Whether you ride to work every day or only go dirt biking on the weekends, you can find a motorcycle insurance policy to suit your needs.
Are you looking to insure your motorbike, moped or scooter? Compare a range of motorcycle insurance brands and policies find the policy that is right for you.
This article discusses what to look for in a policy, how to get a quote, how to make a claim on your policy, and how premiums work.
Compare motorcycle insurance policies from Australian brands
What insurance options do I have?
Like car insurance, motorcycle insurance generally comes in three forms: comprehensive, third party fire and theft, and third party property online. The best motorcycle insurance policy for you depends on how you use your motorcycle.
Each policy typically covers the following, however this may differ between insurers:
| Accidental Damage |
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| Intentional Damage |
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| Storm or Flood |
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| Fire |
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| Theft |
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| Earthquake |
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| Emergency Accommodation Transport and Repairs |
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| Legal Liability |
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| Towing Cost |
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| Locks and Keys |
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| Riding Gear |
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| Personalised Registration Plates |
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| Maritime Liability |
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What affects my motorcycle insurance premiums?
- The value of your bike. Newer, more expensive and more powerful bikes will usually cost more to insure than older, cheaper and less powerful models. Consider how much your bike will cost to insure before you lay down your hard earned cash to buy your motorcycle insurance.
- Your claim history. The longer you have a policy without making a claim, the greater the no claim discount you will receive from your motorcycle insurance provider. This can help you save on your premiums.
- Your age. Riders under the age of 25 are much more costly than older drivers. So, if you're over 25 you may wish to consider whether it’s worth adding an under 25 rider to your motorcycle insurance policy. Specifying that no one under 25 will be riding your bike might save you a lot of money.
- Modifications. In some cases, modifications to your bike can help you save on premiums, such as if you add a security system to deter thieves. However, if your bike undergoes performance enhancements to make it faster or more powerful, you can expect your premiums to go up.
- How much you ride. You can save money by finding motorcycle insurance that allows you to only pay for cover for the kilometres you ride. Make sure not to over or underestimate your annual mileage when purchasing cover.
- Where you keep your bike. Keeping your bike in a secure, locked garage (or car hold) whenever it isn’t being ridden it will lower your premiums. If your bike is left parked on the street you can expect to pay more for your motorcycle insurance.
- Your excess option. You can opt to pay a higher excess in return for a lower premium.
- Your level of cover. If you need to be covered for more risks under a comprehensive policy, your premiums will obviously be higher.
What else should I be looking for in a policy?
Consider the extras available in a policy. These additional benefits may be available to you based on the specific policy and level of cover you have. Always check the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before going ahead with cover. Some extras may include:
- Helmet cover. For safety reasons if you crack your helmet in an accident you can't use it again. Helmet cover helps offset the price of purchasing a new one.
- Riding gear and bags. You can only get cover for these if you take out this additional extra.
- Replacement for bikes less than two years old that are written off
- Tools. Cover for the tools of the trade if your bike is a business vehicle
- Hire car. Cover for a hire car after your bike has been stolen
- Personal items. You can get covered for the theft or damge of personal items and trailers
- Windscreen damage
I'm new to motorcycles - what insurance options do I have?
As a young or inexperienced driver, it's an unfortunate reality that you will have to pay more on your premiums. However, there are some ways to help reduce your premiums. Choose a bike with a less powerful engine. Larger and more powerful engines are more expensive to insure.
If you keep your bike in a garage and have good security measures in place, your premium may be reduced. This is because it reduces the likelihood of your bike getting damaged. If you can, try to avoid accidents to build up a no-claim history.
What about scooter and moped insurance?
Moped insurance and scooter insurance are widely available. Motorbike insurance premiums are determined by the vehicle’s engine capacity, so as less powerful vehicles mopeds and motor scooters enjoy lower insurance premiums than higher end machines.
Is my scooter or moped less than 225cc?
Mopeds typically have a very low engine capacity, and are almost always less than 225cc, while most but not all scooters are.
225cc and under is the lightest class of motorcycles, and simply falling into this category as a moped or scooter will lower your insurance premiums with standard motorcycle insurance. Compare scooter insurance policies by knowing what kind of engine it has.
