Compare motorbike insurance quotes

Motorbike insurance is a legal requirement for anyone riding a motorcycle, scooter or moped on the road. The legal minimum is third party insurance that protects you against any liabilities you may have if you cause an accident and damage another vehicle or injure another person. Some types of motorbike insurance will also cover you for the loss or damage of your bike.

If you ride any kind of motorbike – what the government now calls powered two-wheelers – without the correct insurance you are breaking the law and could face a fine, points on your licence, and you could even have your bike seized by the police.

Not all motorbike insurance policies are the same, and what’s covered will depend on the cover level you opt for. 

There are three different levels of motorcycle insurance available in the UK: 

You will also need to tell your insurer how you will use your motorcycle. The basic level of cover is Social, domestic and pleasure (SDP)

You can then add:

You will also need to say if you intend to carry a pillion passenger. This will increase your premium because your passenger is a third party, so if you come off and injure him or her, your insurer may have to pay any claims he or she makes.

You can get a motorbike insurance comparison by going online and putting in your details. It should only take a few minutes so long as you have your details - your motorbike model and make for example, to hand.

Third party insurance provides the basic motorcycle cover required by law and pays out for damage to someone else or their property if your bike is involved in an accident that is deemed your fault. However, it doesn't cover the cost of repairing or replacing your motorcycle.

Be aware that a pillion passenger on your motorcycle is a third party, so if you injure him or her your insurer may have to pay any claims he or she makes.

Third party, fire and theft insurance provides the same cover for your motorcycle as third party insurance, but in addition it covers the cost of repairing or replacing your bike if it's stolen, or damaged by fire.

Fully comprehensive insurance provides the same cover for your motorcycle as third party fire and theft insurance, but in addition it covers the cost of repairing or replacing your bike if you accidentally damage it. There may also be a range of add-ons available, such as covering damage to your helmet or motorcycle clothing.

Aside from the basic cover levels above, many policies include (or allow you to add) extra features. These can include cover for riding other bikes, riding abroad, breakdown assistance and cover for your helmet and leathers.

It’s important to note that while some insurance policies will include cover for pillion passengers, it’s not always included as standard. When running an insurance quote, you can choose whether to include cover for passengers. 

Opting not to include insurance for passengers could cut the cost of your cover, but be aware that it’s a legal requirement to have such cover whenever you carry another person on your bike.

You will need to tell your insurer how you use your motorbike. If you commute to work (or even to a station to get a train to work) you’ll need to add commuter cover to the standard social, domestic and pleasure cover. 

If you ride to more than one office or to different locations you need business use. You will need to tell your insurer what job you do and what kind of business use you need – and you will only be insured for what you have said so you need to tell them if you change job or get a second occupation.

You will also need to say how much of your motorcycle riding will be for business rather than pleasure and provide an estimate of how many miles a year you will ride.

If you need to use your motorcycle to work as a courier, you will need a specialist courier insurance policy.

Lots of bikers like to add little personalisation to their bikes and insurers understand this. Most will accept a few minor cosmetic changes and straight replacement parts or tyres, but if you change the engine set-up and exhaust and get your bike dyno jetted, increasing its power, expect to pay more.

Your insurance premium will depend mostly on your age (insurance tends to be more expensive for younger riders), the make and model of bike, the power and capacity of your motorbike's engine and the area where you live.

You might find a smaller, lighter bike actually increases your motorcycle insurance premiums because it is easier to steal and often more popular with young tearaways.

Insurance companies will take your experience on the road into account too, including previous accidents, claims and road traffic convictions — it’s important to declare these whether they occurred on your motorbike or another vehicle, such as a car or van.

As is the case with most insurance policies, your motorbike insurer will expect you to pay the first part of any claim — this is called a compulsory excess. The amount will depend on the individual policy (this will be listed in your quote).

Many insurers will also include a voluntary excess, which you can amend yourself. You may be able to reduce the cost of your motorbike insurance by paying a higher voluntary excess on top of the compulsory excess. 

Generally speaking, the more you agree to pay in excess, the cheaper your premium will be. It's important to remember, though, that you will need to pay this amount in the event of a claim.

Motorbike insurance, like car and van insurance, builds up a no claims discount for every full year you are insured but do not claim. But most insurers consider motorbike and car no claims as entirely separate and will not transfer or give credit for one to another. It’s worth declaring it in case they make a mistake though.