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Car Insurance for Motorcycles

Written by Elizabeth Rivelli

Reviewed by Alyssa DiCrasto

Last updated: May 24, 2023

The cost of motorcycle insurance depends on a variety of factors, including the specific make, model and year of the motorcycle you have. Regular car insurance does not cover motorcycles, so you’ll need a separate motorcycle insurance policy for your bike.

What is motorcycle insurance?

Whether you’re a motorcycle owner or are thinking about buying one, it’s important to understand the ins and outs of motorcycle insurance. Motorcycle insurance covers your financial and legal responsibilities for property damage and bodily injuries in the event of an at-fault accident.  

Because regular car insurance does not cover motorcycles, you need a separate motorcycle insurance policy for your bike. In this article, we’ll explain the cost of biker insurance, what factors influence bike insurance rates, and how to get the cheapest motorcycle insurance policy for your situation. 

Motorcycle vs. car insurance

Both motorcycle insurance and car insurance protect you and your vehicle in an accident. Like with car insurance, you can either get minimum coverage or a full-coverage motorcycle insurance policy. A minimum coverage policy only covers your liabilities in an at-fault crash, whereas a full coverage policy also provides physical damage protection for your bike. 

While a full coverage car insurance policy covers your passengers’ injuries if you cause an accident, not all motorcycle insurance policies cover passenger medical expenses. If you typically ride with someone else on your bike, you may need to add guest passenger liability coverage.

There’s also a difference in cost between car insurance and motorcycle insurance. Bike insurance tends to be less expensive than traditional auto insurance. This is primarily due to the lower cost of replacing or repairing a motorcycle compared to a car.  

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Do I need motorcycle insurance?

In all states except Florida, you are required to have liability coverage for your motorcycle. It’s important to understand that motorcycle insurance and car insurance are two different policies. If you own a car and a motorcycle, you are required to maintain separate insurance policies for each one. However, if you own both a car and a motorcycle, you may be able to bundle your insurance policies and take advantage of multi-policy discounts that many insurance providers offer. 

How much is motorcycle insurance?

The cost of motorcycle insurance varies greatly from person to person. Your premium will depend on several personal, vehicle, and policy-related factors that insurance companies take into consideration. Some of these include:

  • Your age 
  • Your driving record 
  • Where you store your motorcycle 
  • Your credit score 
  • Your location 
  • The make and model of your bike 

When shopping for motorcycle insurance, it’s a good idea to compare quotes from multiple insurance companies. Comparing rates will help you find the cheapest policy for your situation. 

How much should I expect to pay to insure my motorcycle

Personalized rate estimates at the top insurance companies in your state

Your rates will vary based on where you live, your age, and other factors like your driving record

Is motorcycle insurance expensive?

Compared to regular car insurance, motorcycle insurance is typically less expensive. Part of the reason for this is that motorcycles usually cost less to replace or repair than cars. Many motorcycles also have a lower value than regular cars.  

While motorcycles are usually cheaper to insure than cars, this isn’t always the case. For example, if you own a rare motorcycle or a sport bike, your insurance premium may be more expensive than your car insurance premium. 

What is the best company for motorcycle insurance?

With their comprehensive policies and competitive rates, Progressive, Geico, and Allstate are some of the best insurance providers for motorcycles. However, the best insurance company is not the same for everyone. The best insurer for your situation depends on many individual factors, including your budget, desired coverage, location, and motorcycle type. Ultimately, the best insurance provider is the one that can offer you the lowest rate for the coverage you want. 

Allstate Auto Insurance
Geico Auto Insurance
Progressive Auto Insurance

How to get cheap car insurance for your Motorcycle

There are a variety of ways to reduce the cost of your motorcycle insurance. Here are some tips for getting the most affordable rate:

  • Complete a motorcycle safety course: Many insurance companies offer lower rates to riders who have completed a motorcycle safety course. A few hours of your time could save you a lot of money in the long run.
  • Choose a higher deductible: Opting for a higher deductible will lower your premiums. However, you’ll have to pay more out-of-pocket if you need to make a claim, so you should always choose a deductible you could comfortably afford in the event of a loss.
  • Bundle your insurance policies: If you have multiple insurance needs, such as car, home, or renters insurance, bundling these policies with the same insurer could result in significant savings.
  • Take advantage of discounts: Many insurance companies offer discounts if you have a record of safe driving, pay your premium in full, or belong to certain organizations.
  • Look for “winter lay-up” savings: Depending on where you live and your insurance provider, you may be able to get a discount if you don’t ride in the winter due to the weather.
  • Compare quotes: When looking for motorcycle insurance, get quotes from multiple companies to see which one can give you the best deal.

