Pleasanton, CA, is a great place to own a motorcycle. The entire state of California offers a lot to enjoy with the open road, but if you’re going to drive on California roads, you have to have insurance. To ensure you get the right coverage, Miao Insurance Services is here to explain how motorcycle coverage has much in common with car insurance.

Motorcycle Minimum Liability Requirements in California

The state of California spells out specific liability insurance requirements for motorcycle policies. If your insurance covers less than these requirements, you violate California regulations and can be penalized severely.

These are the minimum liability numbers:

• $15,000 for bodily injury per person
• $30,000 for bodily injury per accident
• $5,000 for property damage per accident.

Car Minimum Requirements

Car requirements in California look exactly the same. In fact, California legislation makes no distinction between motorcycles and other automobiles when laying out these requirements.

For clarity, here’s the minimum insurance you need when driving a car in California:

• $15,000 for bodily injury per person
• $30,000 for bodily injury per accident
• $5,000 for property damage per accident.

Why Are They the Same?

It’s easy to assume that you would need less liability since motorcycles are much smaller and carry fewer people. That’s not the case, and the reason is simple. Motorcycle accidents can and often do include cars in the event. That means ultimately, motorcycle-caused accidents are often still car accidents. So, the risks of injury and property damage are more or less the same, regardless of what type of vehicle you drive.

When it comes to personal protection, such as comprehensive vehicle coverage, motorcycles and cars start to look a lot different. To understand those distinctions, you can contact your Miao Insurance Services representative and see what kinds of savings you can get as a resident of Pleasanton, CA.