Who has the best cheap motorcycle insurance?

Editorial team Published on

Dairyland and Progressive consistently offer the best and cheapest motorcycle insurance, with basic plans starting as low as $15 a month or $75 a year depending on your location and driving record.

Top Budget-Friendly Providers

  • Dairyland: Widely recognized as one of the best for pure affordability, offering basic policies starting around $15/month and special discounts for homeowners, club members (like H.O.G.), and safety course graduates.
  • Progressive: Rated best overall by major publications, offering plans starting around $75 a year with great built-in perks like complimentary custom parts/accessory coverage and accident forgiveness.
  • GEICO: Known for low rates and strong discounts tailored to mature or senior riders, safety course completions, and multi-bike policies.
  • VOOM: Best for low-mileage or seasonal riders, offering pay-per-mile specialty insurance that can cut costs by up to 60% if you don't ride frequently.

How to Maximize Your Savings

  • Take a safety course: Completing a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) course usually unlocks an instant discount.
  • Bundle policies: Insuring your home, car, and motorcycle with the same company (like Progressive or State Farm) lowers overall rates.
  • Maintain a clean record: Tickets and accidents drive rates up significantly; staying claim-free keeps Dairyland and others very cheap.
  • Opt for seasonal adjustments: If you own your bike outright, ask about adjusting coverage during winter "lay-up" periods.

Who has the lowest cost motorcycle insurance?

Progressive offers the lowest overall average cost for motorcycle insurance across both full coverage and liability-only policies.

Top Affordable Providers

  • Progressive: Wins as the most affordable overall provider, offering the cheapest rates in a majority of states and including $3,000 of complimentary accessory coverage.
  • Dairyland: Known for cheap basic coverage starting around $15 per month, with major discounts for homeowners and club members.
  • GEICO: Provides competitive rates alongside specialized savings like a 10% discount for riders aged 50 and older.
  • VOOM: Offers low-cost pay-per-mile options starting around $50 a year for riders who use their bikes infrequently.

Key Factors Affecting Cost

  • Coverage Type: Liability-only is cheaper but only covers damage or injuries you cause to others. Full coverage costs more but protects your bike and yourself.
  • Rider Profile: Age, driving history, and completion of a motorcycle safety course heavily influence your final rate.
  • Location: State requirements and local traffic/weather risks change what you pay.

How to get the cheapest motorbike insurance?

To get the cheapest motorbike insurance, compare multiple quotes across comparison platforms and choose fully comprehensive cover, which is often surprisingly cheaper than third-party-only options.

Compare and Pay

  • Shop around: Use comparison tools like MoneySuperMarket or GoCompare to check multiple providers instead of auto-renewing. You can also check dedicated brokers via The Bike Insurer. Look for cashback deals on specialized sites before buying.
  • Pay annually: Avoid monthly payment plans, which add interest and increase the overall cost.
  • Adjust your excess: Raise your voluntary excess (the amount you pay toward a claim) to lower your monthly or annual premium, but ensure you can still afford it if an incident occurs.

Choose the Right Policy and Bike

  • Select comprehensive cover: Insurers often view riders requesting basic third-party cover as higher risk, making fully comprehensive policies cheaper on median averages.
  • Pick a smaller engine: Lower-capacity bikes (like 50cc or 125cc scooters) sit in lower insurance groups and cost less to repair.
  • Avoid modifications: Custom parts raise your bike's value, performance, and repair cost, which drives up your price.
  • Be accurate with mileage: Estimate your annual mileage honestly; overestimating or underestimating can cause pricing or claim issues.

Secure Your Ride

  • Improve physical security: Store your motorbike in a locked garage overnight and use Thatcham-approved locks, alarms, or tracking devices to deter thieves and lower quotes.
  • Build a no-claims bonus: Safe riding without claims reduces your future premiums significantly over time. Opinions on Reddit's r/MotoUK are mixed regarding whether upgrading immediately from a CBT to a full license drops rates right away, but building a clean riding history helps long-term.

What is the average cost of motorcycle insurance?

The national average cost of motorcycle insurance ranges from $40 to $125 per month, or about $500 to $1,500 per year.

Cost by Coverage Level

  • Liability-only coverage: Costs about $12 to $50 per month ($200 to $500 per year).
  • Full coverage (liability, collision, and comprehensive): Costs about $50 to $250 per month ($900 to $1,500+ per year).

