Motorbike Insurance Groups
Motorbike insurance groups are a rating system used by UK insurers to help to decide on the risk to insure a motorcycle, which will have a direct impact on the cost to insure it.
There is no industry standard and the way that insurers apply pricing groups to motorcycles varies. Below are some typical insurance group examples:
| Insurance Group | Typical bikes |
| 1 – 3 | 50 – 125cc commuters |
| 4 – 7 | Small to mid A2 bikes (300 – 500cc) |
| 8 – 12 | Mid-size nakeds and sports-tourers (650 – 800cc) |
| 13 – 17 | Superbikes and high-performance nakeds |
It’s not only the group that may affect price. Insurers will also consider
- Rider age
- Licence type
- No claims bonus
- Location
- Usage
- Security and storage
This means that a Group 12 bike may turn out to be cheaper to insure than a Group 7 bike, for the ‘wrong’ rider.
The same engine size also does not mean the bike will be included in the same group. Two 650cc bikes can actually sit in very different groups depending on:
- Power output
- Rider position
- Theft risk
- Repair costs
Which insurance group will my bike fall into?
We are often asked ‘what insurance group does my motorbike fall into?’, but the answer will often depend on which insurance company you ask.
Your bike’s group is based on performance, newness and value.
If it’s low value and low performance it’ll most likely be awarded a lower grading; high value plus high performance, it’s going to be up there in the higher numbers. If a particular insurer has experienced a higher pattern of theft claims for a series of bikes – they may choose to raise the grouping.
Generally, the lower the number, the cheaper the bike is to insure, but remember it’s not just your bike that can drive up the cost of your insurance.
New riders and motorbike groups
A high-powered bike, sports styled and ridden by an inexperienced rider would be considered high risk by insurers and is likely to result in a higher premium and/or restrictive terms imposed.
General advice for new riders is to get a lower powered bike, build up your skills and riding experience. This will demonstrate to your insurer that you’re a lower risk and also, it will keep you safer in the meantime. We know it’s tempting to get that dream bike when starting out, but it’s better to enjoy the journey to gaining experience and become a better biker first!
Motorbike insurance group costs
There is no flat rate cost for a motorbike in a certain insurance group. If you’ve ever taken out motorcycle insurance before you know that there quite a few questions that you need to answer in order to generate a premium.
This information is used by underwriters to assess how much you should be charged to cover your likelihood of having an accident or your bike being stolen.
The motorcycle specification and performance only makes up part of their assessment. Many other factors are equally important such as where you live, your occupation, what security you use, your experience, your history of using other vehicles etc.
Examples of low insurance rated motorbikes
In general the following motorcycles fall into lower insurance group classes and are therefore often cheaper to insure than higher classed bikes. You very rarely find insurance group one motorcycles…
• Aprilia RS50
• Honda CBF125F & R
• Suzuki GSX-S125
• Royal Enfield Bullet 500
• Herald Classic 125
• Kawasaki Ninja 250SL
Examples of high insurance rated motorbikes (15-17)
The following bikes would typically fall into the high insurance groupings. They are top-tier performance machines with high power, high repair costs and high theft risk.
• Aprilia RSV4 RF
• BMW K1600 GT
• Ducati Panigale
• Yamaha R1
• KTM Superduke
Your bike is only one factor in generating your premium, so do everything you can to make the rest of your risk more attractive to underwriters, with security and experience being the main things you can influence.
In summary, there is no industry wide motorcycle insurance grouping system in the UK that is followed by all underwriters.
It’s a simple case of the higher the value and the higher the power, the higher the insurance could be, but there are many other factors that will influence it. If you have a higher-powered bike but tons of claim free experience riding such bikes, it may not be an issue, compared to those who have no experience riding a powerful motorcycle.
Disclaimer: the sole purpose of this article is to provide guidance on the issues covered. This article is not intended to give legal advice, and, accordingly, it should not be relied upon. It should not be regarded as a comprehensive statement of the law and/or market practice in this area. We make no claims as to the completeness or accuracy of the information contained herein or in the links which were live at the date of publication.
You should not act upon (or should refrain from acting upon) information in this publication without first seeking specific legal and/or specialist advice. Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance Brokers Limited trading as Devitt accepts no liability for any inaccuracy, omission or mistake in this publication, nor will we be responsible for any loss which may be suffered as a result of any person relying on the information contained herein.