Electric scooters and bikes are popping up all over cities across the country. They have been popular in Europe for years. We are at the beginning of this new form of personal transportation, which creates a few questions regarding risk, liability, and insurance coverage.
How Can You Secure Insurance Coverage That Includes Physical Damage And Personal Liability For An Owned E-Bike Or E-Scooter?
Personal liability from homeowners or renter’s policy is unlikely to cover the use of an e-bike because of the exclusion for motor vehicles. A motorcycle policy covering an owned motorcycle or scooter might extend liability to a non-owned e-scooter. In most cases you do not have any insurance coverage unless owned and properly insured.
Are You Covered If You Rent An E-Scooter Or E-Bike?
Most cities don’t have regulations or rules because they don’t qualify as a motor vehicle. Some cities require a driver’s license and helmet, but these are mostly on the honor system. Users can rent the scooter then leave it anywhere they want (in your front yard or in front of your business).
Insurance companies are busy trying to figure out who is liable in the event a scooter injured someone. What if the scooter rider injures someone while on the job, will the injuries be covered under workers’ compensation and any liability be the responsibility of the employer insurer? Business insurance policies may not address scooters specifically. Depending on the circumstances, some electric scooter-related injuries may be covered while others may not.
Many scooter companies have strict waivers that are included in the rental agreement limiting any liability to the rental companies. One company offers a $1,000,000 liability policy, but all claims would be subject to extensive investigations.
Most legal experts agree that rider will bear the legal liability arising from accidents because of the terms to which the rider agrees to when downloading the app. The laws, the courts, and the insurance industry are often slow to respond to new technology, and this may be the case with electric scooters. Relatively few laws specific to e-scooters have been passed.
Final Thoughts
Any insurance solutions will most likely be using an auto type of coverage and there are likely territorial limitations imbedded in the policy, therefore traveling abroad and renting these in different urban areas may leave a coverage gap in those specialty policies.
There are a few carriers that offer specialty type electric scooter insurance for these types of devices. The cost varies depending on usage. We recommend you contact your insurance agent to discuss if your personal insurance provides any coverage or if you need to add coverage to your program.
Are Electric Scooters Covered Under My Insurance Policy?
/in Agent, Business insurance, ClaimsHow Can You Secure Insurance Coverage That Includes Physical Damage And Personal Liability For An Owned E-Bike Or E-Scooter?
Personal liability from homeowners or renter’s policy is unlikely to cover the use of an e-bike because of the exclusion for motor vehicles. A motorcycle policy covering an owned motorcycle or scooter might extend liability to a non-owned e-scooter. In most cases you do not have any insurance coverage unless owned and properly insured.
Are You Covered If You Rent An E-Scooter Or E-Bike?
Most cities don’t have regulations or rules because they don’t qualify as a motor vehicle. Some cities require a driver’s license and helmet, but these are mostly on the honor system. Users can rent the scooter then leave it anywhere they want (in your front yard or in front of your business).
Insurance companies are busy trying to figure out who is liable in the event a scooter injured someone. What if the scooter rider injures someone while on the job, will the injuries be covered under workers’ compensation and any liability be the responsibility of the employer insurer? Business insurance policies may not address scooters specifically. Depending on the circumstances, some electric scooter-related injuries may be covered while others may not.
Many scooter companies have strict waivers that are included in the rental agreement limiting any liability to the rental companies. One company offers a $1,000,000 liability policy, but all claims would be subject to extensive investigations.
Most legal experts agree that rider will bear the legal liability arising from accidents because of the terms to which the rider agrees to when downloading the app. The laws, the courts, and the insurance industry are often slow to respond to new technology, and this may be the case with electric scooters. Relatively few laws specific to e-scooters have been passed.
Final Thoughts
Any insurance solutions will most likely be using an auto type of coverage and there are likely territorial limitations imbedded in the policy, therefore traveling abroad and renting these in different urban areas may leave a coverage gap in those specialty policies.
There are a few carriers that offer specialty type electric scooter insurance for these types of devices. The cost varies depending on usage. We recommend you contact your insurance agent to discuss if your personal insurance provides any coverage or if you need to add coverage to your program.
Ask Perk Reichley
/in Agent, Business insurance, Customer Service, Insurance, RelationshipsAre there unique kinds of insurance I might need?
It is our hope and desire that you never need to make a claim, but if you do, you want the best possible combination of coverage, price, and service. Here are some added coverages you might want to consider.
How often should I review my personal insurance program?
