Georgia Motorcycle Insurance

Whether your motorcycle is your everyday driver or you ride for pleasure, the Department of Revenue’s Motor Vehicle Division has set out rules for motorcycle owner/operators. The State of Georgia defines a motorcycle as having the ability to exceed 30 mph, having an engine that is at least 50 cc and more than two horsepower, and, that it was made for legal highway use.

Minimum Insurance Requirements

The State of Georgia requires each owner/operator to carry compulsory liability insurance on motorcycles. The minimum motorcycle insurance is $25,000 for one person’s death or injury to one person in one accident, $50,000 for the death or injury of two or more people per accident and $25,000 for property damage.

There is an exception to providing minimum insurance. You may establish financial responsibility instead of carrying minimum insurance by self-insuring your motorcycle through the Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner. You must have an approved self-insurance plan on file with the Office. The plan must provide an efficient claims-handling procedure, coverage and benefits. You must also have a certificate of self-insurance.

Registration and Electronic Reporting

The insurance carriers submit your insurance information to a statewide database to ensure that all drivers are covered with insurance. You must have proof of insurance or self-insurance with you at all times.

If you do not have proof of insurance your registration could be suspended for up to six month. You will have to pay a $25 lapse fee and $160 to reinstate your registration. You may also be charged with a misdemeanor if you are caught operating a motorcycle without motorcycle insurance or proof of financial responsibility.

Safety Laws and How The Laws Affect Your Insurance

Your insurance company may not drop you if you don’t abide by the safety laws, but if you are in an accident, depending on your policy, your insurance carrier may elect to not pay the claim. It could even drop you, especially if you were at fault for the accident and the safety violation was a contributing factor in the accident.

The State of Georgia requires that owner/operators and riders must wear a helmet. Eye protection is also required, unless the bike has a windscreen. Though the law states that you do not have to wear eye protection if you have a windscreen, it is a good idea to wear eye protection at all times. If you want to carry a passenger, your bike must have a passenger seat and passenger foot pegs. The bike must have at least one mirror. Also, the handlebars cannot be over 15 inches above the seat. Helmet speakers may be used for communication only.

The State of Georgia offers a rider-education waiver and a skill and knowledge test. If you have a motorcycle endorsement from another state, the State of Georgia will accept that.

Off Road Rules

The State of Georgia requires that you register your off road motorcycle, but it does not require you to title the bike. It is a good idea to title the bike so that you can show proof of ownership. You do not need to wear a helmet off road, but eye protection is required. You also do not need a license to ride off road.

Insurance Policy Tips

Make sure your motorcycle insurance premium is paid up to date and that you do not miss any monthly payments. If possible, pay your insurance once for the entire year. This eliminates the possibility of forgetting to make a payment. If you forget a payment and the insurance carrier cancels your insurance, it will notify the Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle Department. If you must pay monthly, consider using a carrier that offers electronic funds transfer or will automatically bill your debit or credit card.

If you are canceling your insurance policy because you sold your motorcycle or you are going to take it off the road for extensive repairs or rebuilding, notify your insurance company and the Motor Vehicle Department. If you don’t, they will think that you just dropped insurance, which could result in fines and other problems when you want to re-register your bike.