Motorcycle insurance is mandatory coverage for motorcycle owners in almost every state and can be obtained through many traditional auto insurance companies.
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- The average motorcycle insurance policy costs $721 per year but your costs will depend on factors like your age, location, experience level, and more.
- States typically require motorcycle owners to meet the same minimum liability coverage amounts that are required for cars.
- Motorcycle owners should consider increasing their liability limits, purchasing guest passenger policies, and investing in other coverage options to protect their bikes.
How to find cheap motorcycle insurance coverage
Comparing three to five quotes before committing to a policy is the best way to make sure you’ve found the best motorcycle insurance rate for your circumstances.
Here are a few other ways to get the best deal on your motorcycle insurance premium:
- Look for motorcycle insurance discounts: Ask your insurance agent if they offer any insurance discounts that you may be able to qualify for, such as bundling multiple policies or switching to paperless billing. Some providers will even discount your rate if you complete a motorcycle safety course or hold a motorcycle license (that’s separate from a motorcycle endorsement) for a certain amount of time.
- Add anti-theft devices: You can usually reduce your comprehensive rate by adding anti-theft devices to your bike. You may even get a discounted rate if you can prove that you park your bike in a garage.
- Skip additional coverage: Depending on the age and value of your bike, you may not need to add collision or comprehensive insurance to your motorcycle’s policy. Most motorists will drop full coverage if the combined cost of the premium and deductible outweigh the value of their bike.
The average motorcycle insurance policy costs about $720 per year
Motorcycle insurance tends to cost around $720 per year on average, but these costs can vary greatly depending on your provider.
Compare the average cost of motorcycle insurance from popular providers with the table below:
| Insurance provider | Average annual cost of motorcycle insurance |
|---|---|
| Nationwide | $588 |
| GEICO | $612 |
| Progressive | $624 |
| Allstate | $854 |
| Dairyland | $879 |
What your motorcycle insurance should cover
The basic requirements: Your motorcycle insurance policy needs to include the same amount of coverage as outlined in your state’s minimum car insurance requirements.
Almost every state requires motorists of bikes and cars alike to carry minimum amounts of the following types of liability insurance before hitting the open road:
- Bodily injury liability coverage: Covers victims’ medical bills up to your policy limits per accident and per person.
- Property damage liability coverage: Covers victims’ repair and replacement costs up to your policy limit per accident.
For example: If you live in a state that requires a minimum coverage limit of 25/50/25 for liability insurance, a basic liability policy would cover the following:
- Up to $25,000 in bodily injury per person
- Up to $50,000 in bodily injury per accident
- Up to $25,000 in property damage per accident
Some states will also require motorcyclists to carry medical coverage through one of the following options:
- A health insurance policy
- Medical payments (MedPay) coverage
- Personal injury protection (PIP)
Keep in mind: While PIP is required in no-fault states, this type of coverage typically does not extend to passengers riding a motorcycle. Instead, many insurance companies offer guest passenger policies either included in your liability policy or sold separately.
Motorcycle insurance requirements for scooters and mopeds
Some states will require motorcycle insurance for scooters and mopeds, but it all depends on the size of their engine size or top speed.
Here’s what you can typically expect:
- You need motorcycle insurance: If your scooter or moped has an engine that is 50 cubic centimeters (cc) or larger or can reach a top speed of 30 mph or higher.
- You do not need motorcycle insurance: If your scooter or moped’s engine is smaller than 50 cc or cannot exceed a top speed of 30 mph.
What to do: Check your state’s laws for specific guidelines and requirements regarding scooters and mopeds. Many insurance companies will sell specific types of insurance for ATVs, UTVs, and sport bikes that are separate from motorcycle coverage.
Other types of motorcycle coverage
Motorcycle owners may want to consider buying more coverage than their state requires to protect their financial futures, including:
- Increasing liability limits to cover more expensive motorcycle accidents
- Purchasing guest passenger policies
- Investing in a full-coverage insurance plan
Key statistics: Motorcyclists are six times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than car drivers, and your state’s minimum liability requirements won’t always be enough to cover the expenses.
Consider the following types of additional motorcycle insurance to protect your bike:
- Collision coverage: Pays for repair costs for your bike after an accident, regardless of who was at fault.
- Comprehensive coverage: Covers your bike from non-collision events like natural disasters, vandalism, or theft.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: This coverage pays for your medical bills if you’re ever in an accident caused by a driver who doesn’t carry sufficient liability limits (or any liability insurance) to cover your costs. Some states require this type of coverage in addition to basic liability.
- Towing and labor coverage: A roadside assistance plan will come to the rescue if you ever experience bike troubles while you’re on the road. Just make sure the tow truck can accommodate your motorcycle if you ever have to call one in.
- Trip interruption coverage: Provides travel allowances for covered claims if you have motorcycle problems while you’re away from home.
- Accessories, custom parts, or equipment coverage: These cover the unique touches you’ve added to make your bike stand out, but offerings vary from provider to provider.
Keep in mind: Both collision and comprehensive insurance require you to pay a deductible first, but this is typically much cheaper than paying out-of-pocket for the full cost to repair or replace your bike.
A fast bike or a past accident could impact your motorcycle insurance premium
Just like when calculating a car quote, insurance companies use many variables to determine their motorcycle insurance quotes. Here are a few primary factors you can expect your provider to consider:
- Your age: Young drivers are considered to be riskier to insure than older drivers across all types of vehicles. That said, newer motorcycle riders will be viewed with a similar level of risk regardless of their age.
- Your location: From high crime rates in urban areas to severe weather events in rural areas, and any area with a high rate of uninsured drivers in between, your zip code can tell a lot about the potential level of risk surrounding you and your bike.
- Your occupation: Studies have shown that certain occupations, like teachers or scientists, have a lower correlation for risk than others, like construction workers or bartenders.
- Your driving history: More experienced riders with clean driving records will receive much cheaper rates than newer riders or those with recent violations or accidents—even if they occurred behind the wheel of a car.
- The type of motorcycle you drive: More powerful vehicles tend to carry more risk, so motorcycles with bigger engines will typically receive more expensive rates. They’ll also use the actual cash value (ACV) of your bike to help determine rates for collision and comprehensive since this is the highest amount they would have to pay out in a total loss.
Pat Roache is an insurance writer with over two years of experience in the automotive industry. With a focus on car insurance, maintenance, and brand reviews, Pat’s mission is to create engaging and accessible content that empowers readers to take autonomy over their car ownership. As a writer and editor with Jerry, Pat has penned over 600 original articles and edited over 1,000. Pat’s 8+ years of experience in the performing arts as a writer, director, producer, and performer lend to their keen eye for research and presentation. Most recently, Pat’s new English translation of Donizetti’s Italian opera “D[x]n Pasquale” had its world premiere in 2022 with Opera MODO (Detroit, MI). Pat also writes grants for an LGBTQ arts non-profit in Chicago, IL.
Georgina Grant is a senior insurance editor and researcher with 8 years of experience in digital communications. She specializes in home insurance and car maintenance and strives to create accurate and comprehensive guides that highlight the details that matter most to homeowners and drivers. Georgina has edited over 1,500 articles for Jerry on topics ranging from engine oil capacity to state community property laws. Prior to joining Jerry’s editorial team in 2021, Georgina worked as a contributor at Forbes, a film development intern at Madison Wells, and a content editor at professional coaching agency Readily. Her work has appeared in Forbes and The Stanford Daily.
