Guide to Motorcycle Insurance Quotes

If your thinking about getting a motorcycle or scooter, then you also need to be thinking about getting motorcycle insurance quotes.  Motorcycle insurance costs are based on the type of coverage you have to have by law based on where you live, plus other factors discussed below.

To get the best motorcycle insurance quotes, of course you will probably want to shop around some.  Before you begin, it would be wise to have some things written down and have ready provide to whether you are getting motorcycle insurance quotes online or by telephone.  Also, if you have taken a motorcycle course for safety and riding skills, such as from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, then you might be able to get an additional discount by proving that.

Below are some typical questions you’ll need to be ready to answer:

• Do you have a motorcycle license?

• How long have you been riding motorcycles for?

• What year, make and model of motorcycle do you plan to insure?

• What size engine does your motorcycle have?

• What is the motorcycle VIN number?

Getting motorcycle insurance quotes online is a very convenient way to gather quotes.  It’s a good idea to first check with the insurance company you are already using for your car and/or house.  Doing so may allow you to take advantage of a likely discount for having those other policies with them.

Some of the popular big companies that can provide an online motorcycle insurance quote are Progressive, Geico, Nationwide, and Allstate.  There are several others worth checking out too.

Motorcycle insurance policies will typically provide you with coverage similar to this example.  This will vary according to the rules in the state or the country that you live in, so again, this is ONLY an example.  The amounts beyond the minimum are up to you or your agreement with your lender.

1.)  GENERAL POLICY Coverage:

• Combined Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist:  could have limits like $100,000 each person and $300,000 each accident or higher.  This is probably not going to cost you a lot, maybe 10-20% of the entire policy cost.
• Uninsured Motorist Property Damage: could have limit such as $100,000 each accident.  A deductible might apply here, but the premium for this can be quite small anyway.

2.)  LIABILITY Coverage:  It’s possible that this portion could cost about 1/3 or more of the entire cost of the policy.

• Bodily Injury Liability: may use limits such as of $100,000 each person and $300,000 each accident.
• Property Damage Liability: example limit of $100,000 each accident.

3.)  OTHER THAN Collision:  Pick a deductible amount that you will be responsible for paying to help lower the premium cost, but be sure you can actually pay that deductible in case something were to happen.  Cost for this might be about 10-20% of the policy cost.

4.)  COLLISION:  Pick a deductible amount as mentioned above.  Plan on having to pay for collision coverage if you are paying on a loan for your motorcycle.  The cost for collision coverage varies quite a bit depending on what you are riding, but to be conservative (or perhaps realistic), estimate about 1/2 the cost of the policy to be just for this.

5.)  CUSTOM PARTS and Equipment.  Some motorcycle insurance companies will cover up to a certain value amount included in your Other Than Collision or Collision premium, such as $1,000, otherwise you may need to specify what you added and how much it cost.  It’s possible that they might not insure some or all of the custom motorcycle accessories that you have added.

So, those are the basic items in a motorcycle insurance policy.  The willingness of insurance companies to quote and the costs quotes can be based on the type of motorcycle you choose and the experience you have.  Imagine a teenager that does not have a motorcycle license yet, but is trying to check motorcycle insurance rates for a large displacement superbike.  If a company is even willing to give a motorcycle insurance quote in that situation, it’s not hard to imagine that the annual premium will cost plenty.

Harley Davidson motorcycle insurance might cost a little more than motor scooter insurance, but that could depend more on whether the Harley owner has a lien on the title or not.  And it’s not just Harley Davidson motorcycles, it’s any motorcycle really.  Collision coverage is usually a must when the bike owner borrowed from a bank or other lending company to pay for it.  This is a little something to keep in mind when you are deciding to buy a new motorcycle that you have to borrow for, or a used one that you can pay in full for.

If you select the bare minimum amount, only as required by law, you better make sure your you have a good lawyer that can give you legal advice in case of an accident.  Motorcycle accidents are on the rise as the number of motorcycles and scooters on the road are increasing.  When you are seeking out motorcycle insurance quotes, it’s a very good idea to get the proper coverage for your situation rather than skimp.