Insurance replacement of Riding Gear

When a friend had a little "Incident" which resulted in ER removal of his gear and some serious sheet time thereafter he made mention of examining the cost of your riding gear and what your coverage was for replacement.

It took me a while but when my policy came up for renewal I looked at the coverage limits and realized my Safety Gear was covered to $1,000 and my Accessories to $3,000.

When I added up the retail cost of my "Safety Gear" I realized I was way underinsured. Granted, we often get a little break on our purchases but these prices come from REVZILLA:

Helmet – Klim Krios Pro Carbon Fiber Helmet - $699.99
Helmet Communications Device – Cardo Packtalk Bold - $288.96
Jacket – Klim Latitude (Grey) $649.99
Pants – Klim Latitude (Black) $499.99
Gloves – Klim Adventure GTX Short Black $179.99
Boots – TCX Baja Goretex Boots - $369.99
Total replacement cost - $2688.91 plus tax at 6.5% + $2863.69

I'm not here as an advocate for Klim, though it looks like it above.

If you haven't done the drill above it might behoove you to check out replacement cost for your equipment and to examine your coverage.

I'm raising the coverage limits on my Safety Gear to $3,000 now and I've started adding up the cost of my Farkles to check the $3,000 accessory coverage limit as well.

YMMV

Good reminder to check your coverage inclusions, exclusions, and limitations from time to time. It's always a good idea.

bigjohnsd said:

I've started adding up the cost of my Farkles to check the $3,000 accessory coverage limit as well.

YMMV

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Better check that the added farkles are covered. I read my policy and it stated that the accessories had to be factory installed and does not cover anything installed after the delivery of the bike, even if it was factory parts installed by the dealer.

pettynerd said:

Better check that the added farkles are covered. I read my policy and it stated that the accessories had to be factory installed and does not cover anything installed after the delivery of the bike, even if it was factory parts installed by the dealer.

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.I am covered, Accessories are covered but at a depreciated value just like the bike. The adjuster has discretion on accessories value. I totaled up the Farkles and found that I needed to double my coverage which I have done.

pettynerd said:

Better check that the added farkles are covered. I read my policy and it stated that the accessories had to be factory installed and does not cover anything installed after the delivery of the bike, even if it was factory parts installed by the dealer.

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What company is this? This is important information when people inquire about experiences with different companies. And it is the kind of fine print that can often be overlooked in our glee at the lower premium.

Just got a call from my Insurance people.

Safety Equipment ATGATT) is treated as a straight $1K amount on the American Family policy - damaged gear replaced at Retail Replacement value.
Any excess gear replacement cost rolls over to my Homeowner's policy which in my case has a $500 deductible.

Increasing the Customization/Farkle/Accessory coverage from $3K to $6K costs me $1.44 per month.

YMMV

Thanks for the nudge John. I just called my ins agent and they are looking into it for me....

Just heard back from my agent (Allstate). No coverage under bike policy for gear (farkles yes, gear no), but would be covered under homeowners, which I have a $1k deductible on, so not much coverage it would seem. But good info to have....

speedyatl said:

Just heard back from my agent (Allstate). No coverage under bike policy for gear (farkles yes, gear no), but would be covered under homeowners, which I have a $1k deductible on, so not much coverage it would seem. But good info to have....

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If you wear Klim Gear, as many do, they have an accident replacement program - https://www.klim.com/gear-protection-guarantee

Hmmm...my Klim Adventure suit is almost $3k alone.