Key Cost Factors

  • Your age and experience: Riders under 25 or those with less than two years of experience pay much higher rates.
  • Type of motorcycle: Sport bikes and high-displacement engines (1000cc+) cost significantly more to insure than standard cruisers or smaller starter bikes.
  • Location: Urban areas with heavy traffic and high theft rates have higher rates than rural areas. States like Iowa often have the lowest averages, while states like Michigan tend to be higher.
  • Riding record: Clean driving records without tickets or accidents lower your overall price.

You can estimate personalized numbers or look into specific state data using the Riders Share Cost Estimator.

Is Progressive or GEICO better for motorcycle insurance?

Neither Progressive nor GEICO is universally "better" for motorcycle insurance, as which one wins depends on your specific bike, riding record, and coverage needs.

Progressive

  • Best for: Overall coverage, custom parts, and specialized features.
  • Key Advantages: Progressive is widely rated as the best overall motorcycle insurer. It typically includes automatic accessory coverage (usually around $3,000) with collision and comprehensive plans, and offers options like total loss replacement, OEM parts, and coverage for custom equipment.
  • Cost Factor: Can be pricier for some clean-record or standard riders, but often competitive or better for high-risk profiles.

GEICO

  • Best for: Basic liability and senior riders.
  • Key Advantages: GEICO is often noted for cheaper basic liability rates and offers specific perks like mature rider and helmet protection discounts. Many riders with clean driving histories find GEICO's base rates lower.
  • Cost Factor: Frequently cheaper for low-risk, standard profiles, but offers fewer specialized add-ons (like full replacement cost) compared to Progressive.

Direct Comparison

  • Rates: Rates vary dramatically by location, age, driving record, and the exact model of your motorcycle. Some riders save hundreds by choosing GEICO, while others find Progressive to be half the price.
  • Customization: Opinions on Reddit are mixed, but industry reviews (like those from U.S. News and CNBC Select) generally rank Progressive higher for specialized accessory and equipment coverage.

Cheap Motorcycle Insurance | 7 Ways To Get The Best Deal

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How to get lower motorcycle insurance?

You can lower your motorcycle insurance costs by reviewing options and applying for savings through providers like Progressive or Dairyland.

Adjust Your Coverage and Policy

  • Raise your deductible: Choosing a higher deductible lowers your monthly or annual payment.
  • Pay in full: Paying your entire annual premium at once helps you avoid installment fees and interest charges.
  • Bundle policies: Combine your motorcycle policy with auto, home, or renters insurance for a multi-policy discount.
  • Limit your annual mileage: Insure your bike for fewer miles if you only ride occasionally.

Improve Your Riding Profile and Training

  • Take a safety course: Complete an approved motorcycle safety or training course to earn an insurer discount.
  • Maintain a clean record: Avoid traffic violations, accidents, and claims to keep your rates low.
  • Get an endorsement: Ensure you have a valid motorcycle license or proper endorsement on your driver's license.

Choose and Secure Your Bike Wisely

  • Ride a smaller bike: Standard, commuter, or lower-displacement motorcycles are cheaper to insure than high-performance sport bikes.
  • Park in a secure location: Store your motorcycle in a locked garage or private driveway overnight instead of on the street.
  • Install anti-theft devices: Equip your bike with alarms, GPS trackers, or heavy-duty locks and report them to your insurance provider.

What is the 12 second rule for motorcycles?

The 12-second rule for motorcycles is a defensive riding technique that requires riders to constantly scan the road at least 12 seconds ahead of their current position to spot and react to potential hazards early.

Taught by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) as part of the broader 2-4-12 rule, this visual scanning habit helps prevent emergency maneuvers by giving your brain time to process dangers before they become critical.

The 2-4-12 Awareness Zones

  • 2-Second Zone: Your immediate reaction zone covering the road surface and traffic directly in front of you.
  • 4-Second Zone: Your immediate path awareness where you spot emerging obstacles, lane changes, or debris.
  • 12-Second Zone: Your long-range scan (roughly 528 feet at 30 mph or over 1,000 feet at 60 mph) used to anticipate upcoming intersections, brake lights, and merging traffic.

