How to insure a motorcycle for the first time

A car policy does not cover a motorcycle. Personal auto policies define a covered auto in a way that excludes vehicles with fewer than four wheels, so a new rider needs a motorcycle policy, usually from a carrier that writes both lines. The policy looks like an auto policy on the declarations page, with liability, uninsured motorist, medical and physical damage coverages, but the weight of the decision is different. On a car, the largest risk is often the damage you do to others. On a motorcycle, it is also the injury you suffer yourself, because the rider has no structure around them.

Riding seasons shape the policy too. In Phoenix, Tucson and Las Vegas people ride year-round, while in northern Utah and much of Idaho the bike is often stored for months, and some carriers offer a lay-up option for that period. This guide covers the first policy step by step.

What to gather

Have these ready before requesting quotes.

• The motorcycle's year, make, model, engine size and VIN, and the purchase price.
• A list of any aftermarket parts, such as exhaust, seats, lighting or saddlebags, with receipts.
• Your motorcycle licence or endorsement, or learner permit, and the date it was issued.
• Proof of a completed rider safety course, if you took one.
• Your auto declarations page, since insuring both with one carrier often earns a discount and the auto liability limits are a useful reference.
• The lender's insurance requirements if the bike is financed.
• Where the motorcycle will be kept overnight: a locked garage, a carport or the street.

Step one: set liability and uninsured motorist limits

Bodily injury and property damage liability pay for injuries and damage you cause to others. Each state sets minimum limits, and those minimums are low relative to what a serious crash can cost. Set the motorcycle's liability limits in line with the auto policy, and if you have an umbrella, confirm it recognises the motorcycle and that the motorcycle policy meets its required underlying limits; some umbrellas exclude motorcycles unless they are disclosed.

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage deserves more attention on a motorcycle than on a car. Many motorcycle crashes involve another vehicle turning across the rider's path, and when that driver carries minimum limits or none, this coverage is what pays for the rider's own injuries. Choose limits at least as high as the liability limits where the carrier allows.

Step two: choose medical and passenger coverage

Medical payments coverage pays the rider's medical bills after a crash regardless of fault, up to a modest limit. In Arizona, Nevada and Idaho it is optional, and it is worth carrying even with good health insurance because it pays deductibles and copays quickly. In Utah, personal injury protection rules for motorcycles are not the same as for cars, so ask the carrier exactly what injury benefit applies to the rider under the Utah policy.

If you will carry passengers, read how the policy treats them. Some motorcycle policies limit or exclude liability for injuries to a passenger, and some charge for guest passenger liability as a separate coverage. A passenger hurt on your bike is most likely to be a spouse, partner or friend, which is exactly when the coverage matters.

Step three: insure the motorcycle itself

Collision pays for damage from a crash or a drop, and comprehensive covers theft, fire, vandalism, hail and animal strikes. A lender will require both. On an owned bike, weigh the premium against the bike's value; theft is a real risk for motorcycles, so comprehensive often stays even where collision is dropped.

Most motorcycle policies pay actual cash value on a total loss, which reflects depreciation. Aftermarket parts and equipment are often covered only up to a small sublimit unless you add custom parts and equipment coverage, and riding gear such as helmets and jackets may need its own coverage too. For a custom-built or collectible motorcycle, an agreed value policy fixes the payout in advance instead.

Step four: find the discounts that apply to new riders

New riders pay more because they crash more often in the first years. These factors can offset part of that.

• A rider safety course, which many carriers reward and some require for new riders.
• Insuring the motorcycle with the same carrier as the car or home.
• A lower-powered first motorcycle, since engine size and sport classification affect the premium.
• Anti-theft devices and garage storage.
• Membership in a recognised riders' association, where a carrier offers it.
• A lay-up or seasonal option in colder regions, which keeps comprehensive but suspends collision and liability while the bike is stored. Do not ride during lay-up.

Common mistakes

First-time riders tend to make these errors.

• Assuming the car policy covers the motorcycle.
• Choosing state minimum liability because the bike was inexpensive.
• Carrying low uninsured motorist limits when the rider's own injuries are the largest risk.
• Adding aftermarket parts without scheduling them.
• Letting a friend with no motorcycle endorsement ride the bike.
• Riding during a lay-up period.

A worked example

Suppose a new rider in Tucson buys a used motorcycle for $8,000 and adds $2,000 of saddlebags and a custom seat. His first quote, with low liability limits, no uninsured motorist coverage and no custom equipment, is $500 a year. A driver without insurance turns left across his path; he has $40,000 of medical bills and the bike is a total loss. Under that quote he would recover nothing for his injuries from his own policy, and nothing for the $2,000 of accessories beyond a small sublimit. Now suppose instead he took a rider safety course, set liability and uninsured motorist limits at $100,000 per person, added $5,000 of medical payments and $3,000 of custom equipment coverage, and paid $850 a year. His own carrier pays toward his injuries up to those limits and pays for the bike and the accessories less his deductible. The figures are hypothetical; the uninsured motorist limit made the largest difference.

How to use this

Before you ride home, send us the bike's details and your auto declarations page. We will quote the motorcycle across the carriers we represent in Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Idaho, set its limits against your auto and any umbrella, and flag passenger and custom parts coverage. If your auto carrier writes motorcycles on terms that fit, keeping both there may be the simplest answer.