WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MOTORCYCLE INSURANCE
Insurance can be confusing at the best of times so to make it easier to understand we’ve compiled a list of our top tips about getting motorcycle insurance.
First things first, it’s all about you…
Occupation
Your occupation can affect your premium. For example, if you spend a lot of time on your bike as a result of the job you do, this may lead to a higher premium because there is a greater risk of incident.
When completing your insurance quote form you will see there are two fields; primary work and part-time employment, which you have to include even if it’s only voluntary work.
Location
Your home address must be where you reside, even if you store your bike at a different address. If your bike is stored in another location than your home address you must make this clear to your insurer. Failure to provide transparent information about where your bike is kept overnight may resulting in a claim not being settled later down the line.
Security
Different insurers may offer varying discounts for the use of security devices. If you can layer more than one security device then that may also reduce the risk of your motorcycle being stolen.
Make and model
The more expensive or powerful your bike, means that it’s likely to cost more to fix or replace if you were to make a claim. This means expensive or powerful bikes may often attract a higher premium.
Modifications and accessories
It’s important to declare all accessories and modifications made to your motorbike so we can help you to correctly insure it. What’s the difference between a modification and an accessory on my motorcycle? If you’re unsure on what your latest customisation to your bike is classed as then check out our extensive list.
Honesty is the only policy
Any falsification of information is deemed as fraud and at best could lead to a claim being repudiated and at worst a customer being prosecuted for fraud – so always tell the truth about your details.
Let’s talk about your biking history…
Still riding on a provisional licence?
You’ll need to know the date you passed your CBT. Remember that your CBT is only valid for 2 years.
No Claim Discount (NCD) / No Claim Bonus (NCB)
Your No Claim Discount, often referred to as NCD, can have an impact on reducing your premium,. The maximum NCD that can be applied to a policy is 9 years. Make sure you have contacted your insurer so you know exactly how many years you have – if you state an incorrect NCD when obtaining a quote you’ll find your premium may increase when checked against your supporting documentation.
Advanced motorcycle training
Be sure to mention if you have completed any recognised advanced training courses such as; RoSPa (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents), IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) and ERS (Enhanced Riders Scheme). Some insurers will offer you a discount because they see you as a safer rider.
Save money with multi bike insurance when you own more than one motorcycle
If you have more than one motorcycle, you don’t have to get two separate policies! You could take out a multi bike policy which can reduce the overall premium. This is based on the fact that you can’t ride both of the bikes at the same time, therefore the risk is reduced. We offer multi bike quote online or over the phone with our experienced team. Please note that some companies can’t quote you for multi-bike policies online; you have to ring up due to the complex nature of multiple bikes and combinations. If our online system doesn’t provide you with a quote, it’s always advisable to call in, so we can help.
Do you drive a car?
Wonder why you get asked about your car licence when you’re purchasing motorcycle cover? Well your car driving experience counts. You’ll be asked how long you’ve had your car licence and what type it is. Some companies will take this information on board and it may potentially give you a better quote.
Accidents, claims and convictions
The biggest impact on your premium will be any accidents, claims and/or convictions that you may have incurred – some companies may not even quote you!
Accidents and claims
You must inform your insurer of any accidents or claims you’ve been involved in irrespective of blame or if a claim was made, in any vehicle not just those on your motorcycles.
Convictions
Questions will always be asked about convictions or bans by your insurer. Although any ‘endorsements’ will stay on your licence for a minimum of 4 years it’s still good to disclose to your insurer, insurers should not penalise the policyholder if it has expired.
It is important any conviction not spent is disclosed to your insurer, most insurers will ask about these.
Mileage and excesses
Be realistic about the number of miles you will do in a year. If you’re not sure a top tip is to go through your old MOT certificates to give you a guide on how many miles you do on a yearly basis. Fewer miles can bring a lower premium as your risk is reduced but disclosing hugely deflated estimates could mean the insurer won’t pay out in the event of a claim.
Consider what voluntary excess you can afford to pay. A higher voluntary excess may result in a lower premium, however remember you will have to pay this, along with the compulsory excess in the event of a claim.
If your excesses will be more than the actual cost of a replacement bike, you might not want to pay an additional voluntary excess.
What kind of cover are you looking for?
The type of cover you choose for your motorcycle will determine the premium you pay. It’s entirely up to you which level of cover you choose depending on your individual circumstances and budget.
Comprehensive (Fully Comp)
Comprehensive insurance policies covers damage to others property/vehicle, and damage to your vehicle/property caused by an accident, theft or fire. Fully comp policies and what they cover may vary between insurers, so it’s important that you understand exactly what is included in the policy before you buy.
Third party fire and theft only (TPFT)
Third party fire and theft only insurance covers your motorbike in the event of a fire of theft. It doesn’t cover any damage sustained to your motorbike from the result of an accident, but it does cover damage to others property/vehicle. In the event of an accident that isn’t your fault, you may be able to claim through the insurance of the other individual involved.
Third party only (TPO)
This is the minimum insurance requirement for motorbikes in the UK, and it provides the minimum level of cover. Third party only insurance only covers damage to others property/vehicle. You/your vehicle won’t be covered in the event of any accident or incident, unless you’re involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault, in which case you may be able to claim through the insurance of the other individual involved. It can be handy for those on a budget, but it also means that you could be out of pocket should you ever need to make a claim.
Third party only insurance is not always the cheapest option, explore other covers before making a decision.
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What’s the difference between modifications and accessories on a motorcycle?
Accessories are extras that you may have added to your bike such as panniers, scott oilers, windscreens, extra seat etc. They are not performance affecting but should be declared to your insurer.
