By Christina Gullo
As 2022 has come to a close (for better or for worse), it is time to reflect on the past twelve months and set some New Year’s Resolutions for 2023. Before you stop reading, rest assured that I am not here to tell you to start that diet, to stop spending money on motorcycle accessories, or to start drinking less. I mean, who am I to judge? Do you! Instead, I want to reflect on the 2022 riding season and use those lessons to make 2023 as successful, and as safe, as possible.
The sad truth is that the 2022 riding season was marked by possibly the highest influx of motorcycle collisions that I have experienced in my career to date. As the weather allowed for riding later in the season, riders were being injured in droves as motor vehicle drivers failed to share the roadways. While we cannot control the actions of negligent drivers (despite our continued efforts to make our roads safer through our “Look Before You Left Campaign”), what we can do is focus on what is in our control: what insurance coverage we have in place to protect ourselves and those that we love while riding.
The resounding sentiments we hear from client-after-client is how they wished they had better insurance set up before the collision to compensate for the inadequate insurance policies of the negligent drivers that hit them. The best way riders can protect themselves and their loved ones is by maxing out their available insurance coverage in terms of their: Supplemental Uninsured/Under-insured Motorist Coverage (“SUM”), spousal coverage, and medical payment coverage. This way, you are not relying on the offending driver and will have financial security to fall back on should the worst happen. This can normally be done by only slight monetary increases to the coverages you already have in place. I am always more than happy to provide a free review and consultation of your insurance policy to discuss how to maximize your coverage. Over the past year, I have been honored to speak at local chapter meetings to discuss this topic in more detail. It would be my pleasure to do the same this winter/spring to address these concerns before you get back on your bike.
This year, I encourage you to let your New Year’s Resolution be to protect yourself and those that you love by taking advantage of what you can control. So, eat the cookie, have the beer with your friend, splurge on the new safety gear/features from your local shop. But most importantly, resolve to use this time to prepare for 2023 riding season by protecting yourself and those you love with adequate insurance coverage.
Stay safe, and stay informed.
