As with other forms
of vehicle insurance, the best way to ensure a good deal on motorcycle insurance
is by shopping around. Especially so when motorcycle insurance quotes can differ
so widely from company to company.
Part of the reason
for variance in insurance quotes is the divergent methods used to classify
motorcycles into insurance groups.
Whereas the
Association of British Insurers (ABI) car insurance groups are accepted
industry-wide, a much looser categorization of motorcycles has emerged. Thus
it’s possible for motorcyles insurance companies to place one model of
motorcycle into a variety of insurance group bandings. The higher the motorcycle
insurance group - and there’s anything between 17 and 22 - the higher the
insurance quote. The need to shop around is consequently most heavily underlined
for the riders of high performance machines. For when you get into the 700cc
plus zone, it’s here the largest price differences in motorcycle insurance
quotes will be felt.
In addition to
engine capacity, motorcycle insurance companies take a whole raft of other
factors into account when calculating a quote. Greatest weight is given to age
and experience, including those of any other riders using the motorcycle.
But what may have a
bigger bearing on motorcycle insurance premiums soon is not so much the
absolutes of age and experience, but the continuity of bike riding. With so many
‘born again bikers’ appearing on the road, and coming a cropper, it won’t
long before motorcyle insurance companies start paying much closer attention to
when the experience was gained. For what seems to be catching out a lot of the
mid-life crisis motorcyclists is the advance of technology. Today’s motorbikes
are more powerful and a far cry from those machines that were in common useage
ten or twenty years ago.
After age and
experience another big factor in motorcycle insurance is security. Wheel away
motorcycle thefts are spiralling, leaving the insurers counting the cost. But
not for long, the pain has shifted onto customers in the form of higher
premiums. The worst of motorcycle premium pain can often be relieved by securely
garaging vehicles overnight, particularly in high risk areas. Fitting a Thatcham-approved
security system with an immobiliser is normally a smart move, too, depending on
the value and thief appeal of a motorcycle.
What significance a
motorcycle insurance company attaches to an insurance-reducing technique is
naturally subject to the individual circumstances of the client. Most companies
will be prepared to discuss with customers ways to cut their motorcycle
insurance bill, for example, by reducing the number of named drivers or
restricting annual mileage.
Ultimately, no-one
wants to pay more than they have to for motorcycle insurance. But if you don’t
ask, you don’t get!
Other types of vehicle insurance - Taxi Insurance - Van Insurance - Motorcycle Insurance
FAQ's -
What are car insurance groups?
Aren’t all car insurance companies the same?
Is buying car insurance online really a good idea?
What do I need to know before comparing car insurance quotes?