How to Practice the 12-Second Rule

  • Pick a landmark: Choose a fixed object or sign ahead on a familiar road and count "one thousand one, one thousand two..." up to 12. If you reach the object before 12 seconds, you are looking too close to your front tire.
  • Cycle your gaze: Move your eyes in layers—look out at the 12-second mark, check the 4-second zone, glance at the 2-second surface area, and return your focus back to the long-range 12-second horizon.
  • React early: Spotting trouble early lets you smoothly roll off the throttle, cover your brakes, or change lane position long before an emergency happens.

Which company is best for bike insurance?

Progressive is the best overall company for motorcycle insurance because it offers customizable policies, high accessory coverage limits, and accident forgiveness.

Because "bike" can mean a motorized motorcycle or a pedal bicycle/e-bike, the best insurance provider depends on what you ride.

Top Motorcycle Insurance Companies

  • Progressive: Best overall for motorcycles. It includes automatic accessory coverage and handles high-risk riders well.
  • State Farm: Best for different types of motorcycles and predictable rate-setting based on engine size rather than model claim history.
  • Geico: Best for senior riders and low average rates.
  • Harley-Davidson: Best for specialized discounts and new riders.
  • Dairyland: Best for basic, highly affordable liability coverage.

Top Bicycle and E-Bike Insurance Companies

  • BikeInsure: Best standalone coverage for bicycles and e-bikes. It is the official partner of USA Cycling and covers riding accidents, transit, and theft.
  • Velosurance: Best comprehensive multi-risk bicycle policy. It covers crash damage, theft, and adds cyclist liability and medical gap protection.

What are tricks to get cheaper insurance?

The quickest way to get cheaper insurance is to shop around and compare quotes from at least three different companies, as switching providers saves a median of $461 per year.

Adjust Your Policy and Coverage

  • Raise your deductible: Increasing your deductible from $200 to $500 or $1,000 can lower your collision and comprehensive costs by 15% to 40%.
  • Drop unnecessary coverage: Remove collision and comprehensive coverage on older cars if the annual premium is more than 10% of the car's actual cash value.
  • Avoid filing minor claims: Pay out-of-pocket for small, single-car fender benders to keep your driving record clean and prevent rate hikes.

Maximize Discounts

  • Bundle your policies: Combine your auto insurance with a homeowners or renters policy for savings up to 30%.
  • Opt for digital perks: Sign up for paperless billing and automatic monthly payments to shave a few percentage points off your bill.
  • Take a safety course: Complete an approved defensive driving course to earn a recurring 5% to 15% discount.
  • Enroll in telematics: Use safe-driving monitoring apps or plug-in devices if you are a low-mileage or cautious driver.

Optimize Timing and Driver Profile

  • Shop in advance: Request new quotes 24 to 28 days before your current policy expires; waiting until the last minute can significantly increase your rates.
  • Update your mileage: Report lower annual mileage if you drive less than 10,000 miles a year.
  • Improve your credit score: Pay down debts and monitor your credit report, as most insurers use credit-based scores to determine pricing.

For more detailed strategies, read the Consumer Reports Guide on Saving on Car Insurance or explore tips directly from Progressive.

How much is 1 day motorbike insurance?

One-day motorbike insurance typically costs between £15 and £30 per day, though premiums can start as low as £12 to £18 for low-risk riders and go upwards of £40+ for younger riders or high-performance superbikes.

Specialist brokers like Bikesure Short-Term Cover offer temporary motorcycle policies starting from £26.80.

Cost Factors

Your exact price depends heavily on several risk variables:

  • Rider Age & Experience: Riders under 25 face significantly higher temporary rates.
  • Engine Size & Bike Value: A 50cc moped or 125cc commuter scooter is drastically cheaper to temporarily insure than a 1000cc superbike.
  • Riding History: Clean licenses get the lowest rates, while active claims or points drive up the premium.

What is Usually Included?

Most temporary motorcycle insurance plans offer fully comprehensive cover as standard. This ensures that both you, the bike you are riding, and any third parties are completely covered in the event of an accident.

Quick Alternative Check

If you are buying a bike and need to ride it home, a 1-day policy is highly practical. However, if you plan to ride it frequently over a few months, check the math against an annual policy. The average annual motorcycle policy sits around £242, meaning buying daily insurance more than a handful of times quickly becomes the more expensive route.