When shopping for motorcycle insurance, you have to pay close attention to the details. And when it comes to details, accessory coverage, and what’s considered an accessory, varies greatly from insurer to insurer.

As I looked into quotes at Progressive, I found a note in their accessory coverage that noted sidecars might be considered an accessory. However, overall the accessory coverage noted that accessories were considered non-factory items, or in other words, the stuff you add on after you get your motorcycle, and not what the factory put on during their manufacturing process.

But which applied to the Ural’s sidecar? Was it an accessory, or did it fall under the “manufacturer installed”?

To my mind, the natural answer was manufacturer-installed – for a Ural the sidecar isn’t an accessory, it’s a factory-installed part of the motorcycle. That’s just common sense, but of course, no one has ever accused insurers of letting common sense get in their way.

I called Progressive and double-checked these details with them. It was very simple, and surprisingly easy:

“The sidecar’s put on at the factory,” they said. “So it’s not an accessory and the accessory coverage doesn’t apply to it. It’s just part of the motorcycle, so it’s under the standard coverage. If it was an aftermarket sidecar, then it would be different. But it’s not.”

There you go. The things to remember:

• Always, always, always double-check with your insurer
• A factory-installed sidecar should not be considered an accessory – it’s as much a part of the manufactured motorcycle as the engine or the gas tank
• Aftermarket sidecars are a different kettle of fish, and you’ll need to read the fine print on accessory coverage to help you understand what’s covered, what isn’t covered, and how much coverage you need

And make your first call to Progressive. As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been very happy with their motorcycle coverage, especially given that Ural is not as well-known of a brand.