Motorcycle owners see their motorcycles among their most prized possessions. Lots of passion, love (and expense!) goes into the investment of owning a bike. Motorcycles also present a number of dangers that are less apparent when you’re inside a car. For these two reasons alone your motorcycle should be insured to cover your investment, as well as protect yourself and others in the event of an accident.
If you are filled with joy at the sight of a good ‘bike’, better still if you are on one, you’ll appreciate a solid motorcycle insurance policy even more. Liability coverage will cover damage to another person if you are involved in an accident and property damage will cover any damage to your ride. Carrying motorcycle insurance is simply a necessity, not an option.
What Are the Benefits of Motorcycle Insurance?
With motorcycles becoming more and more popular as a means of transport, it is important to get the right insurance policy for you and your motorcycle. To meet the minimum legal state requirements a basic liability insurance will work, but you might want to consider the benefits of covering more than just the minimum.
Such as:
Underinsured/Uninsured Coverage. What happens if you are involved in an accident where the other party is not fully insured? Luckily, there is an insurance policy that includes underinsured coverage and this will help pay for any damages to your motorcycle and, more importantly, cover medical expenses for any injuries that you may have incurred.
Liability, Bodily Injury and Property Damage. Let’s face it – accidents can, and do, happen even to the most careful drivers. Accidents involving motorcycles can result in costly property damage and bodily injury claims. If you don’t have the right insurance and have only insured yourself for the minimum amount you might find yourself with a staggeringly high bill at the end of the claim. Liability motorcycle insurance will keep you covered even when you are at fault!
Comprehensive and Collision Coverage. This coverage will pay for repairs (due to damage or vandalism) and/or replacement to your motorcycle if it gets stolen. You can adjust the premium costs by changing the deductible amount for this cover and maintain peace of mind.
What Factors Influence Your Motorcycle Insurance Rates?
Just like auto insurance, motorcycle insurance rates depend on many factors, some of which are similar to car insurance (location, make of motorcycle, driver safety) but there are also some differences.
Make and Model of Your Motorcycle – if you are commuting around the city on a small bike then most likely your insurance will be less than that of a high-performance, big-engine bike. When it comes to motorcycle insurance – engine size does matter as they are seen to have a greater risk for accidents.
Where You Live – like cars, motorcycle insurance rates are influenced greatly by location. If you live in a populated area (seen as a great risk for accidents) with a high rate of crime this will most definitely be reflected in your insurance premiums.
Your Age – Your age is a factor which will affect your motorcycle insurance quote. It is statistically proven that younger riders are more likely to be involved in accidents, however, don’t be disheartened because the quality and experience of your driving, seen with driver and claims history, will play a part too.
It is important to speak to the experts when shopping around for cheap motorcycle insurance as there are many types of discounts for example:
If you insure more than one bike
Bundling or multi-policy insurance – having more than one policy with the same insurer
Mature riders – having lots of rider miles behind you
Do a safe driver course (with a recognized association)
Stick with the same insurance company for years
What Happens to My Insurance if I Modify My Motorcycle?
If you customize or modify your new motorcycle, it is crucial to declare this to your insurance provider. Even small changes you make to a bike are classified as modifications and can influence your insurance rate. Non-disclosure of information, even non-intentionally, will have an impact on your claims.
Why Do Modifications to My Bike Affect My Premium?
Insurance agents will assess the modifications to see if they enhance the performance of your motorcycle. If the bike is more powerful as a result of the modifications, then it is more at risk of accidents. Sometimes cosmetic modifications, that do not enhance the performance, can increase the risk of theft, therefore affecting motorcycle insurance premiums.
What Determines My Motorcycle Insurance Premium?
Many factors determine the rate you pay for motorcycle insurance. Statistics are gathered and analyzed. Some factors that will affect you rate are:
Age
Riding/Driving Experience
Where You Live
Riding/Driving Record
Claims History
Safety Equipment/Features
Credit History
Does Credit Score Affect My Motorcycle Insurance Rates?
You can get a decrease on your premium rate based on your credit score. Insurance companies use a credit-based insurance score in order to predict what insurance losses might be. It has been proven as one of the most accurate ways of creating an insurance rate. To predict your score many factors are considered including credit history, payment history etc.
It doesn’t matter what type of motorcycle you own old or new – get online at InsuranceQuotes.com and browse through our site’s in-depth coverage for everything you need to know before taking out a motorcycle insurance policy.
If you would like to speak to someone, call us and any of our professional, highly trained team members will be delighted to answer your queries about finding cheap motorcycle insurance.
Brian O’Connell is a nationally recognized financial journalist, best-selling author, and former Wall Street bond trader with over 20 years of experience. He is the author of The 401(k) Millionaire and CNBC’s Creating Wealth, and has contributed to The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, CBS News, and TheStreet.