Last updated: September 27th, 2022
Reviewed by
Grant Desselle
Licensed Insurance Agent
Table of Contents
At a minimum, motorcycle insurance pays for the bodily injuries and property damages of the other vehicle involved in an accident if you, the motorcycle rider, are determined to be at fault. Your motorcycle insurance may also cover damages to your bike and pay for bodily injuries sustained by yourself and a passenger. If the motorcycle has a sidecar attached, collision coverage typically extends to that as well.
The following table lists what’s typically included on a full-coverage motorcycle insurance policy.
Not every state requires the inclusion of the same types of coverage in a policy, and even the minimum required limits vary between states. Maine, for example, requires that riders carry bodily injury and property damage liability, medical payments, and underinsured motorist and uninsured motorist coverage, while Alabama only requires its insureds to have bodily injury and property damage liability coverage.
Many riders may want to consider adding a few optional coverages to their policies. The most common are:
Florida is the only state that doesn’t require motorcycle insurance. For the rest of the United States, anyone riding a motorcycle on public roads is required to have an active motorcycle insurance policy.
One of the most important reasons to carry motorcycle insurance is if you cause an accident while riding a motorcycle. Without insurance, the other party can sue you personally to recoup their financial losses due to medical bills and vehicle repairs. They can also sue you for their lost wages from the time they’re unable to work, which could range from weeks to months. Depending on the severity of the accident, these costs may be upward of hundreds of thousands of dollars and even into the millions. Without insurance, you could be held legally responsible for paying a bill that very few Americans can afford.
Additionally, you’ll want coverage in case someone else hits you while you’re riding your motorcycle. Because of how exposed they are, it’s not uncommon for motorcyclists to have serious injuries when involved in an accident. Insurance can help pay for your medical bills and get your bike back to its former running condition or reimburse you so you can replace it with another of similar value.
Florida is the only state where it’s legal to ride a motorcycle on public roads and highways without a motorcycle insurance policy. In all other parts of the country, getting caught riding a motorcycle without insurance can result in hefty fines and negative points on your driving record. This could lead to paying higher insurance costs later and other unfortunate consequences such as revoked driving privileges.
Some insurers may allow you to purchase motorcycle insurance without a license, but most want to see you have an active driver’s license as well as a motorcycle endorsement before insuring you. A few insurers may accept motorcycle riders who only have a driver’s permit.
Another option may be to exclude yourself as a rider. Perhaps, if you only plan on being a passenger on the bike and your partner or a friend will be the primary rider, it can make sense to purchase an insurance policy for a motorcycle that you won’t drive.
Motorcycle insurance varies between states. The following table lists the average monthly and annual premiums motorcycle riders pay across the United States. Because some insurers offer discounts when premiums are paid in full, some of the annual costs listed are higher than what many riders may be paying.
Nearly all insurers offering motorcycle and other types of insurance encourage you to bundle your policies to save on your premiums. Below, we’ve listed a few insurers that advertise discounts on motorcycle insurance when their policyholders bundle it with other types of insurance such as home and auto:
The main aspects affecting premiums are the rider’s age, the type of motorcycle, and the rider’s personal driving record. In most states, gender also impacts policy premiums, and whether you’re riding as a commuter or simply for pleasure can make your premium rise or fall.
What may be the best motorcycle insurance company for one rider may be among the worst for another. It depends on the individual’s budget and coverage needs. The chart below lists some of the best companies for insuring motorcycles and why you may want to consider them.
Getting a quote for motorcycle insurance can be quick and easy. The best way to get a quote from multiple insurers is by either calling a local independent agent who can place coverage through different carriers or by visiting an online quote service. You can also contact insurers directly.
Any insurance service will ask you to provide key information about your driving history, the type of motorcycle you own, and your riding habits. Multiple quote services then send that information to different insurers to obtain quotes.
Whether you go over the phone, online, or drive to the nearest offices of different insurance companies, if you have your payment information handy, you can usually start coverage right away.
Getting a full-coverage motorcycle insurance policy is one of the best decisions you can make to safeguard your riding career. It reduces and can often eliminate your personal liability if you’re involved in an accident and found to be at fault, and with a full-coverage policy, your motorcycle insurance can help pay for your bike’s repairs and cover some of your medical expenses too.
With comprehensive coverage, your policy can help you purchase another motorcycle if your current bike is stolen or damaged beyond repair due to fire or a flood. A higher premium doesn’t always mean a better policy. The best motorcycle insurance for you ultimately depends on the type of bike you have and whether you’ll be sufficiently covered to ride it the way you like.
Brian is the founder and CEO of Insurist and carries Life, Health, and Property & Casualty licenses in all 50 U.S. states. Since 2013, Brian has been a member of Million Dollar Round Table, a designation for the top 1% of financial advisors worldwide. Brian has been featured in Yahoo! Finance, Money.com, Entrepreneur.com, Life Happens, Forbes, MSN, and Good Financial Cents. Brian’s goal is to show customers the best products, the quickest answers to their questions, and provide expert advice.
Grant's past experience includes work as a licensed sales agent for Hagerty Insurance. He has reviewed thousands of existing auto policies across the nation and issued hundreds of new ones on everything ranging from classic cars undergoing restoration to modern exotics and motorcycles.