How does pillion cover work?
The pillion is a motorcycle’s passenger seat. Motorcycle insurance for pillion passengers used to be included as standard on all motorbike insurance policies, but not anymore. Times have changed, so you must check the fine print of your policy to see how passengers are protected.
If you choose not to get pillion cover but are involved in an incident while carrying a passenger, you could risk voiding your policy altogether. The vast majority of insurers will offer pillion cover as an extra on their motorcycle insurance policies, with the price you’ll have to pay typically being influenced by factors such as your age, riding experience and the type of bike you own.
How are my bike insurance premiums calculated?
Different insurers will use different factors when determining premiums. Generally all of these factors might be considered to determine motorbike insurance quotes.
- What is your claims history like? If you’ve made a claim on your motorcycle insurance in the past, insurers will classify you as posing an increased likelihood of making a future claim. This will drive your premiums up. On the flip-side, a no claims bonus can help lower the cost of cover significantly.
- Who rides your bike? If you’re an experienced rider with an unblemished claims history and you’re the only person riding your bike, the cost of your cover should stay low. But if you want your motorcycle insurance policy to also cover a 22-year-old rider with a speeding conviction and several previous insurance claims, expect your premiums to skyrocket.
- Do you have a clean riding history? If you’ve got a long string of speeding and traffic offences, insurers will see you as posing a high level of risk and will increase your motorcycle insurance premiums.
- Where do you live? If you live in a high crime area the likelihood of your bike being stolen increases. This will be reflected in the cost of your motorbike insurance premiums, as will whether or not you keep your bike safely garaged overnight.
- Are there any security systems installed on your bike? Bikes with alarm systems or immobilisers are less likely to be stolen, which means you can save on your motorcycle insurance premiums.
- What kind of bike do you ride? If your bike is expensive and/or high powered, expect it to cost more to insure than cheaper, less powerful models.
- How much do you ride? The fewer kilometres you ride, the lower your motorcycle insurance premiums.
Still have questions? The answer may be here ...
Q. What are the main types of motorcycle insurance available?
A. You can choose from Comprehensive, Third Party Fire and Theft, and Third Party Only motorcycle insurance. Specialist policies are also available for vintage bikes, mopeds and scooters.
Q. When will I have to pay an excess?
A. You will usually have to pay an excess when you make a claim. While a standard excess applies, a range of other excesses may apply depending on your motorbike insurance policy and who is insured.
There are four different types of excess that may be available:
- Age – If a rider under 25 is riding your bike at the time of an incident.
- Inexperienced – If a rider who has had their license under one year is riding your bike at the time of the incident.
- Standard – All claims unless specified otherwise.
- Voluntary – If you choose voluntary excess reduction. This excess replaces the standard excess.
Q. Do I need to list all of the regular riders of my motorcycle insurance policy?
A. Yes, this is crucial as it will impact your premium and could also influence an insurer’s decision on whether or not to offer you cover.
Q. How do I pay for my motorbike insurance?
A. Many insurers will offer you payment options to suit your budget. You can typically pay for your cover with a lump sum, or spread payments out monthly or even fortnightly to make them more affordable.
Q. I’ve been in an accident – what should I do?
A. First of all, make sure that everyone is safe and call 000 if required. Next, exchange details, registration and licence information with all other drivers involved. You should also get the details of any witnesses and take photos of the accident scene if possible. Never admit any liability and contact your motorcycle insurance provider as soon as possible, and inform them of what has happened.
Q. I use my motorcycle for business purposes – can I get cover?
A. Yes you can, but you’ll need to inform your insurer exactly how your bike will be used before you can be approved for cover.
Q. What is a No Claim Bonus?
A. A No Claim Bonus is a discount off your motorcycle insurance premium, which acts as a reward for your good driving. Each year when you renew your policy, your discount increases each year you don't make a claim that affects your No Claims Bonus. This bonus continues to increase until you hit the maximum bonus.
what is lowest premium for my third party insurance for my eterno scooter
Hi Hanumant,
Thanks for getting in touch. finder.com.au is a comparison service and does not currently have the facilities in place to provide quotes for motorcycle insurance.
All the best,
Richard