09/10/09... Government announce big bang for biker claims

On the 22nd September the Government announced new legislation which will have a major impact on claims brought by injured bikers. Bikers injured in accidents have historically been faced with a long-winded, lengthy legal process which can sometimes take years.

From April 2010 Insurers will have to deal with any claim brought by a biker within 15 working days of receiving the claim. They have only 15 days to admit or deny liability rather than being allowed to drag the issue of fault out for months, if not years.

Insurers also only have 15 days to make an offer of settlement after receiving the Medical Report and disputed claims can now be dealt with by Judges on paper rather than bikers having to go through the ordeal of giving evidence at Court.

The new rules only apply to cases worth less than £10,000.00 but will mean that the claims can be dealt with much more quickly than is currently the case.

BikerResolve have already put systems in place to comply with the new streamlined process to ensure that bikers recover the compensation they deserve as quickly and simply as possible and at no cost to them.

For more information, contact Becky on becky@bikerresolve.com or call 0116 257 4474.

New motorcycling guide launched by IAM

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has launched a new motorcycling guide aimed at providing definite advice on defensive riding.

How to be a better rider will form the backbone of IAM’s advanced riding course and test preparation. It deals with tricky riding areas, filtering, positioning and revised steering techniques.

It is hoped the manual will be of practical use to all rides, whether relatively new or with many years experience.

IAM directly influences the driving and riding of more than 100,000 members in the UK and is best known for the advanced driving test and advanced driving courses, available to car, motorcycle and commercial licence holders.

For more information, contact Becky on becky@bikerresolve.com or call 0116 257 4474.

Are airbag jackets the safer option?

We all know that safety has to come first when riding a motorcycle, so we all accept that biker boots, gloves and helmets are a must. Now, how about wearing an airbag jacket?

New cars are fitted with airbags but it would not work fitting a motorcycle with an airbag. Now a new innovation incorporates airbag technology inside the rider’s jacket so that if they are thrown from a motorcycle, airbags in the jacket inflate.

Unfortunately the jackets are still expensive. One version is attached to the bike by a lead and if the rider falls off, it triggers a small gas canister that inflates the jacket in less than 0.25 seconds. Sadly, the gas canisters will need replacing if they run out, so this cost would be in addition to the initial cost of the jacket.

The Department of Transport has confirmed that they do not currently intend to make these jackets law. But it confirmed it would welcome any idea which helps to improve road safety.

For more information, contact Becky on becky@bikerresolve.com or call 0116 257 4474.

Riders lose motorcycle entitlement

If you have recently sent your licence to the DVLA for your details to be updated, have you checked all your categories are still there?

We are urging all licence holders to double-check their licence when it is returned to them. This is because there has been a lot of recent coverage regarding licence holders who have returned documents to DVLA for personal information to be updated only to find the motorcycle category has been missed off when their licence is returned to them. As a result, anyone who did not check their licence when it was returned to them, may be riding illegally if there is no entitlement on their licence allowing them to ride.

Sadly, despite complaining to the DVLA, some riders have been told that the authority has no record of them passing their bike test and some riders have had to re-take their motorcycle test in order to obtain their motorcycle entitlement again.

So, we urge you to check your licence as soon as possible to ensure your entitlements are correct. If you have any missing, contact DVLA or us immediately.

You also need to check the expiry date of your licence, if you have a modern credit-card style licence. All new licences have an expiry date under section 4b on the front of your licence. When it expires there is no obligation to re-take your tests, but you do need to re-apply to the DVLA for a new licence. Some licences have already expired, but owners may not be aware, so double-check yours urgently - otherwise you could find you are riding around illegally.

For more information, contact Becky on becky@bikerresolve.com or call 0116 257 4474.

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