- Florida is the only state in the US where motorcycle insurance is not required by law, although there are certain cases where you can apply. At Globe Live Media we explain all the details
If you own a motorcycle and live in the United States, you should know that almost every state in the country requires you to have motorcycle insurance, although insurance policy coverage requirements often vary based on state law. There is only one state in the US where motorcycle insurance is not required: Florida.
Until recently, the list of states where motorcycle insurance was not mandatory in the US included Florida, Washington and Montana. This changed in recent years, after the state authorities of Washington and Montana passed laws that established the mandatory requirement for motorcycle drivers in those states.
The Montana regulation was approved in 2015, while the Washington regulation was approved in 2018.
This leaves Florida as the only state that does not require motorcycle riders to purchase an insurance policy on a mandatory basis. However, those motorcyclists who have been involved in a vehicle accident in which people have been injured must purchase insurance with three years of property and bodily liability coverage.
Also, as a curiosity, Florida law does not require motorcycle riders to wear protective helmets as long as they are at least 16 years of age (although they are required to wear eye protection at all times, such as sunglasses). regardless of whether or not they have a helmet).
On the other hand, car insurance experts point out that, despite not being mandatory, traveling with a motorcycle in Florida without insurance is highly inadvisable. The reason for this is that, in the event that you cause an accident, this will not prevent you from being held responsible for the damages you generate and from receiving a lawsuit, which you must settle with your own money.
Similarly, if you regularly use your motorcycle for interstate highway travel, you may want to have insurance to meet the regulatory requirements of the locations you visit.
Generally, most states in the U.S. require a minimum policy of $25,000 bodily injury protection coverage per person and $50,000 liability coverage per accident, as well as $10,000 coverage for property damage. This is what is often referred to as a 25/50/10 insurance policy.
It should be noted that there may be states where the minimum motorcycle insurance requirements are much higher than those named, such as Alaska or Maine, where $100,000 accident liability coverage is required, according to the specialized portal at Value Penguin insurance.