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Motorbike Insurance

Motorbike Insurance

There are far more choices for car insurance than there is from motor bike insurance and there are various reasons why. If we look at crime rates for instance then we can see that theft rates on motorbikes is far higher and add to that the higher accident rate then its not hard to see why there is lack of premiums available. Motorbike accidents account for around 20% of all casualties in serious and fatal road accidents yet motorcycles represent only about 1% of traffic on the roads.

We also tend to find that motorcycle usage is far less predictable where some owners use their bikes for their daily commute whereas others ride them only for pleasure on occasion. The usual trend of older drivers being less of a risk is not always the case either as there many older motorcyclists reliving their youth on fast bikes leading to higher motorbike accident rates.

As a result, the insurance industry is not prolific in offering a wide range of motorbike insurance policies.  Indeed you may find that some insures will not insure your motorbike unless you have a significant number of claim free years riding and or you have attained advanced riding qualifications.


Motorbike Insurance Requirements

The minimum legal requirement for motorbikes is third-party insurance similar to motor vehicles where the insurance policy will cover claims made against you due to injury to another party or damage you have caused to someone else's vehicle / property.

Third Party, Fire & Theft insurance is next grade of insurance which which in addition to the above will cover you for damage caused to your motorbike in a fire or if the bike is stolen. It should be pointed out that both these types of motor bike insurance policies will cover the cosy of any medical bills for yourself or the repair cost for your motorbike in the event of accident that is deemed your fault. This is covered by the premium level of insurance called Comprehensive motorbike insurance, which will cover both the third party and yourself in the event of an accident.


Motorbike Insurance Costs

When is comes to car insurance then British Insurance divide the car parc into 20 standard groups but the same classification does not apply to motorbikes. With bikes the insurance companies produce their classifications that do not always tally with each other. This can lead to many, many classification groups for motorcycles that sometimes overlap between companies. The result is that it is very hard to estimate the motorbike insurance premium for any given bike. There are various aspects that influence the motorbike insurance premium:

Age – younger riders are regarded as higher risk similar to younger drivers in cars.

Qualifications – Any advance instruction will help reduce the cost of the policy

Cost - the more expensive the bike then the higher the insurance premium

Mileage - if you only use your motorbike for occasional use at weekends then you will pay less for your policy than someone who uses the bike for the daily commute.

Claims – History of claims will affect the premium so the lower the claims the better

Power - the more powerful the bike attracts higher insurance premium

Area – if you live in high crime areas then the premium will be adversely affected

Experience – The more years you have as a licensed rider the better.

Security – Any specialised bike alarm could help reduce costs further.


How to Save Money on Motorbike Insurance

To save money on a motorbike insurance policy then the following could help:

Institute of Advanced Motorists - the advanced course could reduce bike premiums

Upgrade Gradually - if you can build up a claim free history on less powerful bike before trying to insure the more powerful bikes then you could save money

Insurance Excess – choose a higher excess to pay in the event of an accident

Garage - if you have one then use it to protect your bike at night.

Security - fit the latest trackers and alarms to protect your bike

Shop Around – always get as many bike insurance quotes as possible

Mileage - if you opt for a limited mileage you could reduce insurance costs

Avoid Interest - If an insurer charges interest then avoid this by paying annually


Motorbike Insurance Summary

Motorbike insurance is a maze for the uninitiated and the premium costs for motorbikes often don’t makes sense. To achieve what most of us would regards as sensible motorbike insurance premiums then there is no shortcut. The optimum route to low cost bike insurance is to gradually build up years of claim free history  through careful riding where you take all the security options available. Make sure you shop around annually to make sure you are paying the lowest motorbike insurance premium at any given time.

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Asrecommended insurance offers motor bike insurance via selected motorcycle insurance providers to give you the best motorbike insurance quotes to suit you needs. If you are looking save money on your premium and live in mainland UK then our providers can help. Get a motorbike quotation online or over the phone.