We recommend an annual review of all your personal insurance needs. This might be a call or face-to-face meeting, depending on your needs.
If you have made some life changes, we always recommend a review at that time. Some life changes that will affect your personal insurance include:
Should I ever consider increasing my deductibles?
Changing your deductibles on your auto or home insurance depends on your risk appetite. It is true that increasing deductibles will save you money, but there are other factors that you might also consider.
House prices have been skyrocketing in my neighborhood lately. Should I increase my limits?
A hot real estate market doesn’t actually impact your home rebuild cost or replacement cost. That number is based on the raw materials and labor it would take to rebuild it with like kind and quality.
What Keeps You Up AT Night?
/in Agent, Customer Service, Insurance, RelationshipsHere is how we help you sleep at night
According to an Insurance Journal article, here are the top issues that keep people up.
We can provide valuable information regarding each of these so that you can make the right decision for you and your family. We hope you noticed that we don’t just offer a quick insurance product. That is because we will only offer you an insurance solution after we fully understand your needs.
Connect with us and let us show you how we do it
Over the last sixty years, we have established a reputation for honesty, high morals, integrity and friendly, professional customer service – pillars of a successful insurance agency. Based upon this foundation, the staff of Reichley Insurance Agency commits to the following mission.
Why We Stopped Selling Insurance and Started Educating our Clients
/in Agent, Business insurance, COVID 19, Insurance, RelationshipsHere is what we like to do before we even say the word insurance. We ask questions to understand your needs better. We share our knowledge about your risks, and we help identify the individual risks you face and start the process of putting together a plan to protect you with a combination of insurance, risk transfer and avoidance techniques.
Our clients routinely tell us that “this is the first time someone took the time to explain this to them”. They feel empowered to control and have ownership of their insurance program.
Building a business populated by satisfied, repeat customers is our goal. This benefits both parties and offers us the opportunity to invest our knowledge and expertise while sharing the relationships we have with community vendors and insurance carriers to benefit our customers. This feels more successful that hitting a sales goal each year.
As we continue to monitor the safety needs of our staff and clients, our agency will continue to operate as we have since the start of the COVID-19 Quarantines and work electronically in service to our clients. Walk-in traffic from clients and prospects will continue to be suspended. We will remain open and all aspects of our agency operations are available including a drop box at the office for payments and documents.
Communicate with our staff via electronic methods; Telephone, email, text are still available (PDF) and our technology to conduct business transactions electronically has been expanded to include video meetings as an option to face to face. While this lacks the personal touch we are known for as well as the communication style we prefer, these changes are necessary during this time of protecting one another for the near future. We appreciate your understanding and loyalty to our agency.
What Does Your Agent Talk To You About?
/in Agent, Business insurance, Customer Service, InsuranceWe are here to provide a different approach. We recommend talking to your agent at least once a year and even more if needed. Communication is the key to all good relationships. We will reach out to you and talk to you about the following.
These are just some examples of what our conversations might look like. Of course, we also start with a good day it is great to connect, and end with thank you for your business, we value our relationship and love serving you.
Your Policy Is Only As Good As Your Agent
/in Agent, Claims, Customer ServiceThe best way to ensure you are getting the best advice and value is to have a trusted relationship with an experienced agent. Like any relationship, communication is the key. A good agent will listen to the customer and offer risk and insurance solutions. There are times when insurance is not the best solution. Again, here are examples:
Only an agent who is interested in your best interests would offer you options that included no insurance. Rather than using any agent to get you an insurance quote, select a qualified independent agent who will collaborate with you and design a risk management program that meets your needs.
We Can Help You Build A Bridge
/in COVID 19, Customer ServiceMost people have some gaps in their personal insurance coverage. We do our best to help our clients understand where these are and provide solutions so that these gaps don’t exist. Having an independent agent help, you find the right kind of personal insurance for you can go a long way in providing you with peace of mind.
Personal insurance is complex, and we are here to help you understand the complex, so you have made an informed and educated decision.
What are Insurance gaps?
Insurance gaps can be areas where you thought there was coverage, but in reality, there is not. It may be that the coverage is not available or is too expensive or you just did not know about it. Gaps can occur if you have more than one agent handling your personal insurance. Between your home, auto, RV or personal umbrella there might be times when one agent thought the other was taking care of the issue. Insurance gaps can include:
These are just a few of the personal insurance issues that can create real problems for you. Call our office for a free review.
