What Types of Motorcycle Insurance Are There?

When you purchase a motorcycle, you’re probably thinking about the feeling of freedom you’ll get while riding; the sensation of leaning into a turn, the wind rushing past you and the roar of the engine beneath you. What you’re probably not thinking about  … is insuring your bike.

And yet, this should be the first thing you get when you take your bike off the dealership lot or away from your transaction with the former owner. Insuring your motorcycle isn’t just a good idea - it’s mandatory in most states, with levels of minimum coverage mandated depending on where you are before you’re allowed to register your bike. And, like with most other vehicles, if you’re leasing or taking out a loan, you’ll need to insure it until it belongs to you - not the bank.

While we’re not going to try to keep up with who requires exactly what coverage, we can give you some basics on the types of motorcycle insurance on the market, whether you’ve bought a cute scooter or moped, a brand new race bike, a vintage cafe racer or a WWII era Harley.

Some options are better than others depending on your bike - so let’s find out which choice is right for you:

Motorcycle Insurance for A New Motorcycle, Scooter or Moped

By and large, standard insurance companies will be able to provide coverage for most motorcycles. If you’ve purchased an insurance policy for a car or truck, you’ll be familiar with the options here as well: Liability, Uninsured/underinsured motorist, collision/comprehensive, medical and personal injury can all be acquired for your motorcycle.

You should also ask about special discounts for motorcycles, including training course discounts and “layup periods,” where your premiums drop during times when the bike can’t be ridden. Your coverage level will change as well, but if the bike is “laid up” for the winter it’s not a big concern.

Can I get special insurance for my classic or custom motorcycle?

You sure can! For those of us who prefer a more seasoned ride, or have been enjoying putting miles behind them on the same bike for a decade or more, your collectible bike may be eligible for special coverage from Hagerty. If your motorcycle was built in 1996 or older (some newer bikes may also be eligible), if you are older than 26 years old and you meet some minimum value requirements, we may be able to write you a special policy for your special bike.

Our fair-value policies don’t change value as time goes on, our policies allow for plenty of miles per year on your bike and we offer special discounts for bike club memberships. If you have a claim, we’ll even allow you to choose your preferred motorcycle shop - or do the work yourself.

What about motorcycle insurance for my racing bike?

Absolutely! Racing bikes are another special class of cycle - they may spend just a few hours on the track per year, but their value doesn’t change if they’re on the trailer, in the garage or tearing around the curves at a high incline. Our special Limited Trailer and Paddock coverage takes care of your race bike when it’s at the shop, in transit or threatened by natural disasters (or even unnatural ones, like theft).