Is there really no motorcycle travel insurance for US citizens?
 

I've been searching everywhere and I refuse to believe there is nothing available for US citizens.

I understand the limitations World Nomads put on off-road riding.

I understand the nature of Global Rescue's evacuation service.


Is there nothing else??

If there is a company I'm missing please let me know asap.

Warm regards,

Jaykay

We used Medjet assist for evac and Insureassist for general medical...though we kept the bike insurance in DC active, abroad we would be SOL if it was stolen or wrecked.

Thanks so much, we'll look into them

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Check out HCC Medical Insurance. Their Atlas plan is travel medical insurance with evacuation and covers motorcycle travel in the standard policy so long as you are not racing or doing motocross. The policy I have can be renewed yearly up to 4 renewals (5 years total). Note that this covers just medical expenses, not other things that more generic travel insurance frequently covers.

Atlas Travel Insurance | Atlas America® & Atlas International®

Hi jaykay,

You stated you are familiar with Global Rescue and our services, but I wanted to drop a forum post with my contact information should you have any questions I can answer about Global Rescue and what makes us unique (most notably, the field rescue aspect where we will evacuate the individual from point of injury or illness back to home country hospital of choice).

Contact Information:
Zac Upchurch
zupchurch@globalrescue.com

I hope to hear from you!

Thanks,
Global Rescue/ZU

Did you have a good experience with HCC? Can you provide a link to the underwriting that states the policy covers travel by motorcycle? What was your cost for the policy if you don't mind me asking?

I was looking at their site. For me and my spouse, a month long policy was about $350.00 $250.00 deductible, $1,000,000 coverage.

https://www.hccmis.com/atlas-travel-insurance/

On the main page, look to the right, there is a 'Review Coverage' link. Exclusions start on page 10. On page 12, Section 37 h: no coverage if you are riding

"off-road motorized vehicles including all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles and motorized dirt bikes, and tractors"

We aren't planning on riding dirt bikes, and it looks to be a decent enough policy. As the dates get closer, I may just sign up for it.

So, if you were riding a street legal, street focused dual sport bike two up on a dirt road in Peru', you'd be out, right? No coverage? They'd consider that a "dirt bike"? Even though the ONLY roads in the entire area are dirt roads?
Would an SUV Mercedes be covered? I bet it would.

Before purchase I'd want an attached "rider" making it clear I am covered in ALL CONDITIONS on ALL Roads. Obviously, I would not be racing anywhere, ever, so not a problem with that exclusion.

It's called "Travel". Something many insurance companies seem clueless about, not keen to get involved with. Screws their actuarial tables and profit-loss columns. Motorcycles and insurance companies have never played well together. Always adversarial. Motorcyclists take chances, insurance people lie for a living.

Insurance: basically a criminal enterprise based on instilling crippling FEAR into the populace. Citizens then buy and think they are "covered".

But not so fast. Insurance companies have teams of high priced lawyers who will find a way NOT TO PAY your claim, or only offer partial payment. they'll find a thousand reasons.

Do the investigations yourself ... see the law suits and how often they get out of paying legitimate claims. C R O O K S.
Astounding. doh

Good timing actually. I had inquired about a quote from HCC a few weeks back. I received my quote, and a follow up email from representative. I hadn't had time to read through the exclusions, so I just sent him an email with my intentions and we'll see what I get back.

I also contacted Global Underwriters by recommendation of a local insurance agent. I received a quote, spoke with them in person. They have three levels of "athletic/hazardous travel activities" that can be purchased as an insurance rider - the lowest of which includes motorcycle riding. I was careful to ask that the rider not only covers motorcycle riding as and activity (intermittent recreational during travel) - but as my form of travel. See this link.

Global Underwriters - Diplomat International

It sounds like all of this insurance discussion is focused on covering our medical expenses as the traveler. What if we're in an accident thats our fault? How do we purchase insurance to cover the medical and vehicle expenses for the other person? Is this insurance purchased at the border for each country? (We'll be traveling from the US to the tip of S. America.)

"Mandatory" liability cover is a mixed bag. In at least 4 countries it is compulsory and is purchased at the border. Others is can also be purchased at the border or in the next town, but sometimes involves running the gauntlet of police and potential accidents for up to 100km before you can get insurance. Coming from La Paz into Peru via Lake Titikaka is one such problem area. First place to get insurance is at Puno, about 100km from the border. Some countries have a common policy so you can often buy one policy to cover several countries - eg nearly all of South America except Peru and Ecuador.

Mexico has their own insurance system and you can get that on-line or at the border.

BTW, many times you will not be asked to prove you have insurance at the border crossing because it is not something they care about - but it is the province of the police and they will often ask for it.

Don't know if it is only available for cars, but there is at least one company represented in the USA that supposedly offers a policy to cover liability insurance for all central and south America - except for those few countries that mandate their own insurance.

Thanks Tony. Do you know the name of the company who provides liability insurance for US citizens in all of central & south america? I haven't been able to find info on this forum about liability insurance. I feel like a geek who can't find the info.

+1 - that would be much appreciated.

I've also gotten some reponses from the two insurance agents that I mentioned above - HCC and Global Underwriters - specifically regarding their clauses of accident/medical coverage with "dirt bikes" or dirt bike riding.

With Global Underwriters - they're response was quick and rather assuring. This is what I received when asked about traveling by dual sport motorcycle on dirt roads and two tracks - if their hazardous activity rider was purchased with the policy..

'...If you purchase the hazardous activity rider and as long as you are not riding in organized events, competing, training for motocross, or participating in amateur/professional motocross events you are covered. I hope this is helpful.'

Pretty straightforward. And I also had further correspondence with the same agent - more questions/double checking - and the answers were consistent.

With HCC - it was a little more indecisive - not as confidence inspiring - but they came around after a second inquiry. Their initial response (to my identical question to Global Underwriters)..was

'...Our policy will not cover you for off road dirt biking.'

After a second inquiry/request for clarification…

'..If you are using the bike as your primary way of transportation then you will be covered. However, we will not cover any kind of motorsports, off road dirt biking or adventurous sports...'

In the end, I think both organizations would cover this kind of travel by dual sport/dirt bike - as long as it wasn't some "event". I don't want to discount either - there are probably folks out there that have been fine with either.

I'll probably go with Global Underwriters for a couple more reasons - they seemed most flexible in adding countries and continuation of policy while on the road - cost seemed reasonable - and the GU hazardous activity riders (a few levels) were pretty explicit in there coverage - up to and including coverage in unstable areas.

That insurance company would probably be mentioned in either the central america forum or the south america forum on HUBB

I'll see if I can find it.

sanysidro@sanbornsinsurance.com was one contact.

also maybe some relevant info at

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/lin...ycle-insurance

Thanks for the link Tony. Would be nice to have one company cover Mex, CA, and SA. I used BajaBound to cover my Amex trip a couple years back.