You wouldn’t hit the road in Australia without insurance. However, when people go overseas they throw caution to the wind and do things they normally wouldn't. One such activity is riding a scooter or motorcycle uninsured. If you’re involved in an accident overseas and you're uninsured, you could be facing a massive medical, hospital and possible evacuation bill, plus a bill for the damage to the motorcycle as well.

This article looks at why motorcycle travel insurance is needed overseas, what levels of cover are available and what is and is not covered in a normal travel insurance policy.

Which travel insurance brands cover overseas motorcycle use?

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Brand	Max engine size of motorbike	Apply
1cover	50cc	More info
American Express	200cc	More info
Budget Direct	125cc	More info
Columbus Direct	125cc. Cover is available for unlimited engine size with the Sports/Adventure Pack add on	More info
fastcover	50cc	Get quote
InsureandGo	125cc	Get quote
itrek	50cc	More info
Tick	125cc	Get quote
Travel Insurance Saver	250cc	More info
Travel Insuranz	Limit not specified in the product disclosure statement (PDS)	Get quote
Virgin	250cc	More info
World Care	250cc	More info
Zoom	Under 50cc: You must hold a current Australian driver's licence or driver's licence valid for the country you are riding in. Over 50cc: You must hold a current Australian motorcycle licence or motorcycle licence valid for the country you are riding in.	More info

Brand	Max engine size of Motorbike
1300 travel insurance	250cc
1Cover	50cc
AAMI	200cc
AHM Travel Insurance	200cc
AIG	126cc
Allianz	250cc
American Express	200cc
ANZ	100cc
Aussie	Limit not specified in the product disclosure statement (PDS)
Australia Post	200cc
Australian Seniors	200cc
Australian Unity	250cc
Bank of Melbourne	250cc
Big Sky	Limit not specified in the product disclosure statement (PDS)
Budget Direct	125cc
Bupa	Limit not specified in the product disclosure statement (PDS)
CGU	Limit not specified in the product disclosure statement (PDS)
Chi	Limit not specified in the product disclosure statement (PDS)
Chubb	200cc
Columbus Direct	Over 250cc with the Sports/Adventure Pack A
Commonwealth Bank	250cc
Cota	Limit not specified in the product disclosure statement (PDS)
Cua Travel Insurance	250cc
Downunder	Limit not specified in the product disclosure statement (PDS)
Fast Cover	50cc
GIO	200cc
Go insurance	125cc
HIF Travel Insurance	200cc
HSBC Travel Insurance	50 cc
Insure4Less	Limit not specified in the product disclosure statement (PDS)
InsureandGo	125cc
itrek	50cc
Medibank	200cc
Multitrip	125cc
MyCover	250cc
NAB	50cc
National Seniors	Limit not specified in the product disclosure statement (PDS)
NIB	Limit not specified in the product disclosure statement (PDS)
NoWorries Travel Insurance	125cc
NRMA Travel Insurance	200cc
Online Travel Insurance	250cc
Ouch	100cc
OverSixty Travel Insurance	250cc
Professionals Travel Cover	50cc
QBE	250cc
RAC	50cc
RACV	50cc
SGIO	200cc
Skiinsurance.com.au	50cc
Southern Cross	200cc
St George Travel Insurance	250cc
Suncorp	Limit not specified in the product disclosure statement (PDS)
SureSave	Limit not specified in the product disclosure statement (PDS)
Teachers Health	250cc
Tick Travel	125cc
Travel Insurance Direct	Limit not specified in the product disclosure statement (PDS)
Travel Insurance Saver	250cc
Travel with Jane	50cc
Virgin Money	250cc
Webjet	250cc
Westpac	250cc
Woolworths	50cc
WorldCare	250cc
Zoom	50cc

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Who needs travel insurance for motorcycles?

Basically, anyone who rides on a motorcycle or moped overseas needs motorcycle travel insurance. That includes the person in charge of the motorcycle and any passengers they carry as well. They need cover for medical expenses above all else, as the greatest danger with riding overseas is having an accident and not having health insurance.

Countries like the USA charge thousands of dollars a day for hospital and medical treatment, so if you’re planning to ride down Route 66, make sure you’ve got motorcycle travel insurance before you head off.

What does motorcycle travel insurance cover?

Most travel insurance policies that cover you when riding a motorcycle abroad will only provide medical and hospital cover in the event of an accident and only if the motorcycle is under a certain horsepower (usually no more than 125cc). They will also only cover you for just a few days, so if you are planning an extended motorcycle tour, you will need to take out more comprehensive cover.

What are the different levels of cover?

There are several different levels of cover provided by motorcycle travel insurance. These include:

• No cover. Some travel insurance policies refuse to cover you under any circumstances.
• Limited cover. As mentioned previously, many policies cover you if the motorcycle is low powered, but only for medical and hospital cover and only for a few days.
• Dedicated cover. Provides cover for motorcycles over 125cc and for longer periods, but still only for hospital and medical cover in the event of an accident.
• Comprehensive cover. For a higher premium, you can purchase comprehensive cover, which includes bikes of any size, whether they belong to you or to someone else, for both on- and off-road use and including loss or damage to belongings, panniers or riding gear and cover for pillion passengers as well.

Like any insurance, the level of cover you opt for will depend on the amount of riding you intend to do and how much you are prepared to pay.

