What Happens to Uninsured Motorists in a Colorado Motorcycle Crash

Roughly one in eight Colorado drivers on the road right now has no auto insurance at all. That should be a reason for concern, since it means that the rider struck by another car that lacks car insurance has a pile of medical expenses to deal with but no insurance to pay. It’s a reminder, however, that this is a responsibility outside the road, and particularly as individuals are forming friendships and relationships and considering who to trust. 

The likelihood of a new potential dating relationship starting from chemistry and common interests ultimately turns into one of reliability when problems arise in the relationship. Colorado tried to fix this problem back in 2008 by making uninsured motorist coverage mandatory on every auto and motorcycle policy in the state, and here’s the surprising part: about a quarter of Colorado drivers still skip it anyway, even though it costs barely more than a tank of gas each year. This article walks you through exactly how uninsured motorist coverage works on a motorcycle, what it pays for, what it refuses to touch, and what your actual options look like the morning after a crash with a driver who has nothing.

Why Colorado Made Motorcycle UM Coverage Mandatory

Colorado lawmakers looked at the crash data and made a simple call. When a rider gets hit by someone with no insurance, the rider eats the cost of their own medical care, their own lost wages, and their own bike repairs. That didn’t seem quite right, so the state mandated that everyone have insurance coverage, including motorcyclists, for whenever you are involved in an accident and the person operating the bike doesn’t have insurance. One can sign a waiver to disclose otherwise, but this relies on the rider’s choosing to write it, which few riders ever do. If you’re cruising the open road or driving through the fast-paced world of motor racing, understanding how coverage works can make a difference when the unexpected happens. The result is a system that works like this: your own insurance company steps into the shoes of at-fault driver and pays your damages up to the limits you bought. 

Many policies list $100,000 as the maximum amount of uninsured motorist coverage for which your car insurance will cover your out-of-pocket expenses following an uninsured motorist crash. However, things take some twists in the case of motorcycles. Since riders are likely to limit their liability coverage to the same amount that they carry on their car insurance, you’re likely to get coverage on your bike that is less than what you would see on your car policy, if you had any at all. And, of course, here is the thing people forget: If you weren’t supposed to be riding under the law, you can’t ride with your UM coverage at best (and probably won’t). Without a motorcycle endorsement on your license, don’t even expect your insurance provider to cover your UM claim, especially since the vehicle may likely be excluded from coverage. It’s a Colorado rule that can surprise quite a few riders.

What Uninsured Motorist Coverage Pays For on a Motorcycle

Your UM policy splits into two buckets, and you need to know the difference before you need it. YOUR first car insurance and medical expenses will mostly come from uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage, which will cover your medical needs, your lost income if you are disabled, your physical therapy, and your hospital stay! The second is uninsured motorist property damage, which would cover repairs or replacement of your motorcycle in case of an accident with someone driving without car insurance. 

Colorado has a property damage coverage minimum of only $3,000.The minimum for property damage coverage in Colorado is not even sufficient to replace a good used bike. Riders who believe that they are “fully protected” find this out the hard way. For this reason, it is crucial you view your declaration page as soon as possible to determine the value you were and actually have, since many times the difference is even if a bike is being repaired or totaled.

• Medical bills and hospital care after a crash
• Lost wages during your recovery period
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation costs
• Pain and suffering damages, but only up to your policy limit
• Repair or replacement of your motorcycle, capped at your UM property damage limit

Your UM bodily injury coverage typically maxes out around $100,000 on a standard motorcycle policy, and while that sounds decent, a single motorcycle crash with a serious leg injury can blow through that number in one surgery. The Colorado Department of Transportation reported in 2023 that motorcycle riders account for nearly 20% of all traffic fatalities in the state despite representing only 3% of registered vehicles, which tells you the injury severity in these crashes runs high.

The Hit-and-Run Loophole and How It Works on Two Wheels

Here’s a scenario you might not have considered. You are on I-25, and a vehicle runs you down; you get down off, and the car drives off. There’s no plate number, and no police ever catch the driver, and you’re in the ER with a broken collarbone and no one to file a lawsuit against. That’s also covered under your UM, since Colorado considers hit-and-run crashes equal to crashes with uninsured drivers. Your claim is settled via the same process as a claim with no insurance from the phantom driver. However, there is one thing that many people tend to fall into, and that is.. Your insurance company has to notify the police of the hit-and-run case within a reasonable time and fully participate in the investigation. Give your insurance company 3 days, and you could be sued for failing to follow the conditions of the policy.

They can deny your claim entirely on that basis. The clock starts at the crash, not when you get out of surgery. One thing worth knowing: your motorcycle UM coverage also protects you as a passenger on someone else’s bike. If you’re riding on the back of a friend’s motorcycle and an uninsured driver hits you, your own UM policy kicks in before your friend’s does. That’s a quirk of Colorado law that most riders never learn until they need it. It’s also important for those in new relationships to understand the rule of thumb first before you need to depend on them in a challenging scenario. A ride with a friend or a new dating partner that has a real connection can often be believed casual, but knowing the working details of the situation will stop an already tense scenario from becoming more difficult.

