I.M. – I have been bike commuting and have been thinking… what if something happens while I am riding my bike? If I run into a car and damage it, get injured, someone hits me (by car or bike), who pays? Concerned in Cornelius
Concerned,
First, I would like to congratulate you for commuting by bike. The environment, your body, and I thank you. The only person who doesn’t appreciate it is big oil companies, but I think they will get over it. ;-)
I have had a lot of people asking about this and am glad to clarify. If you run into a car, person, or any other object and damage/injure it/them, you are responsible. If the damage/injury is severe and/or you are incapable of paying for it yourself, it would fall against your personal liability insurance. This coverage is automatically included in homeowners, renters, or condominium insurance. We recommend people have their personal liability set at a minimum of $300,000 and if your net worth exceeds that, it should be raised to match/exceed. Personal liability coverage extends around the world for anything you could be found personally liable (at fault) for while not operating a vehicle.
If injured and the accident is your fault, your personal medical insurance should cover any medical expenses. It is important to make sure your health insurance is set up well if you are often in risky situations such as bicycle commuting, rock climbing, aggressive sports, etc. A high deductible or co-pay could be detrimental in these situations.
If injured and the accident is someone else’s fault, they are responsible. If they are driving, their auto insurance should pay. If they are on a bike, they or their personal liability insurance are responsible.
A great resource and organization to support is the Bicycle Transportation Alliance. They are working for better safety regulations, more bicycle-friendly policies, more places to store bikes, and better bike routes. I am a member and invite you to become one as well. http://www.bta4bikes.org/
