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Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: Burton on February 12, 2014, 03:11:23 AM

Title: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: Burton on February 12, 2014, 03:11:23 AM
Just got an email back from my insurance provider, liberty mutual, after waiting two weeks for them to get back to me with a quote on a 2013 used Zero S ZF11.4

After sending a followup email about having purchased one and giving them the price I was told "Liberty won't cover those bikes as they are too unique." I guess that means they wouldn't cover a custom chopper either.

Really lame man, really lame. He offered to send my information over to Farmers as he knows someone over there and I told him he could and then listed other companies I have seen several members here quote as insuring their bikes.

For my agents sake he better hope whoever else I get insurance from isn't cheaper / better than what I have now :)
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: dkw12002 on February 12, 2014, 03:25:03 AM
Progressive is a big insurer of motorcycles and that's what I have. I only have liability , but there was no trouble getting it first for the 2011 S and now the 2013 S and it is not expensive (for liability only). They have a list of vin. nos that pops up so they should already have a description of it although they do ask how many ccs. LOL 
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: Blotman on February 12, 2014, 03:42:38 AM
I have Progressive, and for the CCs they tell you what you're supposed to enter if the bike is electric. The page in turn tells you that the value is invalid  when you put it in, so just go ahead and give them some BS number.
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: Richard230 on February 12, 2014, 04:10:29 AM
I have insured 3 electric motorcycles with Progressive, starting with my Electric Motorsport GPR-S in 2009.  I never had a problem getting coverage.  In fact, that first GPR-S only cost me $5 for the entire year 250K/500K liability only.  (It was rated at "0" ccs.   ;D  )

I am finally picking up my 2014 Zero S, with the power tank option (I got the first power tank off the assembly line) tomorrow morning and it will be interesting to see how much I get charged for that model.  I am currently paying $32 a year for my 2012 S.
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: Burton on February 12, 2014, 04:20:23 AM
I think I pay about 250 to 300 for my ninja 250 a year 0_0 and it is an 03
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: dkw12002 on February 12, 2014, 07:58:59 AM
Blotman, I always just phone Progressive rather than entering the info online, but the agent is apparently entering the same data. I have no idea what they put in for ccs or if they have a way to override that question. For my bikes it doesn't matter. I have insured racing bikes, small scooters, etc. and the price is always $20 a year for liability no matter the size or price of the bike. The first bike is something like $100 a year and each one after that is $20 a year up to 4. If you insure a 5th or more bike, they issue a second policy and get another $100 for that one though. Still very cheap.

Collision and comprehension is where the real expense is, but just like with cars, it goes by your age and other factors that their actuary figures will make the insurance company enough money to do well, but not so high that you go somewhere else. Richard and I are older and USAA members and that gives us better rates at Progressive.
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: scZero on February 12, 2014, 11:34:41 AM
I have liberty mutual, they cover my 2010 Zero DS (liability only) and my tesla roadster (full coverage).  They've giving me a crazy deal on full coverage on the roadster, the DS and my 2004 BMW R1150GS adventure, not so much of a deal but market price.  You may want to find a new agent.  The car side is way cooler than the motorcycle side, its a total separate entity.
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: trikester on February 12, 2014, 10:49:51 PM
I have Allstate on all my vehicles. No problem with the three Zero's.

Trikester
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: NoiseBoy on February 13, 2014, 03:46:59 AM
I can't believe how cheap your insurance is in the states.  Im paying something like £240 a year comprehensive and that is very cheap compared to mainland UK.
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: BrianTRice@gmail.com on February 13, 2014, 03:59:21 AM
Insurance in the USA can vary per state, though, because state law governs the entire business model. I'm annoyed at having per-vehicle Washington state insurance when Oregon insurance is per-driver. This means that buying and selling vehicles is more complicated in Washington, on top of sales taxes where Oregon handles everything in income tax.

As it is, I'm paying $400 per motorcycle per year on a 2012 V-Strom and 2013 Zero DS through Progressive. I'm hoping that will continue to go down as the bikes age, but it's not always a good deal.
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: dc5dd on February 13, 2014, 08:49:08 PM
For the SR I just checked the progressive website, with various discounts and playing around with the options I got $290 for a year.  This is comprehensive coverage with a $1000 deductible ($100K/$300K/$50K) in Missouri
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: nicktulloh on February 13, 2014, 11:32:18 PM
Thread title should be "Insurance wont cover me, agent is too  incompetent."
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: Burton on April 18, 2014, 05:28:41 AM
Quote from: dc5dd on February 13, 2014, 08:49:08 PM
For the SR I just checked the progressive website, with various discounts and playing around with the options I got $290 for a year.  This is comprehensive coverage with a $1000 deductible ($100K/$300K/$50K) in Missouri

I can only get it down to $248 for progressive if I select "no coverage" for my bike if involved in a collision, meaning they wont pay me anything for the bike only personal / property damage I cause etc.

