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Topic: Un-freaking-believable!!! (kinda long) (Read 1427 times)
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jeff
JeF4y
Administrator
Sr. Member
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Posts: 431
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Let's face it, this isn't a private internet. People have rights to rant and rave about anything they want.
The insurance agent has a point! There are morons amongst us who loop their bikes, claim it on insurance only to buy a bigger and more expensive bike and repeat the incident.
However, you have to take it all with a grain of salt. Saying "all motorcyclists care only about wheelies and loud pipes" is like saying "all insurance agents are narrow minded assholes". There are exceptions to every rule. Don't get bent out of shape about it.
Likewise, if you dump your bike while doing something stupid, then tell the insurance company a completely different story, don't be dumb enough to post it on the internet or you're asking for it to come back and bite you in the ass.
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joe02f4i
Newbie
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Posts: 30
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I'll tell you im 21 years old and on my second street bike in three years. Ive never had a traffic violation and never (knock on wood) been in an accident, bike or auto and am still paying a huge portion of my income on insurace.
I'll agree that insurance is outragious for riders (in particular young ones like myself). I also think that it is real BS for people to make false claims on insurance. But, then again...who's right or wrong? Insurance companies who rape people on premiums and live in large houses and drive sports cars? Or those who make false claims and brag about it? Truth is they are both wrong, but I need insurance so I guess ill just continue to get screwed by other riders and the insurance agent in his corvette ill blow by in the twisties...
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Gin007
Newbie
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Posts: 8
I'm a llama! (I like it!)
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First of all let me say that I am a safe rider, wear all my gear if I'm going a block or 200 miles, etc. etc.
Now that that's out of the way, I feel like it's an understood first step. Motorcycling is supposed to be about fun. I don't think that a forum that solely discusses safety issues is fun. Talking about rides, mods, etc. is fun...I disagree with the insurance dude's thinking that because we talk about mods and wheelies we don't think about safety.
I know these forums aren't private, but I never thought anything said on a forum would be used against motorcyclists when insurance companies go to the government and get rate hikes approved. Seems like they would need harder "evidence"--like actual claims.
I also know that insurance is a business for profit, so they are making all the money they can off everyone and everything...but even if every single motorcyclist turned in a claim today, it's not possible we'd break the bank on these companies. Compared to car policies and number of claims related to cars, what do we represent? A fraction of a percent?
So like joe02f4i says, we get screwed by the insurance companies because of the few dumbasses who are careless/make false claims...it just doesn't seem right.
Oh well, I need the insurance too, so guess there's nothing to do about it...
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Red '99 Ninja 500
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jeff
JeF4y
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Sr. Member
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Posts: 431
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First of all let me say that I am a safe rider, wear all my gear if I'm going a block or 200 miles, etc. etc.
Good. As should everyone in my opinion.
Now that that's out of the way, I feel like it's an understood first step. Motorcycling is supposed to be about fun. I don't think that a forum that solely discusses safety issues is fun. Talking about rides, mods, etc. is fun...I disagree with the insurance dude's thinking that because we talk about mods and wheelies we don't think about safety.
I understand your disagreement with his presumed thinking. Not to mention the fact that a lot of things become severely embellished when posted on the internet.
I know these forums aren't private, but I never thought anything said on a forum would be used against motorcyclists when insurance companies go to the government and get rate hikes approved. Seems like they would need harder "evidence"--like actual claims.
I don't recall of there ever being a case where insurance companies used internet hearsay to get rates raised. It's not fact. It's only hearsay.
The point I was trying to make in it was that someone could theoretically get themselves in a jam if they were to make a frivilous claim and then post an entirely different story on the internet. In all likleihood, an observing insurance agent could easily investigate the story and prove a case of fraud.
This is entirely different from someone shooting off at the mouth saying that rates are high because riders talk of wheelies so they must be doing them.
