In Arizona there is uninsured motorist bodily injury available. It is optional insurance coverage:

• Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage. In Arizona, UM coverage can be purchased in any amount up to the limits of the bodily injury liability purchased, but not less than the amount of bodily injury coverage required.
• Underinsured Motorist (UIM) Coverage. UIM can be purchased in any amount up to the limits of the bodily injury coverage purchased. It can also be purchased in less than the amount of bodily injury coverage purchased.

Uninsured motorist coverage pays for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering caused by an uninsured driver, a hit and run driver or a miss-and-run driver. Underinsured motorist coverage increases your coverage for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering caused by a driver who does not have enough insurance to pay for these damages. These coverages protect you, your family who lives with you, and your passengers. In most cases, your bodily injury coverage does not give you this protection. These coverages also protect you and your family who live with you when riding in someone else's vehicle, walking, riding a bicycle, or sitting on a porch.

Uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverages do not pay for damage to your vehicle or other property. You may buy collision coverage to pay for damage to your vehicle caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver. Many drivers have no insurance or do not have enough insurance.

The best way to protect yourself from damages caused by drivers who do not have insurance or do not have enough insurance is to buy uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverages. You may buy uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverages in the same amounts or lower amounts as those you selected for your bodily injury liability coverage. You may not buy these coverages with limits lower than the minimum bodily injury limits required by law.

There are different ways to look at this, and I am sure that each carrier will look at it differently. The general rule is that the coverage follows the vehicle and not the individual. With that said, if you didn't have UIM on the motorcycle (and it is available) then you wouldn't be eligible for UIM coverage while on that vehicle. I know that doesn't sound fair, but there are other factors that go into the logic.

Recently Michigan changed to define a motorcycle as a motor vehicle. In a recent court of appeals decision it says that the policy language of the auto coverage may determine whether the coverage extends to the motorcycle. Prior to that change the coverage was excluded because a bike was not considered a motor vehicle.

A common question is if you didn't carry the insurance on the bike can you get benefits elsewhere? The standard answer is No in most states. The owner (or person with exclusive possession such as one leasing or buying on payments) cannot get benefits elsewhere if he or she did not carry the insurance on the bike BUT an operator or passenger who is not an owner can still get those benefits.

In your situation, an attorney would be more understanding of the legal requirements of your situation.

For motorcycle insurance you can follow this link or contact our partner Safeco at 1-800-936-0356.