Comparing UM Coverage Limits on Motorcycle Policies

Let’s be honest about the numbers, because the limits you choose determine everything about your recovery. Here’s a real comparison of what typical Colorado motorcycle uninsured motorist coverage policies look like and what they actually buy you:

The cost difference between the minimum and the high tier is about $75 a year, which is less than you’d spend on a single tank of premium fuel each month. Yet the payout difference is life-changing. A single crash with a femur fracture and a week in the hospital runs well over $75,000 in Colorado, so the minimum coverage leaves you roughly $50,000 short on your own medical bill. Riders who carry high UM limits also get something else: leverage. Your own insurance company will have resources to report on if it’s a big payout they’re worried about and engage serious adjusters to your case, and they can investigate the assets and insurance coverage of the at-fault driver. That investigation can yield coverage information you don’t know about.

Why a Motorcycle Lawyer Changes the UM Negotiation

Your own insurance company is not your friend after a crash, and I say that with full respect for the honest adjusters out there. Your UM claim is a negotiation between you and a company whose incentive is to pay you as little as possible. They have lawyers, they have medical experts, and they process thousands of claims a year. You’re negotiating against a professional while you’re on painkillers and missing work. That’s where a motorcycle accident lawyer denver earns their fee. A lawyer who deals with these types of claims regularly will understand how insurance companies attempt to cheapen your UM claim, such as delaying in answering, contesting medical necessity, or tackling comparative fault. 

Colorado applies a “modified” comparative negligence standard that decreases your recovery by whatever percentage you are liable for, and insurance providers often attempt to argue any increase in fault possible to make your settlement liability go down. The action is as follows. An attorney that you hire for a UM claim charges a fee as part of your UM settlement, not as an up-front fee. The majority of personal injury attorneys here in Colorado will get a portion of your settlement, typically about a third. If your case settles for $90,000, your attorney takes roughly $30,000, and you keep $60,000. If you do not hire a Lawyer, your insurance company may give you $35,000 and say, “Here’s a lot of money. If you do not retain a Lawyer, your Insurance Company may give you $35,000 and say, “Here’s some money, buddy!

What to Do in the First 48 Hours After a Crash With an Uninsured Driver

Your actions after an accident in the first two days after the crash determine the trajectory of your entire claim. Do these in order, and document everything.

1. Call the police and get a written report: Tell the officer the other driver has no insurance. This creates an official record your insurer will rely on.
2. Seek medical care right away: Even if you don’t notice any symptoms, get checked by a medical professional as soon as possible. The effects of adrenaline can temporarily hide injuries, while waiting too long may allow the insurance company to question whether your injuries were actually caused by the accident.
3. Notify your own insurer in writing within 24 hours: Use email so you have a timestamped record. Mention UM coverage explicitly.
4. Photograph everything: Your bike, your gear, your injuries, the crash scene. Photos taken at the scene carry far more weight than descriptions you write a week later.
5. Do not sign anything from the other driver’s insurer: That company represents the at-fault driver, not you, and any statement you give them can be used against your claim.

One more piece of advice that costs you nothing: read your policy’s UM section tonight. Look for the phrase “uninsured motorist” and check your limits. If you see $25,000, you are dangerously underinsured for a motorcycle crash. A quick call to your agent can bump that number up before your next ride, and it will cost you less than a round of drinks.

The Checkpoint You Cannot Skip Before You Ride

Uninsured motorist coverage exists because Colorado riders share the road with drivers who carry nothing. The data back this up. The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America noted in their 2022 market research that roughly 12% of Colorado motorists operate without insurance, a figure that puts the state in the top quarter nationally for uninsured drivers. Your UM policy is the only thing standing between you and financial ruin after a crash with one of those drivers. Pull out your policy declarations page right now and check three numbers: your UM bodily injury limit per person, your per-accident limit, and your property damage limit. If any of those numbers sit at the state minimum, you have a decision to make, and it’s a cheap one. The difference between minimum and solid coverage is about the price of a pair of riding gloves.

And if the worst happens this season, remember the order of operations: report the crash, get checked out, notify your insurer in writing, and talk to a lawyer who handles motorcycle UM claims before you accept anything. Resources such as the driver’s report can also offer useful context on driving risks and safety, but your insurer’s first offer is the opening bid in a negotiation, not the final word. Know your numbers, know your rights, and ride ready. The same mindset can be useful when navigating a new relationship: clear communication, healthy boundaries, and knowing what you’re comfortable accepting can save you from agreeing to something before you’ve had time to think it through.