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Motorcycle Insurance
Choose protection for your motorcycle and the risks you face on the road, from daily commutes to weekend rides.
- In short
- Liability addresses harm you cause others. Collision and comprehensive address different kinds of damage to your motorcycle.
- Who or what is protected
- Covered riders, people you injure, and property you damage; the bike, accessories, and riding gear only as the selected coverages provide.
- Where it stops
- Your own injuries are not paid by your liability coverage. Racing, excluded uses, wear, and mechanical breakdown need particular attention.
Separate the rider, the passenger, and the bike
Responsibility to others
- Bodily injury and property damage liability
- May pay damages you are legally responsible for after a covered accident, with defense as the policy provides. State requirements differ; legal minimums are not a measure of a serious injury claim.
- Guest passenger liability
- Ask whether injuries to a passenger are included in bodily injury liability or require a separate selection. Do not assume every motorcycle policy treats passengers alike.
Your injuries and property
- Collision
- Damage to your bike from a collision with another vehicle or object, subject to the deductible and terms.
- Comprehensive
- Commonly theft, fire, vandalism, weather, and animal strikes, subject to the deductible and exclusions.
- UM/UIM and medical payments
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may address injuries caused by an inadequately insured driver. Medical payments may help with covered rider and passenger medical bills regardless of fault. Availability, required offers, and eligibility vary by state.
The bike’s value is not the whole inventory
These are separate questions, even when an insurer packages some of the coverages together.
| What to identify | What to confirm | |
|---|---|---|
| Stock motorcycle | Year, model, VIN, condition, and financing | Actual cash value or a different settlement method; deductible and lender requirements |
| Custom parts and accessories | Exhaust, saddlebags, added chrome, seat, and other modifications | Included allowance, purchased additional limit, and documentation needed |
| Riding apparel | Helmet, jacket, boots, and protective equipment | Whether apparel is covered, for which losses, and up to what limit |
| Carried belongings | Phone, luggage, and camping gear | Whether a contents option is needed; how another household policy might apply |
Scroll sideways to compare all columns.
A turn goes wrong with a passenger aboard
Hypothetical and for illustration. Whether a real loss is covered depends on the facts and the policy.
- What happens
You lose control on a curve, hit a guardrail and injure both yourself and your passenger. The motorcycle and your helmets are damaged.
- Which part is relevant
Collision may address the bike. Liability may address the passenger’s claim if you are legally responsible and passenger liability is included. Your own liability coverage does not pay your injuries; medical payments or other applicable injury coverage is a separate question.
- What could change the outcome
- Passenger coverage and any exclusions in the actual form
- Whether medical payments or another injury coverage was selected and who qualifies
- The collision deductible and bike valuation
- Whether damaged helmets or custom equipment have their own coverage and limit
What changes the quote—and what must be disclosed
- Bike and rider
- Engine size and motorcycle type, value, rider experience, driving and claims history, and garaging location can affect price. Compare the same limits and deductibles, not just the premium.
- Use and storage
- Explain commuting, pleasure riding, seasonal storage, and travel plans. Before reducing coverage for winter, ask what remains for theft, fire or an unexpected ride, and whether a lender requires continuous coverage.
- Special uses
- Track days, racing, business use, delivery, rentals, and off-road use need explicit discussion. A street-bike policy does not establish coverage for every activity or vehicle.
- Options and discounts
- Ask about safety-course or multi-policy discounts, towing suitable for a motorcycle, and trip-interruption terms. Discounts and options are not universal. A higher deductible may reduce premium but increases your share of a covered loss.
- Additional liability
- An umbrella may sit above an eligible motorcycle liability policy, but the umbrella insurer must accept the bike and required underlying limits.
What an agent can do
This information is educational, not an offer of coverage.
Start by asking which options are available for your situation. An agent can explain policy wording and help you weigh limits and deductibles. Coverage, price, and eligibility depend on the insurer, your details, and your state.
Questions people ask
Does my car insurance cover my motorcycle?
Do not assume so. A motorcycle is a different vehicle exposure and ordinarily needs motorcycle coverage. Ask the insurer to identify the covered vehicle and applicable form rather than relying on the fact that you already insure a car.
Is my passenger automatically covered?
Not in every situation. Guest passenger liability can be included or separately offered depending on the state and policy. Medical payments and UM/UIM have different triggers. Ask the agent to explain each one for both you and a passenger.
Does adding custom parts increase my insured value?
Not automatically. An included accessories limit may be less than the amount you have spent. Report modifications, keep receipts and photos, and confirm whether additional coverage changes the limit or the settlement method.
Can I cancel coverage while the bike is stored?
Storage does not eliminate theft, fire or other losses. Cancellation can also conflict with financing or registration requirements. Ask which storage arrangements the insurer offers and what would happen if you decided to ride during that period.
Talk through motorcycle insurance with an agent
Bring your questions and the list above. We will explain the options and the wording in plain language.