Does Auto Insurance Cover Bicycle Accidents​?

Whether you bike for fun or to commute to your job, a bicycle accident can change your life in an instant. Thankfully, bicycle accident victims have a number of options available to them for covering the costs associated with their injuries—which can include auto insurance. However, it all depends on the circumstances surrounding the accident.

What Types of Auto Insurance Can Cover a Bicycle Accident?

Bicycle accidents can be covered by either the cyclist’s auto insurance policy or that of the driver who hit them. Here are the different types of coverage that may apply and when:

• The driver’s auto liability coverage: If you are hit by the driver of a vehicle, their automotive liability coverage should cover your injuries in a bicycle accident.
• Your UIM/UM coverage: If you were struck by a motorist who is uninsured or underinsured and you have UIM/UM coverage as part of your auto policy, this coverage may apply.
• Your MedPay coverage: Californians have the option of purchasing MedPay coverage as part of an auto policy, which can cover treatment for bicycle accident injuries regardless of who was at fault.
• Your PIP coverage: Personal injury protection (PIP) insurance typically covers bicycle accident injuries. However, PIP is not sold in certain states, including California.

Other Essential Types of Insurance For Bicyclists

In addition to coverage provided by auto insurance policies, there are several other types of insurance that cover bicycle accidents. This includes coverage for the damages you yourself sustain as well as the damages you cause to someone else:

• Health insurance: Your personal health insurance policy can be used to cover the cost of medical treatment for injuries suffered in a bicycle accident. You can ask the hospital or doctor’s office to file claims with your health insurance policy to see if the insurance company will cover at least a portion of the cost.
• Bicycle insurance: Many insurance companies now offer bicycle insurance, which can cover the cost of repairing or replacing your bike after an accident. However, these policies typically do not cover your medical expenses and do not always include liability coverage.
• Homeowner or renter’s insurance: While these types of policies do not cover medical expenses, they may cover the cost of repairing or replacing your bike after an accident. Additionally, they often include liability coverage, which can protect you if you cause injuries or property damage to someone else.

Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents to Be Aware Of

Bicycle accidents happen for many different reasons, some of which are more common than others. As a bicyclist, you should be aware of the different risks you face when riding, including the following:

• Right-turn crashes: A driver turning right at an intersection may fail to see a cyclist in the bike lane and end up colliding with them.
• Left-hook accidents: A driver who fails to see or yield to a cyclist in the oncoming lane while making a left turn can easily cause a crash.
• Dooring: Motorists may swing open their doors into the street without looking for oncoming cyclists, potentially leading to an ejection.
• Distracted driving: Drivers who talk on their phones, eat, or doing anything else that distracts them from the road can cause serious bicycle accidents.
• Hazardous surfaces: Uneven, jagged, rough, pot-holed, and milled surfaces can pose serious risks to cyclists. In some instances, the property owner or government entity responsible for the surface can be held accountable for dangerous condition of public property or premises liability.

You can be a strong defensive cyclist, always looking out for various risks while riding, and still find yourself injured in a bicycle accident. If so, be sure to speak with a bicycle accident lawyer about your case as soon as possible.

What to Do After a Bicycle Crash

The immediate moments and days following a bicycle crash are critical in making sure your injuries are properly treated and your rights are protected. Take the following steps after a bicycle crash:

• Move to a safe location and call 911
• Allow first responders to evaluate you for injuries and provide treatment
• Give your information to the police but do not admit any type of fault
• Exchange contact information with others involved if you can
• Document the scene of the crash if you are able to (take pictures, write down weather conditions, note any missing road signs)
• Keep the bicycle in the state it is in following the crash (do not have it repaired before a legal case occurs)
• Report the accident to your insurance company or the insurance company of the at-fault driver
• Speak with an experienced bicycle accident lawyer about the bike crash

It is important that you do not speculate about how the crash occurred when talking with the police at the scene. Only provide basic information about your injuries and what you went through during the crash. Speculating as to what exactly happened could lead you to inadvertently admit fault, which could harm your chances of winning a bicycle accident claim.