I just went through this a few days ago, at the suggestion of a friend who had a serious accident. He discovered his GEICO policy had a coverage limit of $2,000 for accessories. I'm also covered by GEICO, so I checked my coverage online. It seemed I also had a $2,000 coverage limit on accessories, but since I also wanted to know if accessories included riding gear (helmet, jacket, pants, boots etc.), I called them. Turns out that, in most states, GEICO's optional accessories coverage starts at $2,000, but can easily be increased. On the up side, I also learned that, in Virginia (where I live), there is no limit on the coverage of accessories (and no additional cost to do so, though I imagine the true cost of this "free" coverage is buried somewhere else in the policy). On the down side, the only riding gear that's covered is a helmet. The agent suggested I check for coverage of other riding gear under my homeowners policy (running out of time, I did not accept the offer to be transferred to another agent to answer that specific question). My friend's optional accessories coverage was capped at $2,000, as he does not live in Virginia, and had not opted to increase his coverage limits. He had a Klim jacket and pants, and is pursuing replacement by Klim (he needs the police report).

I tried a couple of years ago, as a service to the community chronicle my experience after my R1200GSA was totaled out - https://advrider.com/f/threads/my-insurance-experience-with-a-totaled-r1200gs-lc.1345307/

It's long, you can skim it until it comes to the actual insurance portions. A few times since then, I've summarized some takeaways that every rider in USA with an insured bike (lien or not) should take up immediately, before they need it. In fact, just last week I spoke to someone who did not have modifications coverage on his bike and so his $4,000 Touratech suspension, $2500 in Clearwater lights and about $10,000 in misc was all lost because the insurance company already picked up the bike before he could yank off the modifications resulting in a total loss of those parts and their value. The gear discussion is covered in my thread and one that is a similar conversation with your insurance company.

1. Nationwide insurance agencies appear to no longer reward loyalty. Shop around every 2-3 years and you'll be surprised what you could be saving.
2. State Farm reimburses all gear at MSRP with receipt. Geico reimburses $500 (in the state of New Hampshire), every insurance agency is different not only between carriers but also by where you live and most don't have riders or add-ons for gear but those of you wearing Klim do qualify for the gear protection guarantee but it's only going to be a like-kind replacement so if you lost a few pounds, they won't replace a smaller size..they will replace with the current model so if your Kodiak is no longer made, they give you a new one, same size but you do need to have a police report..no way around it
3. Farkles, ask specifically how much coverage you have for modifications / accessories on your bike. This would include side-cars if yours didn't come with one. Add up replacement cost and add that.
4. I pay about $100 extra a year to add $20,000 in accessories to my R1200GS. All of my bikes have accessories coverage. You don't get the full amount back..they will depreciate it so if your seat is brand new, put your OEM back on before they pick it up
5. ..on that note, MaxBMW picked up my bike after the crash. They were kind enough to charge me to remove my shocks, clearwater lights and other accessories before insurance picked it up but it would have been cheaper to do that myself at home and lesson learned.
6. So before your bike is hauled away, grab everything you don't want to accept a depreciated value of..even damaged Clearwater lights, Sargent Seats and Wilburs shocks can be refurbished. All 3 of those companies will take your parts and refurbish them for way less than buying new even if you literally cut the clearwater lights off the bike. Many companies won't do that but those 3 definitely well and by Wilburs I mean Ted Porter's beemer shop.
7. Don't be shy about your accessories. I purchased a new Husky 701 and then put $10,000 in accessories on it. judge all you want but I have receipts for everything so if that bike gets stolen, I have a 50 page long PDF of receipts from every vendor ready to go and will get $8000 of that back in addition to the bike's value

Final bit of advice for those who this is their first rodeo with a totaled out vehicle, insurance is going to make you an offer, you should probably refuse their first offer. They gave me a sheet that showed 3 other R1200GS 'comps' and none were from my area, all with more mileage than mine and so I challenged it. I also told them to review my farkle receipts again as all were purchased within the last 12 months so depreciation should be less than their math.

1. 1st Offer - $19,476
2. 2nd offer - $21,476
3. 3rd offer - $29,959

I would have cost myself 10 grand had I not pushed them 2 times. That's the bike + farkles for a 2017 R1200GS Adventure that was about 1 year old when I crashed it.

