Unfortunately, accidents happen. And when they do you can rely on an experienced claims examiner to guide you through the process and help get you back on the road as soon as possible.

Carry a copy of our claims information guide with you when you ride in case of an emergency.

If you're in an accident

  • Make sure everyone involved in the accident is okay and move vehicles off the roadway if possible.
  • Call the police.
  • Exchange information with all other drivers involved (name, address, phone number, vehicle information, license plate number, insurance company, and policy number).
  • Obtain contact information from any witnesses who saw the accident.
  • Take photos of all vehicles involved in the accident and the accident scene.
  • If your vehicle is inoperable, avoid further damage by having it towed to your home or a repair shop.
  • Report the accident to our claims department immediately.
Tips:
  • Don't reveal information about your insurance coverage other than the name of the company to anyone.
  • Don't admit responsibility for the accident or injury.
  • Don't discuss the accident with anyone other than Markel Specialty associates or law enforcement officials.
  • Don't give copies of documents to anyone other than Markel Specialty associates or authorized representatives.

How to file a claim

Report your claim immediately using one of our 24-hour claims service options:

To expedite the process, please provide the following information when submitting a new claim:

  • Policy number
  • Insured and claimant names and contact information
  • Year, make, and model of the insured vehicle involved in the accident
  • Description of the accident, including date, time, and location
  • Current location of your vehicle
  • All accident related documentation (police reports, photos, statement, bills, receipts, etc.)

Tip: Reference your policy number or claim number on each document.

What to expect during the claim process

  • A Markel Specialty claims examiner will contact you shortly after receiving your claim. If your claim is reported after hours or on a holiday, you will be contacted on the following business day.
  • Your claims examiner will explain applicable coverage(s), any applicable deductible(s), and the claim process.
  • We will then investigate the details of your loss and request necessary documentation in support of your claim. That documentation might include a repair estimate, photographs, police report, statement of loss, or receipts.

How we pay claims

If you decide to purchase comprehensive or collision coverage, you will also need to determine the type of settlement, or how the value of your motorcycle will be determined, should you have to file a claim. In most cases, your options for settlement type will be dictated by the age or other factors related to your motorcycle. There may be three settlement types available for your motorcycle:

Actual cash value
This is the most common settlement type. Depreciation and the market value of your motorcycle will be taken into account at the time of the loss when determining what your payment will be following a claim.

Please keep in mind that the amount of accessory coverage you purchase may affect the claim settlement. Remember, even if you haven’t added any accessories, your dealership or a previous owner might have. Anything that is different from the stock unit, as produced by the manufacturer, is considered an accessory and should be included in your accessory value in order to be covered.

Replacement cost settlement
This settlement type is for newer bikes, usually up to three model years old. If you have purchased the replacement cost settlement coverage and have a total loss, we will pay the cost of a new motorcycle that is the same as the insured unit or to the closest extent possible—with no deduction for depreciation.

Agreed value settlement
This settlement type is usually used for collector, classic, custom, or highly accessorized motorcycles. With our agreed value settlement option, we essentially “lock in” the value of your motorcycle at an agreed-upon price at the beginning of the policy term (with the exception of depreciation to tires, batteries, and engine parts).

If the worst happens and you’re facing a total loss, we’ll pay you the agreed-upon value if we can’t replace your motorcycle with one of equal quality, make, and model.

An appraisal and photographs must be forwarded to us for review before this coverage will be added to a new or existing policy.