'm covered . So it doesn't cost much more . My premium's only like $150-$200 a year anyway , so .

[Dan Dubeau]

UP here in Ontario you "can" cancel over the winter but the insurance company will screw you two ways.

1. Your refund is based on a %, the longer you've had insurance the less you get back. Basically if you've been insured for say 3 or 4 months you will get next to nothing back when you cancel.

2. now this one is the killer, when you cancel in the Fall and go to renew in the spring you are treated as a brand new customer and rider so no discounts and they hit you with a higher rate!!!

1. Correct, And it sucks big time.

2. Partially true. I never got a clear answer on this. When my I let my insurance lapse from end of July to end of august while i was seaching for a new company, the only company that said I would be classed as a new rider was state farm, and even that was only with one broker I tried. The other two state farm brokers i went to for quotes said that it was based on "time licenced" and not "time insured".

This was my specific situation, others mileage may vary, as it seems sometimes insurance companies have no "set" rules and regulations to abide by.

Oh, And I do plan on cancelling my Insurance over the winter. It was actually a suggestion from my insurance broker. My policy will be automatically cancelled on October the 23rd. And yes I am hoping for snow on the 24th, right through until march

[Black_peter]

Drop it!?!?!?!
Dude riding weather has just arrived!!!!

[Dan Dubeau]

Drop it!?!?!?!
Dude riding weather has just arrived!!!!

Thats about enough out of you