How-To Guide for Buying Michigan Snowmobile Insurance Online

​ Going online to buy Michigan snowmobile insurance is pretty easy to do.  The problem is that snowmobile insurance is similar to snowflakes, in that no two policies are alike.  Snowmobile insurance policies are not standardized the way other types of insurance (such as auto insurance) are.  As a result, there are some very good Snowmobile Insurance policies and there are some lousy ones!  This article will help you better understand the differences between a good and bad policy.  You’ll also learn where to shop and where not to shop online for Snowmobile Insurance coverage.  Looking in the right places makes it much easier for you to find the lowest rate for the coverage you need.


Here are the key things you need to know about buying Snowmobile Insurance online:




Exclusive standalone policies vs. policies attached to a homeowners policy.


     While there are some exceptions, an exclusive standalone snowmobile Insurance policy is usually much better than snowmobile insurance that is attached to a homeowners policy.  An exclusive snowmobile Insurance policy tends to have less restrictions, more coverage options, and higher coverage limits than what an attached snowmobile insurance policy does. So if you already have snowmobile coverage attached to your homeowners policy, you might want to look it over closely, and see how it compares to all that is mentioned below. You might be very surprised by the lack of coverage you have. What’s more aggravating is that there is usually little to no difference in premium between an exclusive and an attached policy.






Avoid policies that have unreasonable coverage restrictions.


This is where those lousy policies that I mentioned earlier come in…. While no personal snowmobile policy will cover you racing, renting your snowmobile to others, or using the snowmobile for business/commercial purposes, all other uses should be covered. But some lousy policies go beyond and place restrictions that are silly. Examples include not being covered off of your property, not covering your sled for recreational purposes (seriously?), or not covering your sled in another area outside of your zip code…. There are not many companies with terms that asinine, but there are a few…. So stay clear of those!




Avoid policies that don’t offer any type of medical coverage.


A good snowmobile insurance policy should offer both Medical coverage and Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury coverage. But many snowmobile insurance policies offer neither. Sled accidents don’t happen often, but when they do, serious injuries often happen. I know Michigan residents get hammered with the medical coverage required for auto insurance. But the cost for medical coverage on a snowmobile is much more reasonable and affordable. The same goes for Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury coverage too.




Optional coverages that a good snowmobile insurance policy should offer:

• Total Loss Coverage – This only applies to brand new sleds and sleds that are nearly brand new. Total Loss Coverage is a must have for a new sleds! New sleds are like new cars, in that they both depreciate very quickly. Total Loss Coverage helps prevent you from being underwater on a loan in case your sled gets totaled. If your sled is new enough to qualify for Total Loss Coverage, take it!

• Accessory Coverage – Any add-ons that you attach to your sled can be covered in addition to the sled itself…. A good snowmobile insurance policy will offer this coverage for free (if you have Comprehensive and Collision coverage) up to a certain amount… And they will also offer higher levels of accessory coverage for very little cost if you need more.

• Trailer Coverage – Two thirds of all sled owners use a trailer to haul their sled…. Why not insure the sled as well? Coverage for this is usually fairly cheap and well worth it.

• Coverage while sledding in Canada – Many sledders go north of the border to ride their sled on vacation getaways…. If this applies to you, check that your policy covers you while sledding in Canada. Not all policies do.

While not all of these add-ons will apply or be important to you, they are important to many sledders that don’t know such coverage exists. And for those who could use any of these above coverages, you'll be surprised to learn how little extra it costs.

Always inquire about higher levels of coverage.


Once you’ve zoomed in on a snowmobile insurance policy that you’re about ready to buy, be sure to inquire about higher levels of coverage beforehand. You will sometimes find some great low hanging fruit! Don’t make the mistake of getting into the auto insurance mind set when considering levels of coverage. Snowmobile insurance is priced much cheaper than auto insurance (as is any other type of off-road vehicle)… It never hurts to ask “How much more would it cost for the next higher level of ______?”. That blank can be one of several things, depending on which coverages are more important to you. But they include:

• Next higher level of Liability coverage.

 

• Next higher level of Medical Payments/Benefits coverage *.

 

• Next higher level of Uninsured Motorist coverage.

 

• Next lower deductible on Comprehensive coverage.

 

• Next lower deductible on Collision coverage.

The above are the five basic coverages of a snowmobile insurance policy. I would almost bet that you will find at least one of those five components will only cost you peanuts to upgrade to the next better level.


* Quick note about medical payments/benefits coverage: While Michigan law requires auto insurance policies to have unlimited lifetime medical benefits coverage, that does not apply to snowmobile insurance policies. Medical coverage on snowmobile insurance is optional (if it’s offered at all). You get to choose your level of coverage, and it costs much less. Don’t be afraid to look into it.




Best place to shop online for snowmobile insurance coverage.


Your best bet is to find an independent agent that sells snowmobile insurance. That way, you can get prices from multiple companies at once. This way is more time efficient than having to quote one company at a time. The companies that an independent agent carries tend to be most of the better companies as far as coverage and price for snowmobiles.


Summary:


As long as you’re making sure you’re following four steps, you can’t go wrong buying snowmobile insurance online:
 1. Making sure you do not have a lousy policy.
 2. Make sure you're being offered additional coverages that are important to you.
 3. Shopping online at the right places (not shopping one company at a time).
 4. Inquiring on higher levels of coverage before closing the buy.


 Happy Sledding! Be safe!


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​Video: Basics of a Snowmobile Insurance Policy