While the massive national agencies spend millions on television ads and offer barebones policies, they do not know you. When your needs change or your situation complicates, you don’t want an automated phone tree or cold cyber-agent. You want to talk to compassionate, honest insurance experts – that’s our team. You shouldn’t have to spend hours researching and comparing policies. Let the specialists at Reichley guide you through the complex insurance industry.
Call today to alleviate the worry and get covered – (937) 429-0655.
The New Normal for Insurance Buyers
/in Agent, Business insurance, Customer Service, Insurance, RelationshipsBeyond Insurance… Risk Strategies
Someone once said, “The only thing you can count on is change.” When it comes to insurance buying, that is unmistakably true. Today, people have more ways than ever to secure insurance coverage. However, are they getting the coverage they need? Another true statement is, “The more you have, the more significant risks you have.”
The combination of change and risk leads us to the understanding that people should be seeking an insurance partner who understands their changing needs in a risky world, rather than being able to secure a low-cost insurance program. People who have a higher net worth should be primarily focused on protecting assets.
If a lawsuit threatens the lifestyle you have created, you want a partner to stand beside you. You need personal liability insurance options to safeguard your family and assets in the event of personal claims against you at limits that exceed the liability protections provided by standard policies.
Many individuals have unique risks which can include:
You need an insurance partner who can help develop a risk and insurance plan that will manage your risk at a competitive cost. It’s not business as usual any longer.
When Searching for an Insurance Partner, Ask These Questions:
Protecting your lifestyle goes way beyond insuring your car or home. Proper insurance has to do with understanding the risks associated with your life and creating a plan to safeguard you and your family’s future. Our society’s way of managing COVID-19 has forever changed the way we work, play, travel, gather information and gather supplies for our daily lives. Many of these changes are just new ways of doing things, however many can create new risks that your current policies do not address completely. Do any of these sound like your new normal?
All these issues and others create a need for a conversation with your agent. Policies are changing to accommodate some needs on a temporary basis while other do not. The best risk management program is a combination of a strong relationship with a well-educated agency that can place and maintain your coverage with excellent insurers at a competitive price. It’s not just getting a few of the above items, it’s about achieving the right balance to get all parts working for you and your family.
“Insurance is not a product, it’s a promise and a trusted relationship”, Perk Reichley.
Why We Stopped Selling Insurance and Started Educating our Clients
/in Agent, Business insurance, Customer Service, Insurance, RelationshipsHere is what we like to do before we even say the word insurance. We ask questions to understand your needs better. We share our knowledge about your risks, and we help identify the individual risks you face and start the process of putting together a plan to protect you with a combination of insurance, risk transfer and avoidance techniques.
Our clients routinely tell us that “this is the first time someone took the time to explain this to them”. They feel empowered to control and have ownership of their insurance program.
Building a business populated by satisfied, repeat customers is our goal. This benefits both parties and offers us the opportunity to invest our knowledge and expertise while sharing the relationships we have with community vendors and insurance carriers to benefit our customers. This feels more successful that hitting a sales goal each year.
Insurance is not a product. It is a promise and a trusted relationship. Here at Reichley Insurance Agency, we are not going to sell you something you don’t need. We want to talk to you, determine your needs, and get you covered at the right price.
While the massive national agencies spend millions on television ads and offer barebones policies, they do not know you. When your needs change or your situation complicates, you don’t want an automated phone tree or cold cyber-agent. You want to talk to compassionate, honest insurance experts – that’s our team. You shouldn’t have to spend hours researching and comparing policies. Let the specialists at Reichley guide you through the complex insurance industry.
Call today to alleviate the worry and get covered – (937) 429-0655.
COVID-19 and the New Cyber Challenges
/in Insurance, RelationshipsThe CIOVID-19 pandemic has affected the way we do business in a very significant way. Many businesses are requiring people to work remotely. Employers are finding that having employees work remotely may be the new normal.
COVID-19 has forced us to become more dependent on the internet, as desperate measures, like social distancing, disrupt economic activity and everyday life.
This new way of doing business could mean that employees are collecting client information from home or other places that may not have the same cyber security as an office network. In some instances, employees who are working remotely are forced to use their home computers because they do not have a company laptop.
Top Work-from-Home Cyber Concerns
What Can Employers Do to Reduce the Threat?
Over the last sixty years, we have established a reputation for honesty, high morals, integrity and friendly, professional customer service – pillars of a successful insurance agency. Based upon this foundation, the staff of Reichley Insurance Agency commits to the following mission: