UK Bike insurance tips for your road trip

There are plenty of essentials to remember when hitting the road on your bike - but one that is often overlooked is bike insurance
Motorcycle Insurance is different in some important ways to Car Insurance, whether you're travelling at home or abroad, bike insurance is a necessity - here we look at how it works and the different policies available.

Why do you need bike insurance?

If you already have Car Insurance , you will be quite familiar broadly with what Bike insurance is designed to cover the costs of any riding related damages and injuries and is actually a legal necessity in the UK.
Premiums will differ widely between insurers however, based on their assessment of the risk you pose - i.e. how likely you are to make a claim. This can be influenced by a number of factors such as: your riding history, including whether you have made prior claims; your annual mileage; your personal circumstances, such as if you are married or in full-time employment; your address, i.e. whether or not you live in an area with a high rate of crime or traffic accidents; and the bike itself, such as its performance capabilities.
When applying for bike insurance it's vital to be honest with an insurer or you run the risk of having a claim thrown out and a policy negated.

So what different types of bike insurance are there?

Broadly there are three types of bike insurance available:

Third party only: This incorporates liability for damages or injuries to a third party, as well as damage to their property.

Third party fire and theft: As with third party only cover, plus protection for your own bike against theft, damage from an attempted theft and fire damage.

Comprehensive cover: Third party fire and theft cover plus you can make claims for damage to your own bike, subject to policy exclusions. Comprehensive policies can vary widely between providers and could include features such as medical expenses cover, accidental damage cover and more.

What cover options should you look for?

Remember that the more cover you take out, the more your insurance is likely to cost - but obviously to make the policy suitable for your needs you'll need to be insured against certain risks. Some features may be available as "standard", meaning they are automatically included in the policy; while others are "optional extras" for which you pay an additional premium.

For example, if you’re keen to travel on European roads you should ensure you are suitably protected. Most insurance certificates give you a basic level of protection on European roads - however, if you have comprehensive cover at home you’ll need to check with the individual insurer to see if you get the same standard of cover in Europe as you might be downgraded to third party cover while overseas.

In addition, look out for the following policy options:

Breakdown cover: Some insurance policies include breakdown cover so you don’t need to buy it from a specialist breakdown company. Check to see what is included however, such as home starts, onward travel and European cover.

Cover to ride other bikes: You may be allowed to ride other motorbikes with the owner's permission in emergency situations.

Legal protection: This covers the legal costs following an accident where a third party was at fault.

Are there any catches?

When taking out bike insurance you should read the policy terms and conditions carefully and look out for "exclusions" - these are circumstances in which your normal level of cover will not apply.

Also watch out for:

Excess: This is your contribution towards a claim and is typically divided into a ‘compulsory excess’ set by the insurer and a ‘voluntary excess’, which is an additional amount you agree to pay from the outset in case a claim is ever necessary. Increasing a voluntary excess can lower premiums but be careful not to set it at a level you can’t afford.

No-claims discount: This is effectively a reward for every year you don’t make an insurance claim and could be worth as much as 60 per cent off your premiums after four or more years. However, unless you have no-claims discount protection, your no-claims discount will be affected for every claim you make on a policy whether you were at fault or not if the insurance company can’t recover its costs.

Tips to drive bike insurance down

Bike insurance is an essential but that doesn’t mean you have to pay over the odds for it. There are ways to bring your premiums down including:

Avoid theft: Park your bike in a locked garage overnight and fit a good security system to limit the risk of theft.

Choose a suitable bike: Insurers will typically charge more if you ride a bike with high performance capabilities or a newer, more expensive bike.

Limit mileage: The fewer miles you travel, the less likely you are to be involved in an accident.

Ride safely: Build up a no-claims discount and avoid accidents and convictions to keep premiums low.

Pay annually: Pay premiums upfront to avoid monthly interest charges.