Cheap motorbike insurance
Whether you use your motorbike all year round or just a few months of the year, we’ve compared the cost of motorcycle insurance from more than 20 providers to help you get the best and cheapest deals.
- What does motorbike insurance cover?
- How much does motorbike insurance cost?
- How to get cheap motorbike insurance
- How much does motorbike insurance cost for fast food delivery drivers?
What does motorbike insurance cover?
Motorbike insurance covers injury or damage to other people and their property as a bare minimum. There are three types of motorbike insurance, the same as other motor insurances:
Third party: The very basic level of insurance required by law protecting injury to other people and damage to their property but no protection against the policy holder. This is not necessarily the cheapest option.
Third party, fire and theft: As well as third party, this covers the policy holder's motorbike if it is damaged in a fire or stolen, but not if it is in a crash.
Comprehensive: The highest level of cover, featuring protection for both you and third parties who are injured or have property damaged in accidents as well as fire and theft. It includes paying for a replacement bike for the policy holder if it is written off.
Extra motorbike insurance cover
You may have to pay extra for a policy that allows you to carry passengers on your motorbike, or to be able to ride other people's motorbikes. Not all policies allow this so check the policy documents.
Additional motorbike insurance cover includes:
- Pillion cover (taking a passenger)
- Breakdown cover
- Foreign driving
- Personal accident cover (providing financial help to your or your family in the event of death, permanent disability, loss of limbs)
- Helmet and leathers (for if they are damaged in an accident)
- Legal expenses
How much does motorbike insurance cost?
Motorbike insurance costs depend on a number of circumstances such as:
- Age of the motorbike rider
- How long they have had their motorbike licence
- Engine size and other bike specifications
- Value of the bike
- Security such as an alarm or immobiliser
- Address
- Job
- Number of years of no claims
- If the rider is taking passengers.
Young motorcycle riders with powerful bikes can be the most expensive to insure as they are classed as high risk.
A large percentage of the motorbike insurance quote is dependent on the size of engine. We looked at quotes for three different bikes using the most popular small, mid-range and large engine models according to data from the Motor Cycle Industry Association, for January 2023. These were:
- Yamaha NMAX 125 (2020 scooter, worth £3,000)
- Royal Enfield Hunter 350 (2022, worth £4,000)
- BMW R 1250 GS Adventure (2020, worth £16,000)
Our bike does not have an alarm, tagging device or brake disc locks (these can all reduce the cost of the premium but we wanted to assess a basic bike) It is a 2020 model, kept in a locked garage. The driver is a 40-year-old teacher who lives in Essex and also drives a car, with a full UK motorcycle licence they’ve had for 10 years. They do not have any riding qualifications, have not had any accidents, claims or convictions for the last five years, and ride 3,000 miles a year without any passengers.
|
Yamaha NMAX 125 |
Royal Enfield HNTR 350 |
BMW R 1250 GS Adventure |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Cheapest comprehensive |
£90 |
£81 |
£258 |
|
Cheapest Third party, fire, theft |
£68 |
£60 |
£265 |
|
Cheapest third party |
£81 |
£67 |
£140 |
|
Average comprehensive |
£150 |
£126.60 |
£322 |
|
Average Third party, fire, theft |
£114 |
£100 |
£739 |
|
Average third party |
£122 |
£108 |
£272 |
These quotes are very basic, and when adding on legal assistance, helmet and leathers, personal accident and breakdown cover the average price can increase by about £100. There will also be additional costs for pillion cover (taking a passenger).
How to get cheap motorbike insurance
Get a DSA certificate: Discounts can be offered to riders with a Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency certificate of competence.
Ride an older motorbike: Brand new bikes are more likely to get stolen, so are more expensive to insure. A bike a few years old tends to have a cheaper premium.
Storage: Having somewhere secure to store a motorcycle is one of the best ways to reduce the cost of motorbike insurance. The best option is to keep your motorbike in a garage at home. But if that's not possible the second best option is to store it in a rented lock up within a mile of your home.
Extra security: A recurring theme of cheap motorbike insurance is reducing the threat of the bike being stolen. Adding an alarm, locks, a tracker or immobiliser are all steps that can lead to a discount. A Thatcham-approved device may require a certificate of proof.
Compare quotes: The easiest way to get cheap motorbike insurance is to compare quotes online. Our partners at QuoteZone have access to more than 25 providers to find cheap quotes and there is even the chance to earn cashback and rewards. Buying online can also mean you see cheaper policies than if you bought your policy over the phone as the insurer is having to pay someone to speak to you.
Mileage: The more miles a motorbike has on the clock, the more likely it is to break down. Plus the more miles you plan to ride, the higher the risk of you being in an accident. Lower mileage equals cheaper insurance, although brand new bikes are also more expensive to insure over a bike a few years old.
No claims bonus: Having a number of years of no claims can drastically bring down a motorbike insurance quote.
Voluntary excess: This is the excess you agree to pay before the insurance company steps in to meet the rest of the claim. A higher voluntary excess will save the insurance company money so they may offer a cheaper deal.
Pay annually: Monthly payments can add hundreds of pounds onto the cost of motorbike insurance. Paying for the year up front is the cheapest way to buy motorcycle insurance.
How much does motorbike insurance cost for fast food delivery drivers?
Motorbike insurance for fast food delivery drivers is a bit more complicated than just buying cover for your motorcycle. The law stipulates all delivery drivers have hire and reward insurance, whether you’re carrying food or parcels. This is not the same as taking out regular motorbike insurance with 'business use' stipulated.
Hire and reward insurance has the same levels of cover as regular motorbike insurance (third party, third party fire and theft, comprehensive) but it can be more expensive as it takes into account the higher risks that come with being a delivery driver.
Hire and reward insurance can be bought as a top-up to an existing motorbike insurance policy (if your insurer provides it), or as a standalone policy. Some who do not do delivery driving often choose to take out a pay as you go style top-up which can be applied to the minute from just one hour.
Public liability insurance is also available for motorbike food delivery drivers. This business insurance protects against damage to someone else's property, or injury to them. Some fast food delivery companies such as Deliveroo provide this for their drivers, but others such as JustEat and UberEats require drivers to take out their own public liability insurance. If you're employed at a restaurant or takeaway, their public liability insurance may already cover you.
You’ll often see fast food delivery drivers on mopeds rather than motorbikes as these are cheaper to insure and run.
Courier insurance is cheapest for motorbike riders, followed by car drivers then vans. Courier insurance for vans is substantially more expensive, due to the likelihood these drivers will be travelling further miles with expensive goods, compared with a motorcyclist who will most likely be carrying low-value items.
The cost can vary quite a lot due to a number of factors such as items being moved, miles driven, hours on the road and value of vehicle. For that reason, courier insurance providers will provide bespoke quotes which can be generated via our partners at Quotezone.
Disclaimer: This information is intended for editorial purposes only and not intended as a recommendation or financial advice.