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Younger riders are seen as a higher risk to motorbike insurance providers, so if you’re under 25 expect higher than average premiums
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1 Accurate as of February 2024
Yes, if you have a motorbike then you are legally required to have at least third-party insurance in place in order for it to be road-legal. You’ll only be exempt from requiring insurance if your motorbike is declared off-road with a Statutory Off-Road Notice.
If you ride your motorbike without insurance you run the risk of a £300 fine, as well as at least six points on your licence and potentially disqualification from riding. The police could also seize your motorbike, moped, or scooter and have it destroyed - so it’s best to ensure you have the right cover in place.
Like car insurance, you can take out motorbike insurance in three different levels:
Third-party motorbike insurance is the minimum amount of cover you can legally take out for your bike, and it only covers injury to others and damage to their vehicles and property. Your own bike won’t be covered against loss, theft, or damage with third party cover.
Third-party, fire and theft policies are the next level up for bikers, adding cover for your own bike if it’s stolen or damaged by fire - but it still won’t cover you if you’re at fault in a road incident
The most advanced level of cover available, a fully comprehensive motorbike insurance policy offers all of the above, as well as damages to your own bike if you cause a road incident, and often a replacement bike if yours is a write-off
While fully comprehensive motorbike insurance policies offer the most extensive of the three options discussed above, most providers offer extras that you can use to bolster your cover. Some of the following may be included as standard with some providers, but it’s always important to check what you’ll covered for before taking out a policy.
When you compare policies with MoneySuperMarket and our partner Vast Visibility, you’ll be able to look for providers that specifically offer:
This covers you for riding with passengers, and you’ll need to have a full motorbike, scooter, or moped licence in order to legally carry a passenger riding pillion
Legal protection covers the cost of legal fees you might face as a result of a motorbike incident or insurance claim when chasing other parties for compensation as a biker
Though you can take out breakdown cover separately, some providers offer it as an add-on - it ensures you have access to roadside assistance should your bike break down
If you’re injured or killed as a result of a motorbike incident and a claim can’t be made from a third party, a personal accident policy will pay out a lump sum in compensation
This offers extra cover if your helmet or riding leathers are damaged, lost or stolen
This adds cover for riding with a sidecar and passenger alongside your bike
If you’re at fault for damage or injury to a third-party, this will cover any compensation you’re required to pay
Key cover insures you against replacing your motorbike keys if yours are lost or stolen
If you top up your bike with the wrong type of fuel, you’ll be able to claim for the cost of repairs
There are a range of factors that affect the total cost you’ll pay when covering your motorbike, so your overall cost will depend on:
Younger riders are seen as a higher risk to motorbike insurance providers, so if you’re under 25 expect higher than average premiums
If you’ve not been riding for long, or you’ve got points on your licence or any driving convictions, this will likely raise your policy cost
The make, model, and engine size of your motorbike can all influence the cost of your motorbike insurance quote - generally speaking, bigger and more powerful bikes are pricier to insure. Electric bikes and classic motorcycles may also cost a little extra
Social use policies are often cheaper than motorbike insurance that covers you to ride your bike for commuting or business reasons, while you’ll need extra cover for things like track days
The general rule of thumb is the more you drive, the likelier you are to be involved in a road incident - as such your bike insurance policy will be higher
Keeping your bike in a garage rather than on the street, as well as securing it with locks, trackers and alarms, can help reduce your insurance quote
Some modifications are likely to increase your insurance as they also increase the repair/replacement cost of your bike, however others such as security modifications may get you cheaper insurance cover
Volunteering a higher excess if given the option can bring your premiums down, as it indicates to insurers that you’re less likely to make a claim
This is for illustrative purposes only. If your circumstances and cover needs differ, your quote may be more or less expensive than the above example. Quote taken 11.03.2024.
Learn more about our full methodology here.
We understand that everyone is different; you may be an experienced rider with several years of no claims or you might be looking for motorbike insurance for young riders. Whatever your requirements, our bike insurance comparison tool can help you find a deal that suits you.
By spending just a couple of minutes using our service, you could significantly reduce the price of your annual bike insurance premium. Comparing prices and levels of cover from different providers gives you that all-important perspective you need to know you’re getting a good deal.
All you have to do is provide us with answers to some simple questions and we will provide you with a range of prices from some of the UK’s leading motorcycle insurance providers.
