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Motorcycle Insurance
Motorcycle insurance is required in nearly every state (all but nine require you to carry motorcycle insurance). At the very least, you'll probably need to purchase liability coverage. Generally, the minimum amount or your motorcycle insurance will be equal to the minimum amount of liability coverage for car insurance in your state. However, if you own property or have a high income, you'll probably want to purchase higher than the minimum limits. While it's more likely that you will get injured, or your bike will be damaged in an accident, your liability coverage also protects you from injuries you cause to a pedestrian.

Some states also require you to purchase Uninsured Motorists/Underinsured Motorists coverage to pay for your injuries or damage to your bike in an accident with a driver who doesn't have insurance or not enough to cover your expenses.

If you're buying your motorcycle, then you may also be required to carry comprehensive and collision coverage as well. Your collision coverage will pay for repairing or replacing your bike, less your deductible (what you pay out of your own pocket), no matter who's at fault.

If you have healthcare coverage, you may only need to purchase the minimum required PIP (Personal Injury Protection) and/or Medical Payments coverage. However, if you don't have healthcare insurance, PIP and/or Medical Payments coverage can be an excellent back-up plan. According to the National Safety Council, motor vehicle accidents in which someone is injured occur every 14 seconds. Having coverage to pay for injuries in an accident is a good idea, especially for motorcycle riders.
Some things you may not have thought about that can affect the rates you pay for your motorcycle insurance:
  • How you drive a car usually indicates how you'll drive a motorcycle. Bad history of driving a car and your motorcycle insurance rates will be higher. If you have tickets on your driving record, get them cleared if you can.
  • How long you've been driving a car can also affect your motorcycle rates. Less experienced drivers tend to have more accidents. In fact, if you've just gotten your driving license, you may want to wait a couple of years before getting a motorcycle.
  • A lot of motorcycle riders only ride their bikes for six to nine months out of the year. If you store your bike for an extended period (at least three months), ask about a seasonal motorcycle insurance policy. There's no point in paying for a year's worth of insurance when you're only using your bike part of the year.
In addition, insuring your motorcycle on your car insurance policy can sometimes help lower your premiums. It really depends on your car insurance coverage, the coverage you need for your motorcycle and your insurance company.

Shop around first. Compare plans and prices for both separate insurance and combining your motorcycle insurance and car insurance. If you have more than one motorcycle, then insuring all your motorcycles on one policy will usually get you a multiple vehicle discount with most insurance companies.

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Answer Financial(R) Inc. offers insurance products and services through its licensed affiliates Insurance Answer Center(R) Inc. (California License No. 0B99714), Answer Center Insurance Agency, Inc., and other affiliates. Answer Financial is not an insurance company. Insurance plans and services are from insurance companies and other licensed insurance-related providers. Not all products available in all states. Rates subject to change.
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