Our top tips for getting a cheaper motorbike insurance quote
Shop around for the best quote
Shopping around will increase your chances of saving yourself some hard earned money. The
insurance market is extremely competitive and it is always worth looking around for a
better deal.
The easiest way to do this is to use an insurance comparison site like Gocompare.com. Instead
of repeating your details again and again on the phone or having to input them into lots of
different websites, you just fill in one form and Gocompare.com will show you prices and policy
benefits from the leading motorbike insurance companies. You can then choose the policy that
is right for you and buy it then and there.
Alternatively you can phone individual insurance companies and speak to one of their sales team,
or visit individual insurance websites and get quotes from their online systems. If you prefer
a more traditional way of buying your insurance, you can visit a branch of a broker or insurance
company on the high street and talk to someone face to face.
Choose a smaller, older or less expensive bike
A motorbike with a less powerful engine will reduce your insurance premium, as will an older,
less expensive bike as repair and replacement costs are lower.
Avoid modified bikes
If you want to keep your insurance costs down, don't buy a bike that has lots of modifications on
it. Insurance companies charge more to insure them as they are more likely to be stolen and it
is expensive to replace the modified parts.
Limit your mileage
You are likely to get a discount from your insurance company if you do less mileage. You are seen
as less of a risk to them as you are not on the road as much.
Improve your bike's security
Make sure your motorbike has a good security system, a Thatcham approved electronic alarm and
immobiliser should have an impact on your premium.
Park in a secure area
If your bike is kept locked up in a garage overnight or is stored off the road on a driveway,
this should impact on the cost of your policy.
Consider who rides your bike
The price of your insurance can be affected by who is insured to ride your motorbike. A young
inexperienced rider will mean an increase whereas an older rider with a clean licence should
be a cheaper option.
Motorbike use
The more you use your bike, the more expensive your insurance will be. If you just use it to go
on social trips and for everyday things such as shopping and visiting friends as opposed to using
it to visit different places for work, your insurance company will see you as less of a risk of
making a claim and this may have an impact on your premium.
Is the cheapest quote automatically the best?
As with most things in life, you get what you pay for with insurance. Buying the cheapest policy
can sometimes mean you don't get all the benefits normally associated with a motorbike insurance
policy. Some insurance companies offer 'stripped down' policies (they have less cover than a
normal policy) which are cheaper but do not give you the same amount of protection as a
conventional policy.
For example if you have an accident and your motorbike needs to be repaired, it might be essential
that you have a replacement bike to get to work while the repairs are being done. A stripped down
policy may not cover this, so you should to work out exactly what cover you need and check to see
which policies offer what you need.
At Gocompare.com you can decide what extra cover you want to during the quote process, and we'll show
you which policies have the cover you need as well as which are the cheapest, leaving you to decide
the best option.
Why has the price increased?
There are a number of reasons why the price of your motorbike insurance might have gone up including
external factors like the economic climate as well as more personal reasons to you such as having made
a claim on your policy or getting a motoring conviction.
If you've managed not to have any accidents or claims in the past year, kept the same address, the
same motorbike, or made any reportable changes to your insurance details, you'd think the cost of
your insurance would remain the same as what you paid last year, or even be lower if you have gained
another year's no claims discount. However your renewal premium could have increased because of a
rise in the costs insurance companies are paying out for claims, or your insurer has changed its
target market.
If you want a lower premium you'll need to shop around. With Gocompare.com you can scan the majority
of the market in seconds to find a cheap motorbike insurance quote that's just right for you, and
choose the level of cover you need. Best of all we are open 365 day a year, 24 hours a day and we'll
save your quotes so you can take out your insurance when you're ready.
Motorbike history
Before you buy a motorbike, it may be worth running a history check on it. Although there are a number
of reputable services out in the market, one of the better known check providers is
HPI check†.
HPI have been checking the histories of used vehicles for years and have helped a vast number of
people avoid buying motorbikes that have been stolen, clocked, written-off, or that have unpaid
finance against them.
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