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Insurance for Motorcyclists
- By Motorbike Accident Injury
- Published 5 March 2008
- Motorbike Safety Tips
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Motorbike Accident Injury
Hutcheon Solicitors is a Law Firm specialising in Motorbike Accident Injury Claims and legal protection for people with vulnerable circumstances in the UK
View all articles by Motorbike Accident Injury
Compulsory Motorcycle Insurance Policies
It is compulsory for motorcyclists to hold, at the very least, a third-party insurance policy before they can travel on the public highways. Motorcyclists can also take out third party fire and theft cover for their bike, which covers the cost of repairs to another vehicle or for replacement of the bike in case it is damaged in a fire or is stolen. Comprehensive insurance provides complete cover, including the costs of damage to your own bike if you cause an accident.
Motorcycle insurance comes under two categories.
(1) Specified Rider Policy: this protects the person who rides the bike, not the bike itself. It means that a person is insured no matter what bike they are riding – regardless of size or power.
(2) Specified Bike Policy: this insures a particular bike, and not the rider. It provides automatic insurance for anyone else who rides the bike.
Motorcycle Insurance is a Legal Requirement in the UK
Like car owners, it is a minimum legal requirement for a motorcyclist to hold basic third-party insurance before being allowed to cycle on the roads. It must be highlighted that it is much harder for motorcyclists to get their bike insured because bike owners are involved in a high proportion of accidents on the UK roads. Motorcycles are an easy target for thieves, and motorbike owners do suffer from more thefts then car owners.
You will often find that motorbikes are often owned by passionate motorbike fans, who will cherish their motorcycle. For those people it may be hard to overcome the emotional loss caused by their motorcycle being damaged in an accident or destroyed in a fire, however, there is some peace of mind in knowing it can be repaired or replaced.
Buying Motorcycle Insurance
Unfortunately motorcyclists should expect higher premiums than you would expect for a normal car insurance policy due to the added risks involved. The first place to look is online, purchasing insurance online is often much cheaper than by phone and many insurers provide discounts if you purchase over the web.
High street insurers also provide a range of deals and there are many specialist insurers and brokers out there who are experts in the field who can help you find the best deal based on your requirements.
One way of getting cheaper insurance premiums is by doing an advanced instruction course in motorcycling. Locking your motorbike in a garage at night and having the latest security feature may help in reducing your premiums. Paying your premium in a lump sum, as opposed to monthly instalments, can help reduce premiums too. Motorcyclists often reduce their premiums by cancelling their motorbike insurance during the winter, when they are not using it. This of course runs the risk of your motorbike being stolen and leaving you in a position of not being able to make a claim.
Another thing to consider is the way that motorbike insurers have a long list of classification groups for motorcycles, much longer than for cars. They will look at the motorcyclist claims history, the cost and power of a bike, the motorcyclists’ age, where they live, their annual mileage, their occupation, reasons for using the bike, security measures and whether the rider has advanced instruction courses under their belt. The common theme of insuring vehicles still applies for motorbikers, that is young riders are still likely to be charged with high premiums as are people living in crime or accident hotspots.
Motorcycle insurance comes under two categories.
(1) Specified Rider Policy: this protects the person who rides the bike, not the bike itself. It means that a person is insured no matter what bike they are riding – regardless of size or power.
(2) Specified Bike Policy: this insures a particular bike, and not the rider. It provides automatic insurance for anyone else who rides the bike.
Motorcycle Insurance is a Legal Requirement in the UK
Like car owners, it is a minimum legal requirement for a motorcyclist to hold basic third-party insurance before being allowed to cycle on the roads. It must be highlighted that it is much harder for motorcyclists to get their bike insured because bike owners are involved in a high proportion of accidents on the UK roads. Motorcycles are an easy target for thieves, and motorbike owners do suffer from more thefts then car owners.
You will often find that motorbikes are often owned by passionate motorbike fans, who will cherish their motorcycle. For those people it may be hard to overcome the emotional loss caused by their motorcycle being damaged in an accident or destroyed in a fire, however, there is some peace of mind in knowing it can be repaired or replaced.
Buying Motorcycle Insurance
Unfortunately motorcyclists should expect higher premiums than you would expect for a normal car insurance policy due to the added risks involved. The first place to look is online, purchasing insurance online is often much cheaper than by phone and many insurers provide discounts if you purchase over the web.
High street insurers also provide a range of deals and there are many specialist insurers and brokers out there who are experts in the field who can help you find the best deal based on your requirements.
One way of getting cheaper insurance premiums is by doing an advanced instruction course in motorcycling. Locking your motorbike in a garage at night and having the latest security feature may help in reducing your premiums. Paying your premium in a lump sum, as opposed to monthly instalments, can help reduce premiums too. Motorcyclists often reduce their premiums by cancelling their motorbike insurance during the winter, when they are not using it. This of course runs the risk of your motorbike being stolen and leaving you in a position of not being able to make a claim.
Another thing to consider is the way that motorbike insurers have a long list of classification groups for motorcycles, much longer than for cars. They will look at the motorcyclist claims history, the cost and power of a bike, the motorcyclists’ age, where they live, their annual mileage, their occupation, reasons for using the bike, security measures and whether the rider has advanced instruction courses under their belt. The common theme of insuring vehicles still applies for motorbikers, that is young riders are still likely to be charged with high premiums as are people living in crime or accident hotspots.