Guide to
Motorcycle insurance
Type of policy:
There are two types of motorcycle insurance
policy.
The most common of these is a specified rider policy, which
covers the rider specifically, rather than the bike, and
allows your to ride any motorcycle up to a particular size.
The other type of policy insures a certain bike, not a rider.
Should you wish to insure multiple people on the same bike
this is a suitable policy.
Rider Schemes for motorcycle insurance
Some motorbike
insurers have introduced a 'rider' scheme where the insurance
is not tied to a specified machine.
The policy cover applies
to any motorcycle owned by the policyholder or hired to
him under a hire-purchase agreement and any other motorcycle
which is being driven by the policyholder with its owner's
permission.
It should be noted, however, that a motorcycle
owned by the policyholder's employer is not covered whilst
being used on that employer's business, nor is a motorcycle
not owned by the policyholder whilst being used for motor
trade purposes.
These are special and 'heavier' risks so
far as insurers are concerned and thus require individual
rating and assessment.
As the name of the scheme suggests,
the emphasis with the 'rider' plan is upon the insured himself
as a driver and not, necessarily, upon the machine he rides
and in this respect the scheme is something of a novel departure.
Moreover, a number of interesting situations may arise as
the result of the provision of insurance cover in this way.
For example, the 'rider' policy issued to the insured may
be on comprehensive conditions and one of the alternative
machines he rides with its owner's permission may ordinarily
be insured on only third party, fire and theft conditions.
In effect, therefore, the owner of the machine is being
given 'free' comprehensive cover whilst his friend or acquaintance,
who holds the 'rider' policy, is driving the motorcycle.
Again, the borrowed machine may be insured comprehensively
in its own right and is driven by the insured holding a
comprehensive 'rider' policy. In the event of an accident
causing loss of or damage to the borrowed motorcycle, there
would be dual insurance leading to a sharing of the cost
of the claim between the insurers involved.
Obviously, both
these special situations will have been taken into account
when the 'rider scheme' was devised and their potential
effect reflected in the premiums charged.
With the 'rider'
scheme, the policyholder selects from c.c. ranges of categories
or unlimited.
Where one of the limited categories is selected
the capacity specified will be incorporated into the policy
as the maximum size of motorcycle covered. Usually this
does not apply to the third party section in respect of
motorcycles which the policyholder does not own, that is
to say, third party cover will usually be provided in respect
of those other machines regardless of the capacity specified
in the insured's own policy. The word 'usually' is emphasised
because special attention must obviously be paid to younger
drivers insured under schemes such as this.
As has already
been suggested, a person capable of handling a 100cc moped
may not be capable of handling a 500cc motorcycle. And to
rule out any possibility of a young driver 'taking advantage'
of the third party section of his 'rider' policy to drive
a machine which he is completely unsuited to drive, most
insurers will not issue 'rider' policies to anybody under
a certain age, e.g. 21 or 23.
They will insist, instead,
upon issuing a traditional policy covering only the insured's
own machine until he or she reaches the requisite age.
Other
insurers who are prepared to issue a 'rider' policy irrespective
of the insured's age may set a limit to the engine capacity
of the other machines which the insured may drive, under
the third party section as well as under the other sections
of the policy.
Cover Conditions
Most motorcycle insurers impose certain conditions upon people
applying for motorcycle insurance online. Here are some examples
of which you should note:
You
are a UK resident, the registered keeper, and the main rider
of the motorcycle
Your motorcycle is registered and kept in Great Britain,
Isle of Man, and Channel Isles only
You and your riders are above 16 years of age, and below
85 years of age
You and your drivers must hold a current, valid driving
licence
You and your drivers have no illness or disability which
requires the DVLA to be notified
No rider has criminal convictions (other than motoring offences),
has never been refused insurance, or had any terms imposed
No rider has had more than 1 loss or claim in the last 4
years, and has had any motoring convictions in the last
5 years
No rider of your motorcycle has a driving occupation. E.g.
courier, or is a professional sports person, actor, actress,
or TV/radio presenter
Your motorcycle is not valued at over £16,000 (£10,000
if Third Party Fire and Theft cover required)
Your motorcycle is neither an insurance group 16 or 17 (we
cannot offer cover for these groups)
Your motorcycle must be full UK specification (including
imported vehicles)
Your motorcycle has not been modified, is less than 30 years
old, and is not an all terrain 3 or 4 wheel vehicle, kit
bike, car engine trike, de-restricted or registered for
off road usage
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