[ryanpk]

So my bike is gone because of an absent minded SUV driver. My big worry now is that I will not be able to get another one. I had my 2009 ninja 250r for 5 months. The accident was 100% the other guys fault so we will be having his insurance pay for it but....if I don't get what it would cost to buy a new 250 then I'm SoL. Seeing as how after fees its like 4500 bucks I seriously doubt the insurance company is gonna go for that, but I've never had to file a claim before on a vehicle so I have no idea what they tend to give. It just doesnt make sense to have someone destroy your vehicle and not be able to get another one back.

So anyone have advice on how to deal with the insurance people?

 

[VeeRider]

If the other guy was at fault, their insurance 'ideally' should pay for your needed repaires or if bike is totaled should pay for replacement. If they are uninsured
and you DONT have 'uninsured motorist' as part of your coverage then u will take it in the shorts. Also if u have 'total loss coverage' as part of your collision
coverage then that is a great way to go--- check w/ your insurance co.

 

[acoliver]

Do not automatically assume you will not get the replacement value or close to it for your vehicle. I've just bought a motorcycle yesterday (2009 Ninja 650r with 900mi on it!!), but was recently in a car accident, my wife was driving, another SUV didn't manage to slow down. We were moving forward at ~30-35 mph after traffic had slowed. He decided to continue at well above that, rammed into us, accidentally hit the gas instead of the break and hit us a 2nd time, and somehow a third when we started to try and slow (given the condition of the rear end). Needless to say even he agreed it was entirely his fault. We were afraid we'd end up getting the blue book for a van that had a lot of miles on it. His insurance company (State Farm) gave us a settlement that was nearly 3/4 of the replacement value of the car (a Kia minivan). Also our insurance company (Progressive) was willing to go to bat for us on rentals and other issues if his did not (meaning pay for it and fight it out with them for us). However, nothing bad happened at all. Needless to say, sometimes even the unlucky trip over a penny, but stick to your guns and maybe you'll only be out a few hundred bucks since Kawasaki's seem to hold their value pretty well. Let us know how it goes!

 

[WhiteFox]

IN 2007 I wrecked my 2003 VN1500. It was considered my fault. I ran off the road and used an embankment to stop the bike. I was sited for failure to maintain lane by the state police. I got off lucky, I am still alive, and actually did not break a single bone,, just bent everything. To this day I still have no memory of the accident, just the results.:shock:

My insurance considered the bike totaled, and wrote a check for the value of the bike at that time, about 6400.00, and paid to the limit of 5000.00 for my medical. 4 months later I was on another bike, and had money in the bank. :smile:

Now having said that, trust me NO insurance company is happy when they have to pay a claim.

It used to be that you bought insurance, because you were betting that you would need it, and the insurance company was betting that you would not need it. If you had a claim, they lost the bet.

AS most of us know it is not that way any more, so over the next few years, my increased insurance costs will most likely completely pay for everything it cost the insurance company and then some. It was my fault after all.

Since YOU were not at fault, your results should be different, I would hope.