Depending on how you use your motorcycle, you’ll need to take out a certain type of motorbike insurance to cover your specific usage:
Social: Social use means you’ll ride your motorbike for private use only
Social and commuting: Social and commuting includes cover for social use as well as commuting to and from one place of work
Business use for you: This business policy covers you, and only you, to use your motorbike for business reasons, such as riding to multiple places of work or travelling to meet clients, as well as social use
Business use for you and a named rider: This offers the same cover as above, but allows for another person to ride your bike for the same reasons
Delivery use: Delivery use specifically insurers you to carry and delivery low-cost items like takeaway food or parcels
Anyone who rides a motorcycle can benefit from the following ways to get cheaper cover, but it’s especially important for younger or more inexperienced riders who often face higher-than-average premiums:
If you can keep your bike stored in a locked garage, or at least secure it with Thatcham-approved alarms and locks, this reduces the risk of it being stolen. A such, insurers will often reward you with a discount
Stripping away extras you don’t necessarily need, like cover for helmet and leathers, can help reduce the cost further
Avoid buying a bike that has been modified and don’t modify your own as it is likely to increase the price of insurance unless related to improving security
If you can reduce your estimated mileage while still being honest, your insurer is likely to charge less in premiums as your risk factor will drop
Picking smaller motorbikes with less powerful engines are seen as a lower risk of being involved in an incident, and they’re often cheaper to buy and repair
Fully comprehensive motorbike insurance policies are generally the cheapest going, as well as offering the best coverage
If you can avoid making claims on your policy - for example, by paying for minor repairs yourself - then you can build up a no-claims discount
Covering the entire cost of your annual motorbike insurance policy up front often works out cheaper than spreading it over 12 monthly instalments
If you plan on paying your motorbike insurance monthly, then your insurance provider will perform a ‘hard’ credit check. A low credit score can increase your premiums. You can keep an eye on your credit score with our Credit Monitor tool
Just as with car insurance, you must take out insurance if you’re to ride your motorbike on the road. But you also don’t want to pay over the odds, which is why we’ll compare quotes from the top insurance providers from across the market to bring you the best deal possible.
MoneySuperMarket has won the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, an independent seal of excellence, which recognises businesses that consistently deliver a world-class customer experience.
Comparing motorbike insurance quotes with MoneySuperMarket is the easiest way to find affordable cover for your motorbike. All you need to do is:
We’ll need details like your age, occupation, location, as well as information about your bike including its make, model and engine size
You’ll be able to compare deals from the biggest providers on the market by their overall cost, the level cover you’ll get, and any extras that might be available
Once you’ve found the deal you want, just click through to your chosen provider to finalise your purchase
Keep up to date and find out all you need to know with our latest guides.
CBT stands for compulsory basic training, and it refers to a course you must take before riding a motorbike or moped legally on UK roads. It’s valid for two years after completing it, and it qualifies you to ride a moped if you’re 16 and over, or a motorcycle up to 125cc and 11kW if you’re 17 and over.
16-year-olds can ride mopeds and scooters if they have passed their compulsory basic training (CBT), but it is limited to 49cc and a maximum speed of 28mph. You won’t be able to carry passengers or drive on motorways, and you must always have L-plates on display.
Some providers may include cover for some modifications but not all, while others may only offer cover as an additional option. However you can also look for specialist insurers to cover your powered two-wheeler if you need to.
Adding ‘bling’ to your bike can usually be covered. But any modifications that increase the power or speed or your motorbike will be considered a higher risk factor and will probably bump up your premium.
Depending on the provider you choose and the policy you take out, you may or may not be covered for things such as punctures and tyre/wheel damage. You should always read the provider’s policy documents before taking out a deal so you know what their insurance deal covers.
Some insurers offer ride-any-bike policies as part of their motorcycle insurance – which will cover you for when you want to borrow a friend’s two-wheeler. But you are likely to be covered for third-party only damage. If you crash your mate’s motorbike, you will have to pay for its repairs.
Many insurers will let you add additional drivers to your policy, though it can often lead to an increase in premium costs.
Whether you’ll be covered if you have passengers – known as pillion cover – will depend on your insurer and the policies you’ve taken out. However it also depends on if your motorcycle licence allows you to carry passengers.
If you commit not to carrying pillion passengers you might get a discount.
Some insurers offer the option for a brand new replacement if your motorbike, scooter or moped is written off, though this is likely to increase your premium costs. It will only apply if you have a new, or recently purchased, bike.
You’ll often have to take out an additional agreed value policy for your insurer to pay out for this amount, otherwise there is generally a set limit on how much they will cover you for.
This generally depends on both the insurer and the extent of the write off. For write off categories A (scrap) and B (break) the motorcycle is not allowed to be put into circulation again.
The rules are less strict for categories S (structurally damaged repairable) and N (non-structurally damaged repairable). Some insurers may allow you to buy back the bike, or parts of it, under certain conditions, while others may not.
In most cases you won’t be able to transfer a no-claims bonus from your car to your bike, however some insurers may allow this – it’s best to check first before assuming either way.
If you only ride your bike for part of the year, such as only in the summer, you may only need to insure it for the time you’re riding it.
However, when not using your motorbike, you’ll need to take out a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) from the DVLA, which allows you to keep the bike off road without insurance.
You can insure imported motorcycles, so long as the bike is registered in the UK. If the bike wasn’t produced for sale in the UK, it is categorised as an imported motorcycle, and you might need to take out specialist cover as not all insurers offer policies for imported motorbikes.
A standard motorcycle insurance policy includes cover for driving in Europe as standard. However, your policy may limit the cover available to you. The pay-outs may be reduced when you make a claim abroad or your cover may be time limited.
Depending on your provider, you may have options to extend your policy’s cover outside of the UK to cover more of what you need. Check your policy documents or contact your chosen insurance provider for further details.
Depending on your policy and provider, you may have the option to add protection for your no-claims bonus to your motorbike insurance policy. This extra cover will allow you to make claims on your insurance policy up to a certain amount without it affecting your no-claims bonus.
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