I have tried several things now, increasing years of riding exp, increasing deductibles to max, etc.

With the same settings, costing $435, on Progressive I tried Geico and got it down to $352.2, but with allstate it got down to $188!

If I use allstate and have them cover both bikes then it is $241 with towing.
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: MichaelJ on April 18, 2014, 12:19:09 PM
Quote from: BrianTRice on February 13, 2014, 03:59:21 AM
As it is, I'm paying $400 per motorcycle on a 2012 V-Strom and 2013 Zero DS through Progressive.
Nobody's mentioned State Farm yet, so here's another Seattle-area data point.  Includes discounts for other insurance I have with them, so YMMV.
 
2007 Suzuki C50T2012 Current Motor Super ScooterCoverage
$67.17$28.97Liability - Bodily Injury / Property Damage ($250,000 each person / $500,000 each accident / $100,000 each accident)
$18.56$22.71Comprehensive Deductible ($500 Suzuki, $100 Current Motor)
$86.97$63.55Collision Deductible ($500)
$191.88$191.88Underinsured Motor Vehicle - Bodily Injury ($250,000 each person / $500,000 each accident)
$4.18$4.18Underinsured Motor Vehicle - Property Damage ($100,000)
$368.76$311.29Total Premium, per annum
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: Burton on April 18, 2014, 07:20:47 PM
I would have included them if they had an online quoting system but they are call only. -_-
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: biolife on April 19, 2014, 02:37:44 PM
Just to add some perspective, I went to get a quote from ICBC (the provincial insurer here in British Columbia) and the basic third-party insurance is $1400/year. With comprehensive coverage and collision the cost goes up to a whopping $4400/year. Needless to say, I'm going to pay the bare minimum and just foot the cost myself for any potential repair bills. And yes, we're totally getting ripped off in BC.
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: ctrlburn on December 31, 2014, 10:51:21 PM
Foremost Insurance (Illinois USA) has "Zero Motorcycles" in the dragdown for Manufacturer - and all the Models!
http://www.aarpforemost.com/AARP/products/motorcycle/ (http://www.aarpforemost.com/AARP/products/motorcycle/)
Even with 100/300 coverage quoted at $273/year for just me or $519/year total with a novice rider. ($500 deduct, towing, no tickets, no accidents, no safety course, plus uninsured)

No conventional site - has Motorcycle manufacturer as freetext - so Zero should not be a problem.
http://www.foremost.com/products/motorcycle/ (http://www.foremost.com/products/motorcycle/)
but would clearly prefer you had an agent.
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: Marquise33 on January 01, 2015, 04:54:03 AM
Try safeco they insured my 2014 zero S for $20.00 month or $250 for the year full coverage with no questions asked.
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: Martin on January 03, 2015, 01:19:49 AM
AAA gives the best rates.
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: Richard230 on January 03, 2015, 04:34:20 AM
I think it depends upon which market your are in.  I don't think anyone can beat the Progressive Insurance yearly premium that I am paying for my $250K/$500K liability-only policy of $37.
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: ctrlburn on January 03, 2015, 09:33:26 PM
Progressive appears to be a good rate - thanks for posting coverage for comparison. Foremost can't touch that for me.
Progressive's initial rate is designed to be lower... I found that each renewal brings a rate increase just below what one's tolerance to cancel. I think they use demo-graphical modelling. I tolerated it for about 2 years.  I'm glad they insure Zero's (not so rare anymore) but Progressive will not be insuring my Zero, even for basic coverage.
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: hinse on January 03, 2015, 10:35:02 PM
Here in Ontario I use The Personal, it's an affinity program with the Professional Engineers association.

For a 2011 Zero S, with a $300 deductible, I am paying about $200/yr.

Funny thing the rate they gave me is the as for a 399cc.
Obviously more powerful than my machine.