Modifications are where you may have replaced or tweaked component parts for a better ride, faster turning or straight line speed, such as different exhaust systems, including end cans, uprated rear shocks, rear sets changed, power commander, steering damper etc. These enhancement will affect bike performance and must be declared to your insurer.
Important note: When you are entering details for a bike insurance quote, be aware of ASSUMED QUESTIONS, most will default to say there are no modifications.
What is agreed value on bike insurance?
If your bike is deemed unique, cherished, one of a kind, old yet immaculate; then insurers may struggle to match the value in their assessment, compared to its value to you. Where this is the case, some insurers will offer a policy that allows an agreement of the valuation, by requesting a declaration, photos and any supporting documentation.
If an agreed value has been put in place, in the event of the claim the insurer will use this agreed value to settle claims on, rather than market value (which may be a lot less than you value the bike at).
Is my motorbike insured? How to check!
You can check to see if your motorbike is insured on the Motor Insurance Database (MID). You can also speak to your bike insurance company and confirm that your vehicle is insured, as the MID isn’t updated the moment you take out your insurance, there is a manual process to add recently insured vehicles.
You will also receive official documentation from your insurer or broker that will include your insurance certificate which also confirms whether or not your motorbike is insured.
Why isn’t my motorbike insurance showing up on the MID yet?
The Motor Insurance Database is a central database that holds every insured vehicle in the UK. It is not automatically updated when your motorbike insurance is taken out and takes a couple of days to appear as insured.
It is not updated on weekends and bank holidays, so this may increase the time it takes to appear as insured. If you have received your insurance documents then this will be enough to prove that you are insured if needed.
Policy endorsements explained
Your insurance coverage is described in your Insurance Schedule, which refers to your Policy Booklet. In this booklet, the extent of cover along with any conditions and exclusions are clarified. Most insurers will apply similar restrictions, but always check the main exclusions as this may have helped reduced your premium, but may have removed the cover you wanted.
In addition to policy wording, insurers are able to modify the coverage by applying Endorsements.
These act as additional exclusions and conditions. Some will simply clarify the amount of excess you pay, others advise what happens if you don’t garage your vehicle overnight or if you don’t apply the security you said you had.
Always check the endorsements and ask your broker to further explain if necessary so you can be clear on what you are covered for and what you are not.
Statement of Fact explained
When you start your bike policy, make a change and when you renew, your broker will present you a Statement of Fact. This document is set out to clarify the relevant information held about you. As insurance is a contract, the statement of fact, is the basis this contract is built on.
If the details are incorrect / misleading / missing then your insurer may raise a query and could take action; either to cancel your policy, charge additional premium or, if you have a claim, they may argue that wrong / missing information means they don’t have to pay.
It is therefore vital that you ensure that the information contained within the documents are true statements about you, your bike, and any additional drivers etc.
Driving / riding other bikes
Sometimes insurers provide an extension to your coverage, which enables you to use someone else’s bike on a temporary basis. Cover for other people’s bikes would only be Third Party Only (TPO) This means that if you drop it or it is stolen in your care, your policy would not cover it.
In addition, the bike needs to be insured in its own right by someone other than yourself. This extension isn’t an add-on but given when the insurer’s criteria allows. It isn’t designed to be used frequently, but just an emergency situation only.
Previous Claims, Convictions and No Claims Bonus
When asked for previous accidents, thefts and claims, insurers want to know of any instance within the last 5 years, where you or any other rider you want covered, have been involved in. To be clear, this means regardless of fault and regardless of what vehicle was involved, be it a car, van, bike etc.
Motoring convictions in your car will still be considered by the insurer when you’re taking out your motorbike insurance, so you must declare them.
For No Claims Bonus, insurers provide levels of discount based on recent claim free driving. Brokers would normally request a proof of No Claims Bonus, so when stating the number of years you have, please make sure you have evidence.
Your No Claims Bonus must come from another bike policy rather than a Car, Van or Fleet policy.
Why it’s important to cancel your bike insurance if you no longer use or own the bike
If you need to cancel your policy, as you no longer use or own the bike, it is important you advise your broker. If you keep your policy running – maybe to build up another year of No Claims Bonus or to avoid a cancellation fee; the fact you have insurance on the bike in your name remains active on the Motor Insurers Database.
This system is used to check insurance is in place with the DVLA, police and other insurers using it to validate details.
If you remain on this database and an incident occurs on the bike (maybe by a new owner), if they haven’t sorted their own insurance, the claim may come back on you and subsequently effect your NCB and claim history.
Brokers, insurers and comparison sites: what's the difference when buying bike insurance?
People can sometimes get confused about the difference between insurers, brokers and comparison websites. We’ll try and explain in the simplest way possible…
Insurers
The insurer is the company that carries the risk – and pays out in the event of an accident to your bike, theft or any liability to other vehicles, property or people. In some cases, you can purchase insurance directly from the insurer.
Brokers
The broker is the company has insurance products available from a number of different insurers.
They use their systems, market penetration and relationships to negotiate their best price for their customers. They will arrange the policy – from inception, any changes through-out the year and also your renewal, they can help to resolve any issues along the way and provide support when making a claim.
Comparison sites
The comparison sites have access to products from most of the insurer and broker market. They don’t administer anything; they simply provide an easier method to present your quote details to numerous brokers and insurers. They charge a fee to brokers and insurers for helping to sell their products and have minimal involvement once the policy is sold.
Which comparison websites can you use for motorcycle insurance?
There are numerous comparison websites that you can use to purchase your motorcycle insurance. These are hugely popular as you can view all the prices from the market in one place, rather than doing separate quotes on each provider’s site.