Do you need to buy bike insurance? This guide will help you make sense of some jargon you will come across when trying to find cheap bike insurance. You may have a large tourer bike like a Harley Davidson or Honda Goldwing or a powerful superbike such as a Ducati 1198 or Honda Fireblade. Whichever motorbike you own this guide will provide you with some insights into how motorbike insurance works.

What is a motorbike insurance policy?

An insurance policy is an agreement between you and an insurance provider like Hastings Direct or ebike insurance. This agreement is binding and in return for you paying the provider a premium they cover you against various circumstances, such as for example fire and theft.

What type of bike insurance do I need?

By law in the UK if you use your bike on public roads you must have at least third party insurance. This insures you against damaging a third party’s property. Lots of bikers buy third party bike insurance because it is cheaper and can help keep premiums down, especially if you own an expensive Ducati or Harley Davidson. In most cases fire and theft is also provided. However, this kind of policy does not cover damage to your own property. So if you have a crash you will have to pay for the damage yourself.

If you want to cover yourself for damage against your own bike you need to take out fully comprehensive bike insurance, which is usually more expensive. In this case it is not uncommon to agree to pay for the first £200 or so, which can reduce your premium. This is known as excess.

It doesn’t matter whether you are buying Ducati bike insurance or Harley bike insurance the documents you legally need to cover yourself will be the same. A cover note is a temporary letter which is given to you when you first take out insurance. This letter does not outline in detail the terms of your cover, but basically proves you have insurance should you be stopped by the police or have an accident. You will also be given by your UK bike insurance provider a certificate of insurance. This is a very important document as this is the official proof of your insurance policy. You will also use your certificate to obtain road tax for your motorbike.

Other documents include a policy schedule which details your coverage. An endorsement form which outlines modifications made to your policy applicable to you personally. You will also be given standard terms and conditions from your provider.

Buying bike insurance can be very complicated and it pays to shop around and compare bike insurance cover.

Guest Article by Carlan Li

The F 800 R, K 1300 or the R 1200 GS, whichever model you own specialist BMW bike insurance is essential for powerful bikes. There are a number of specialist UK bike insurance providers, but essentially the amount you pay for your bike insurance will be down to who you buy it from, your experience as a rider, riding history and how powerful your bike is.

Guest Article by Carlan Li

If you want to find cheap bike insurance there are a number of tips you can use to help reduce your premiums without sacrificing cover. It does not matter if you own a Ducati 1198, Honda Goldwing or Harley Davidson motorbike there are precautions you can take to obtain cheaper biker insurance.

Most of the top insurers will give you a discount if you cap your annual mileage. This is because your insurance provider will see it as less risky to insure your bike. If however you like to take long rides on your BMW or Honda tourer you may see it as a small price to pay to enjoy the open road.

Need a cheap bike insurance quote?

In the UK if you can fit an alarm, immobiliser or keep your bike in a garage it is possible to greatly reduce the cost of your policy. The benefits of doing this are clear; additional pre-cautions against theft and damage can help reduce the chance you will need to make a claim and consequently reduce your premium.

Similar to car insurance older bikers tend to receive cheaper motorbike insurance. This is because they make fewer claims and cost insurance companies less. Obviously this is out of your control. But if you are under 25 you may want to opt for a less powerful bike and hold off buying your first Yamaha or Aprilia racer until you build up your no claims history.

Often insurance cover for classic bikes such as Triumphs, Vespas and old Piaggio scooters can be surprisingly expensive. In this instance it pays to use providers who also specialise in classic bike insurance like Swinton Bikes or ebike insurance. These companies often offer better rates than other companies who perhaps have less experience in this area of cover.

You can also obtain cheap bike insurance by simply not claiming. The more years you don’t claim the less risky you are perceived to be. Also don’t be afraid to test the market. You can save hundreds by shopping around when your insurance is up for renewal. However, this does not mean you have to trawl the net looking for the best cover for your new tourer, scooter or super motorbike you can simply fill out our Buyability bike insurance form to receive the best quotes from all the top insurers, it’s as simple as that.

As well as the above tips there are a number of less obvious ways in which you can reduce the cost of cover. These include taking an advanced bike riding course by Bikesafe, which in some cases can actually reduce the cost of cover by 10%. You can also add a voluntary excess to your policy which can also reduce the amount you have to pay.

Guest Article by Carlan Li