New Hampshire’s motto is “Live Free or Die.” This free-spirited proclivity is evident among New Hampshire’s motorcycle community. We love to ride on our open roads and take in the beautiful scenery that this State has to offer. In fact, we at Tenn And Tenn, PA enjoy our time out on the road, too, riding on our bikes.
Restrictions on motorcyclists are few in New Hampshire, and this includes the absence of required motorcycle insurance. Unlike most other states, motorcyclists in New Hampshire are not required to carry an insurance policy. Your primary requirement is holding a motorcycle license or an endorsement of the same on your driver license.
So, the question is: should you obtain motorcycle insurance? Here, we discuss this topic a little further.
SHOULD YOU PURCHASE MOTORCYCLE INSURANCE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE?
No one wants to put restrictions on your enjoyment of the open road while cruising on your bike, but riding a bike is dangerous – this was made all too evident in the recent multi-bike crash in June 2019. The odds of getting seriously injured when a vehicle collides with you on your bike is very real. The odds that a collision can cause a fatality is also very real.
Just think: you are on your bike with or without a helmet and basically no other protection while the driver and/or passengers of a vehicle benefit from the metal and machinery of the vehicle if their car crashes into you. You have no protection though.
And if you have no insurance, then you and your family could be in financial distress if you contributed to the accident in any way or if the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance or doesn’t have enough insurance to cover all your expenses. And if you expect your auto insurance to cover your motorcycle crash, you will most likely be in for a rude awakening because most auto insurance policies do not cover motorcycles.
So, in the end, it is up to most motorcyclists in New Hampshire to decide if they will purchase NH motorcycle insurance or not. For a small number of you, you are required to have it.
IS THERE ANY SITUATION THAT REQUIRES YOU TO HAVE MOTORCYCLE INSURANCE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE?
There is one specific situation where New Hampshire motorcyclists are required to have motorcycle insurance: when you are required to carry proof of liability insurance known as an SR22 filing. Persons who are required to have SR22 filing are those who have:
- more than the allowable limit of Demerit Points;
- been in an auto accident but did not have a current auto insurance policy;
- been convicted of:
- a DWI (first, second, subsequent, aggravated);
- an underage DWI (first, second, subsequent, aggravated);
- leaving the scene of an accident;
- conduct after accident; or
- reckless operation (second or subsequent).
In New Hampshire, we all want to enjoy the roads – vehicles and motorcycles alike. The best way to enjoy the roads is (1) follow the rules of the road; and (2) protect yourself, and this can include wearing a helmet as much as it includes insuring your motorcycle.