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Frequently asked

How does the insurance company determine my rate?

Car insurance companies determine how much they charge you based on your driver profile. Factors that can impact your rates include: 

  • Demographics –  your age, home ownership, credit score, and more 
  • Your driving history – how long you’ve been driving, traffic violations, and more 
  • Your car –  make, model, and year 
  • Where you live –  state and zip code 
  • How much coverage you want 

Read more about the factors that impact your car insurance rate 

How do I switch my car insurance?

Switching your car insurance is easy, even if you are in the middle of your current policy.
Here are some helpful tips to consider to switch your car insurance:

  1. Decide what coverage you want with your next policy 
  2. Check if your current provider charges cancellation penalties or fees 
  3. Compare prices from at least 3-5 insurance companies (Rate Retriever makes this easy, giving you personalized rates from the top companies near you)
  4. Get a final quote from at least one of your choices
  5. Cancel your current policy once your new one begins

Read more about how to switch your car insurance 

How is Rate Retriever different than other insurance websites?

The biggest difference between Rate Retriever and other comparison sites is that we are a free and impartial research tool NOT an insurance marketplace.​ This means you can’t purchase a policy directly through RateRetriever.com, but you can use our tool to independently research your options and seamlessly connect with the provider you choose.

Unlike other insurance comparison sites, we:

  • Use third-party data to give you more accurate rate estimates instead of inaccurate, suspiciously low quotes to get you in the door
  • Do not limit your list of results to paid advertisers
  • Do not collect your email or phone number before we let you see your results
  • Give you results after just five questions (however, your results will be more accurate if you complete your profile)

We like to think that Rate Retriever is your insurance companion, not just another insurance comparison site. Our values guide everything we do, which is why we strive to offer transparent, trustworthy insurance tools.

Read more about Rate Retriever

How does Rate Retriever make money?

Rate Retriever works with national and local insurance providers to provide our users with a seamless insurance shopping experience. We may earn a commission from our insurance provider partners when you click on a link, call, or purchase a policy from one of the providers listed on our site. That said, we’re committed to providing you with accurate, bias-free information, and we do not allow our partnerships to limit the results or influence the information we share with you.  

 

We do not sell your personal information, charge you for using our tools, or sell you insurance policies. Additionally, should you choose to purchase a policy from one of our partners, the price you pay will not be adversely affected. 

Read our full earnings disclosure

You say you don't limit results – why do I only see up to 12?

At Rate Retriever, we want to help you compare as many companies as we can. However, to keep our comparison tools free to our users, we do have to limit the amount of data we display on each search. The list of companies you see represent top carriers in your geographic area based on the total premiums written. We are exploring ways to expand our search results in the future.

How can I get cheaper car insurance?

There are many ways you can try to get cheaper car insurance. The first is simply to get quotes from multiple providers. This will help you determine if you’re currently receiving the cheapest rates based on your needs and driver profile. Rate Retriever makes the comparison process easy.

Sometimes, the reason your car insurance is so expensive is due to your driver profile. For example, drivers under 20 years old usually pay more for insurance than more experienced drivers, and drivers with a recent at-fault accident or traffic violation typically pay more.

There are ways to lower the cost of your insurance such as taking a defensive driving course. Check with your provider to see if there are any discounts you qualify for or can reasonably earn.

Read more about getting cheap car insurance 

How much car insurance do I need?

The answer to this question depends on where you live and what you would like to cover.  

Each state has its own minimum requirements on the type and amount of insurance needed. When you’re trying to determine what and how much car insurance you need, you can start by reviewing your state’s requirements.

Find out what’s required in your state 

Once you review your state’s minimum requirements, you may find that you want additional coverage. For example, sometimes owners of new cars want comprehensive coverage to insure their car from natural disasters and vandalism, even though comprehensive coverage isn’t required by their state. To figure out what insurance you want, you can review the different types of insurance to decide what makes the most sense for your situation.  

Learn about the different types of car insurance