Insurance is there for you to use it BUT you have to make sure you're actually covered. I cringe every time someone says they have "full coverage" and I want to scream out "NO YOU DON'T" what the hell does full coverage mean? Do you have it in writing? If your best friend dies on the back of your bike do they issue you a new friend? sorry to be grim but full coverage is ripe with interpretations and coverage has a dollar figure and until you need it, you won't know what that actually means and suddenly your $2000 Klim suit, $1000 Shoei helmet and $250 gloves are worth $500 and your accessories are worth $500 and you're under on your lien and have to cut a check to the lender just to get out of the loan and then go and buy a new bike and start all over. It's a crappy experience but fully avoidable by one single phone call to your insurance company to talk numbers.

Very passionate subject of mine and one I care deeply about not just the monetary loss of your bike but if you're in the hospital, you're going to come out with a lot of bills and no bike and it is good to know when you crash, that you're going to be covered.

I hope this was helpful.

bigjohnsd said:

If you wear Klim Gear, as many do, they have an accident replacement program - https://www.klim.com/gear-protection-guarantee

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Also, very little known fact that Klim has a great discount program for government employees, fire, EMS, police, military: https://www.klim.com/vip-application-form

they'll send you up to 30% off and you can fill it out every time you need a code.

PGlaves said:

What company is this? This is important information when people inquire about experiences with different companies. And it is the kind of fine print that can often be overlooked in our glee at the lower premium.

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This is what is written in my Progressive motorcycle insurance that includes the "free" $3000 in gear coverage.

speedyatl said:

Just heard back from my agent (Allstate). No coverage under bike policy for gear (farkles yes, gear no), but would be covered under homeowners, which I have a $1k deductible on, so not much coverage it would seem. But good info to have....

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marcopolo said:

I just went through this a few days ago... On the down side, the only riding gear that's covered is a helmet. The agent suggested I check for coverage of other riding gear under my homeowners policy ...

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Somehow I can't see homeowners insurance covering riding gear that was stolen or damaged in an accident that didn't occur in your house or on your property.

jad01 said:

Somehow I can't see homeowners insurance covering riding gear that was stolen or damaged in an accident that didn't occur in your house or on your property.

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I’m puzzled as well. Insurance seems to be an evil necessity. Stories of insurance don’t seem to relate to any of my experiences. I even find the ads for insurance troubling. If the ads are geared to a specific group and are actually working........
OM

Sadly, Insurance is one of the few industries where the customer and the vendor are pitted against each other. Think of whatever business you are in and think about low-balling and arguing with every one of your clients that isn't just mailing you checks every month. Their 'job' is to pay as few claims as possible at the lowest amount as possible...not unlike the extended warranty industry.

The only other option I see is a self insured option (or maybe federal insurance, but that would be a total disaster I'm sure like everything else the Gov't touches), but that clearly doesn't work either. Those that 'have' would be taken to the cleaners in an accident and those that don't 'have', would skate by on somebody else's dime. Prime example is uninsured motorist coverage. So basically you have to pay for your insurance in case you hit somebody, but you also have to pay for insurance for that someone that hits you that chose to subvert the system and not pay for insurance.

We just had an uninsured motorist coverage in our business and I'm glad we had coverage (damage was about $23k to the vehicle). But make no mistake, we have been paying for someone else's insurance for years.

Way back when......
I used to think that, beyond mandatory applications, insurance was like going to Vegas. You took the risk, bought the policy, and when you needed it- it would pay as the house lost.
Seems like I have been wrong for quite some time on this insurance issue.
OM

speedyatl said:

The only other option I see is a self insured option (or maybe federal insurance, but that would be a total disaster I'm sure like everything else the Gov't touches),

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I cringe every time I read a sentence like this one. I personally am pretty happy with the Armed Forces, public water systems, mortgage insurance, highways, the FAA and many other things the government touches. YMMV

PGlaves said:

I cringe every time I read a sentence like this one. I personally am pretty happy with the Armed Forces, public water systems, mortgage insurance, highways, the FAA and many other things the government touches. YMMV

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My mileage varies.