When am I not covered?

Common exclusions pertaining to motorcycle travel insurance include:

• No cover if you were racing, riding whilst intoxicated, under the influence of drugs or behaving recklessly in any way.
• No cover if you were not wearing a helmet. Even though not all countries require a helmet to be worn, it is a prerequisite in most motorcycle travel insurance policies.
• No cover if you were not licensed. That means licensed to ride the same sized motorcycle in Australia and in the country you are visiting.
• No cover if the accident occurs due to your negligence, inattention or lack of knowledge of the road rules that apply in the country you are visiting.
• No liability cover for injuring someone or causing property damage while in charge of the motorcycle.
• No cover for theft or criminal damage of the motorcycle.
• No cover for the insurance excess if you are hiring the motorcycle.

Am I covered for motor scooters?

Whether it’s a motorcycle, motor scooter or moped, if it has 2 wheels and you plan to ride it while you are on holiday overseas, you will need to make sure you have travel insurance to cover you in the event of an accident. Insurers regard motor scooters in the same light as motorcycles and will only cover you for injuries sustained in an accident under the following conditions:

• The motorcycle or motor scooter must be under a certain horsepower (usually 125cc), unless you have arranged cover for a larger bike.
• You must hold a valid licence to ride it (either a licence to ride an equivalent machine in Australia or a local licence in the case of countries such as Cambodia and Vietnam).
• The accident must not be the result of your racing, reckless or inattentive behaviour, lack of knowledge of local road rules or riding under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Am I covered for quad biking?

A quad bike is another form of motorbike that is popular to ride while holidaying overseas. It too is subject to the rules of motorcycle riding when it comes to travel insurance in that:

• You must be licensed to ride it (which will depend on the laws of the country).
• You must be wearing a helmet.
• You must not be racing or driving recklessly.
• You must not be using it in a professional capacity, for example participating in a professional sport or paid activity.

As with motorcycle insurance, you will only be covered for injuries sustained in an accident, not for damage to the quad bike, injury to other persons or damage to third party property.

• Quad biking safety

  The following tips can help keep you safe while quad biking and avoid being involved in a quad bike accident:

  • Make sure you know how to ride it (get some instruction or read the operator’s manual).
  • Make sure the bike is in a safe condition to ride (properly maintained).
  • Tell someone where you are going before you leave and when you plan to return.
  • Always wear a helmet and protective clothing such as gloves, boots, goggles and long sleeves.
  • Stick to familiar paths and avoid riding on rough terrain or steep slopes.
  • Never ride under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
  • Don’t carry passengers on a single-person bike.
  • Supervise children around bikes at all times.
  • Carry a radio or mobile phone with you in case of emergencies.

Tips for popular motorcycle destinations

It’s important to take your holiday destination and planned activities into account when considering motorcycle travel insurance. If you are just going to Bali and only planning to hire a scooter for a day, then your normal travel insurance policy may be all you need (as long as you are licensed and riding legally). But if you are taking a road trip across the USA, some additional motorcycle insurance will obviously be required.

Rules that typically apply to motorcycles in SE Asia include:

• If you have a valid Australian motorcycle licence, an International Driver’s Permit is acceptable in Bali, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia, but not in Vietnam.
• In Vietnam, you need a temporary Vietnamese driver’s licence (requiring you to have a 3-month residency visa) in order to ride any motorcycle over 50cc capacity.
• While it is not compulsory for some locals to wear helmets in Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia and Bali, the police will enforce this rule for visitors.

Whichever country you visit, you should observe the following safety tips when riding abroad:

• Always wear a helmet, whether it is the law or not.
• Always wear leathers, long pants, gloves and boots to protect exposed skin, even in hot climates.
• Stay alert to what is going on around you at all times and make allowances for other drivers, particularly when the road rules are different from what you are used to.
• Know where you are going. Planning your route will reduce the likelihood of unforeseen circumstances.

Travel insurance for backpackers

Motorcycle travel insurance is particularly useful for backpackers because a motorcycle is often an integral part of their travel arrangements. If not riding one, a backpacker is often a pillion passenger on a motorcycle or scooter, in both cases, motorcycle travel insurance is required.

The whole notion of backpacking revolves around cheap travel and seeing the country from a local’s point of view, so motorcycles and scooters are naturally going to feature heavily with backpackers who visit most SE Asian countries, as well as European countries like Italy and France.

Backpacker travel insurance that focuses less on trip cancellation and loss of luggage and more on medical and hospital expenses, including those incurred due to a motorcycle accident, would therefore be a much better investment.

How do I make sure I can claim if I am in a motorcycle accident?

Most travel insurance policies that cover motorcycles use almost the same wording in their product disclosure statements (PDS):

No cover is provided without a current Australian motorcycle licence or a current motorcycle licence that is valid for the country you are travelling in.

If you remember this above all else, you are half way to being fully covered, as insurers including Allianz, AIG, American Express, Budget Direct, Citibank, Cover-More and Virgin Money all say the same thing in no uncertain terms.

Follow these guidelines to ensure cover

• Wear a helmet and protective clothing.
• Know and obey the road rules of the country you are in.
• Make sure you are fully licensed to ride in the country you are in.
• If drunk, drugged or in doubt, take the bus.

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