I also know that insurance is a business for profit, so they are making all the money they can off everyone and everything...but even if every single motorcyclist turned in a claim today, it's not possible we'd break the bank on these companies. Compared to car policies and number of claims related to cars, what do we represent? A fraction of a percent?
You're correct that we wouldn't break the insurance companies if we all turned in a claim today. However, statistically speaking, the likelihood that a MC will be in an accident requiring insurance dollars is MUCH higher than that of an automobile. This risk obviously increases with a lower age, single person, male sex, high crime area, bad driving record, etc.
There are MANY factors into calculating the rates of insurance, but at the end of the day it still comes down to the fact that a bike being in an accident (no matter how small) is more likely than a car.
So like joe02f4i says, we get screwed by the insurance companies because of the few dumbasses who are careless/make false claims...it just doesn't seem right.
Fraud hurts everyone, but it's a fact of the business.
Oh well, I need the insurance too, so guess there's nothing to do about it...
Yes there is. Shop around and find lower rates. Drop your full coverage and settle for liability (which will likely cost you about 20% of full coverage). Find an insurance company which will give you lower rates for 100% gear and helmet 100% of the time. Lower rates also come with age, experience, marital status and driving record.
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hondatech
Justin
Administrator
Sr. Member
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Posts: 428
Jeffy sent me!
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It tought to call the insurance agents frame of mind since we can't see the priginal thread. I've seen many forums where the people make me embrassed to be an avid motorcyclist. All they do talk about is wheelies, and crap mods like neon. So, in some ways, the insurance guy has a point. As far as rates go, they are that way for a reason. If young guys weren't wrecking more, they wouldn't set them like that. After I turned 25, insurance got way cheap. My 900RR and F2 cost less to insure both full coverage than it costs on my 88 GMC Jimmy. So, I don't think rates are all that unfair. Plus, spending a few years a professional mechanic it made me sick how many people would try to rip off anybody and everybody they could, including the dealership, in insurance situations. Like it or not, we ourselves are very responsible for the steaming kettle of shit the insurance game has become. On the flip side, the insurance companies have their own problems. They also tend to be corrupt. I guess it can't really be solved. As it is, it's a race to see who can screw who harder and faster. We're all evil. <g>
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Justin
97 900RR
93/97 F3 Frankenbike
83 RZ 350
90 VTR 250
"Under certain circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer" -Twain
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Gin007
Newbie
Offline
Posts: 8
I'm a llama! (I like it!)
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I agree that I'm evil...didn't know about anyone else 
Jeff--here's where I got the deal about going to the government, but like you said it's all hearsay. I have nothing to prove that this guy is an actual insurance agent...
"To get legislative support for a rate increase, insurance companies will use whatever they can to show the increase is justified by the risk. Public web sites like this one are often a good way to show that some motorcycle riders have no regard for their own safety or the safety of others. Sorry, but that's the way things work in the business world whether you like it not. "
And I totally agree with you that fools who lie to their insurance then tell all their buddies they were riding a wicked wheelie/stoppie, etc. when the accident happened are going to get caught. And they are going to affect the rest of us, unfortunately.
Original thread the guy did a wheelie and crashed, basically, looking for sympathy. Some other guy came back with this post, which actually sounded like a joke to me:
"I know how you feel dude. Last year I was doing a stoppie at a red light and I wrecked my bike and broke my color bone. then some dumb cop gave me a ticket for reckless driving and my stupid insurance company cancelled my insurance. When I told my girlfriend she said I needed to grow up and stop drinking so much. Sometimes is seems like everybody hates bikers. "
It brought out the lecturer in everyone, and went downhill from there...
Point I was trying to make was this: If he IS an insurance agent, that seems pretty underhanded to monitor forums, like a Big Brother deal or something. Guess I'm too naive for my own good, thinking that we could talk freely about stuff without it affecting us negatively...It was a discouraging thought.
Jenny
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Red '99 Ninja 500
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