Does anyone know what is the equivalent cc's for a 2011 Zero S?
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: Cortezdtv on January 03, 2015, 11:02:26 PM
I pay much less than all of you don't know why

But

Progressive


100 a year


Goes to 150 per year full coverage and when I added a second bike third and 4th they are all under 300 per year Easily!!!! I think it's 250 ish



I think someone messed up one everyone's quotes.  As an electric bike you are allowed to enter the number of cc for the vehicle because it's electric it has no cc and you are legally allowed to write zero or most insurance companies won't let you write "0 " for engine size so you write anything under 49.5 cc's


Most of the laws all go back to smog issues even for insurance


Here's what I use when anyone gets huffy with me, can put anyone at dmv etc in their place real quick

Cops aren't the law neither is dmv; they are interpreters of the law and not necessarily on your side, the judge is suppose to be the middle ground well when your at dmv you don't exactly have a mediating force on your side.

Without further ado. What I use

Dear Drew:
On road motorcycles with engine displacement less than 50 cc are exempt from California's emissions standards. [See Ref. 1 below.]  A pure electric motorcycle can be said to have zero displacement, therefore if the vehicle meets the California Department of Motor Vehicle's definition of "motorcycle" in Vehicle Code Section 400, and the vehicle is pure electric powered, that is, there is no internal combustion engine or other power source emitting criteria pollutants, the vehicle is exempt from emissions certification in California.  For a pure electric motorcycle, a California Vehicle Emission Control Information label is not required.
California Vehicle Code §400.  http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/vctop/vc/d1/400 (http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/vctop/vc/d1/400)
Ref. 1. Title 13, California Code of Regulations, Section 1958.
https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs/Document/I6E7243702DDD11E197D9B83B68A61150?viewType=FullText&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextData=%28sc.Default%29&bhcp=1 (https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs/Document/I6E7243702DDD11E197D9B83B68A61150?viewType=FullText&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextData=%28sc.Default%29&bhcp=1)

Steven Hada, Air Resources Engineer
On-Road Light-Duty Certification Section
Air Resources Board, Emissions Compliance, Automotive Research and Science Division
9528 Telstar Ave., El Monte, California 91731
Phone;  (626) 575-6641, FAX (626) 575-6685

Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: CrashCash on January 05, 2015, 06:27:42 AM
I went through the pain of getting the Zero SR insured.

Progressive wins my business by being the only one who wasn't a complete box of retards.

Let's see, where do I start with the massive bags of fail?

It's been 4 days and neither Allstate nor Safeco have responded.

Foremost quoted for the FJR. No mention of the Zero.

State Farm refused to insure the Zero, saying they only do mass-produced bikes, not custom built.

GEICO (my current policy) says it'd be $424 to add the Zero, bringing my total to $854. That's all they say. No confirmation of the coverage or the bike information to be sure they got it right. Real professional.

Progressive gives me an interactive form that states the dollar cost of each line item. They have help buttons next to each item, explaining it. They list all the discounts I'm getting, such as ABS brakes and multiple vehicles. They have the electric thing under control, saying "enter 0cc for an electric scooter, or 1cc for any other electric vehicle". I can change the coverage and see how the premium changes, When I'm done, I can print a report listing the detailed driver, vehicle, and coverage information. I can save the quote for up to 60 days. They are pro and on top of the situation.

At the end of all that, it's only $437/year total for both bikes. That's cheaper than what I'm currently paying GEICO for just the FJR.

The uninsured motorist coverage is expensive, but I bought that because there's lots of assholes driving around here without insurance, despite it being the state law. I also got comprehensive to cover theft, since I've already had 3 bikes stolen. I also spent the extra $8 for disappearing deductible.
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: Cortezdtv on January 05, 2015, 06:40:37 AM
Glad I'm not the only one who did that with progressive
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: CrashCash on January 05, 2015, 06:42:51 AM
Quote from: ctrlburn on January 03, 2015, 09:33:26 PM
Progressive's initial rate is designed to be lower... I found that each renewal brings a rate increase just below what one's tolerance to cancel. I think they use demo-graphical modelling. I tolerated it for about 2 years.
Yes, Progressive did that to me, which is why I moved to GEICO. I might end up bouncing between Progressive and other companies at each renewal. At the moment, I'm back with them.
Title: Re: Insurance wont cover me, bike is too unique
Post by: MichaelJohn on January 08, 2015, 11:25:31 PM
Quote from: CrashCash on January 05, 2015, 06:27:42 AM

State Farm refused to insure the Zero, saying they only do mass-produced bikes, not custom
That's weird. State Farm insured my SR right away with no issues for about $300 per year with max coverage. They better have, with my business and family I have 9 vehicles with State Farm and I have been with them for years.