How to find cheap motorcycle insurance

Staying protected, insurance for your bike

The MIB (Motor Insurers’ Bureau) received around 30,000 claims for accidents involving uninsured drivers last year, 30,000. You may think insurance is expensive, but with statistics like this you can’t afford not to. Here we explain why insurance is important and how to find cheap motorcycle insurance…

Why is insurance important?

Motorbike accidents have started to reduce over recent years, the government statistics show a 3% fall between 2012 and 2013 (RAC), but numbers are still high. That year alone 18,752 incidents went on record, even the most risk-averse and safety conscious riders are vulnerable.

Then there are incidents that may occur whilst your bike’s parked up – even after following security advice (read about this in Ellie’s recent blog post) and taking extra precautions such as using a disc-lock – your bike is vulnerable to theft, fires and vicious vandals.

What does the law say?

Not only is it in your own interest, it’s illegal to keep a bike without insurance as set out by the Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) rule. Even if your bike is stored off road, or in a locked garage, you’re still required to keep it insured unless you have declared it off road with the DVLA and had a Statutory Off Road Notice (SORN) issued.

The law also states that riding without insurance is illegal. If you’re caught without it the fine is £1,000, and 6 penalty points will be added to your licence. Not only will you be out of pocket in the longer-term, you may have your bike both confiscated and destroyed – yes the police are allowed to do both.

How to find cheap motorcycle insurance

Insurance can be expensive, hence the number of uninsured riders out there, but by shopping around and following our tips below, you can easily figure out how to find cheap motorcycle insurance

1. Payment options: One-off or monthly, the former will generally shave some money off the price.
2. Bike: Both your engine size and model will drive the price. You may be attached to your current bike but if the insurance premium is financially out of reach, switching to a smaller, less powerful, model could cut your costs (and save you petrol money).
3. Modifications: A cosmetic change may have less effect than a performance-enhancing mod’, however the former may be viewed negatively in that your bike may become more appealing to thieves.
4. Mileage: Insurers will ask you to estimate your annual mileage. Put simply, the more you ride, the more you pay. This generally works on the principle that the longer you’re on the road, the more likely it is you’ll be involved in an accident.
5. Riding solo: If you want to ride with a passenger you will need to tell the insurance company, but they’ll charge you about 10% more for it. It’s important to remember riding pillion uninsured is illegal.
6. Advanced driver training: BMF’s Blue Riband advanced rider course, DSA Examiner’s Motorcycle test, RoSPA or the Enhanced Rider Scheme can cut you down by 20%.
7. Thatcham secure your bike: Having a Thatcham approved alarm or identification system installed can reduce your premium by up to 10%, and they may take into consideration that you have a Thatcham approved lock or ground anchor.
8. Using your bike: Using your bike for commuting will cost you more than just riding for fun.
9. Park securely: Having your bike locked in a garage or stored off road can reduce your costs
10. Level of cover: Consider how protected you’d like to be. There are three types of insurance; third party, third party fire and theft and comprehensive. Each level offers more protection than the last and the suitability depends on your individual needs. (Prices don’t always correspond with the level of protection, so shop around)
    • Third party is the minimum level of cover required by law and only covers damages to a third party’s vehicle, property or the third party themselves. It also protects passengers that they or you may be carrying.
    • The next level up is third party fire and theft, which covers the same as the first, plus, as the name says, fire damage and theft.
    • Fully comprehensive ensures you’re secure from all of the above, as well as cover for you and your bike if you’re in an accident where you’re at fault.

Looking to get your first quote?

We’d recommend beginning your quote search with Bikesure, you can call 0800 369 8580 and quote dealer reference ‘golf682’. They’re both friendly and reliable but more importantly, offer specialised insurance cover for a variety of cycles such as Chinese models and quadbikes.