I haven't heard back from ekho yet. After thinking about it, I really should have liability incase I run over somebody and some greedy lawyer sues the crap out of me. I got a lot to loose. For $30 a year, I decided to just insure it. I'll post an updated of what becomes of ekho when I get an update.
Greedy lawyers are always a possibility, but a more likely situation is a legitimate claim against us. I try not to ride recklessly, but anyone can have an accident (be that riding too fast, a mechanical failure, losing control due to terrain, a second of inattention, etc.
Coming around a trail corner too fast and hitting a stopped vehicle and causing property damage, hitting a pedestrian or bicyclist on a trail causing valid medical bills, going to pick up the bike after it tips over and grabbing a handful of electric throttle and the bike smashes into your buddy that was helping you, their vehicle/trailer at the trailhead, etc. All those seem more likely than getting falsely fleeced by a lawyer. To me, worth having coverage. I'd rather pay insurance and a deducible than be left holding the bag for a legitimate claim. I'd be even more happy to pay it and never need it.
The onroad stuff gets even more complicated. And insurance requirements have not kept up with vehicle costs/values. Even before the vehicle price hike of the last few years our State's minimum hadn't kept up. Now they are even further behind.
Minimums, in my State, for onroad vehicle liability insurance:
- Bodily Injury Liability: $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
- Property Damage Liability: $20,000 per accident
$20,000 property damage? That will barely cover a 12 year old, 150k mile pickup. Ha. A new "work truck" trim pickup is $50k and a mid-trim Ford or Chevy pickup is $70,000 and there are sooooo many $100k high trim level pickups, EVs, etc. driving around. There are too many people that have only the required $20k of coverage, hence why we all have to have "underinsured" coverage on our policies; because you can't count on the other person having reasonable insurance since most people will only get the minimum required. And, note that is per accident not per vehicle involved, meaning if they hit you and one other car, your share of $20k is only $10k. Four cars, and your share is $5k. That won't pay for the wheels and tires on most pickups. Ha. $10k won't cover replacing a rear bumper and quarter panels, or SUV lift gate from a 15mph fender bender.
And this works the other way, too. If I have only $20k of coverage and do $100k of damage and it was my fault, that person's insurance company, or they personally, can come after me for the rest. That would be devastating. It isn't that much more to get a reasonable policy rather than the minimum so I feel better doing that.
In my opinion, States should require a minimum of $50k property damage (and maybe more if vehicles costs keep going up). And the Bodily Injury Liability minimum needs to quadrupled to minimum of $100k. Heck, $25k is about the price tag for an ambulance ride to the emergency room, xrays and setting some broken bones. Forget any resulting/associated surgery, etc.
I think you went the best route by insuring it, especially considering the low cost. But Ekho/Stark still should figure out what triggered it. Why are they trying to re-invent title and registration? And how much are they charging, for a "convenience fee", above and beyond the actual costs? That should be itemized and made clear.
