Why Getting a Motorcycle Insurance Quote Matters Before You Ride
A motorcycle insurance quote is the first step to protecting yourself, your bike, and your wallet. Here’s what you need to know:
Quick Answer: What You Need for a Motorcycle Insurance Quote
- Personal information: Name, address, date of birth, driver’s license number
- Motorcycle details: Make, model, year, and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Riding habits: Annual mileage, storage location, and intended use
- Coverage preferences: Desired liability limits, deductibles, and optional coverages
- Discount qualifications: Safety course completion, multi-policy bundling, rider group memberships
Getting a quote isn’t just about price—it’s about understanding your coverage. In most states, including Florida, Virginia, Georgia, and the Carolinas, motorcycle insurance is legally required. Riding without it can lead to fines, license suspension, or financial ruin after an accident.
The cost of motorcycle insurance varies widely based on your age, bike type, driving record, and location. A young rider on a sport bike in Atlanta will pay significantly more than a mature rider with a clean record on a cruiser in rural Virginia. Because rates differ so much between carriers, comparing multiple quotes is the smartest move you can make.
I’m D.J. Hearsey, founder and CEO of Select Insurance Group. For over 30 years, I’ve helped riders across the Southeast find affordable, comprehensive coverage by shopping across more than 40 carriers. Understanding how to get the right motorcycle insurance quote will save you money and provide peace of mind on every ride.
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Understanding Your Motorcycle Insurance Needs
Before you head out, it’s crucial to understand your insurance needs. This is the foundation for getting an accurate motorcycle insurance quote and riding with confidence.
Motorcycle insurance is your safety net, providing financial protection, ensuring legal compliance, and giving you peace of mind. A minor accident can lead to major costs for repairs and medical bills. Without insurance, you’d pay for everything out of pocket.
Furthermore, nearly every state, including Florida, Virginia, Georgia, and North Carolina, legally requires at least liability coverage. Riding without it can result in fines, license suspension, or having your bike impounded. For example, South Carolina requires 25/50/25 coverage: $25,000 for bodily injury per person, $50,000 for bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage. Always check your state’s specific laws.
Core Coverage Types Explained
Understanding the core coverage types is essential for evaluating your motorcycle insurance quote.
| Coverage Type | What it Covers | Why it’s Important |
|---|---|---|
| Liability Coverage | Bodily injury and property damage to others if you are at fault in an accident. | Legally required in most states; protects your assets from lawsuits. |
| Collision Coverage | Damage to your motorcycle resulting from a collision with another vehicle or object. | Pays for repairs or replacement of your bike after an accident. |
| Comprehensive Coverage | Damage to your motorcycle from non-collision events like theft, vandalism, fire, natural disasters, or animal collisions. | Protects your investment against things beyond your control. |
| Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) | Your medical expenses and bike repairs if an uninsured or underinsured driver hits you. | Protects you from others who don’t carry enough, or any, insurance. |
| Medical Payments (MedPay) | Medical expenses for you and your passengers, regardless of who is at fault. | Covers immediate medical costs after an accident. |
Liability coverage is the legal minimum in most states. It covers injuries to others (Bodily Injury) and damage to their property (Property Damage) if you cause an accident.
Collision coverage pays to repair or replace your bike if it’s damaged in a crash with another vehicle or object, regardless of fault.
Comprehensive coverage protects your bike from non-collision events like theft, fire, vandalism, or hitting a deer. This is crucial for motorcycles, which can be easy targets for thieves.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage is a financial lifesaver if you’re hit by a driver with little or no insurance. It covers your medical bills and bike repairs.
Medical Payments (MedPay) helps pay medical bills for you and your passengers after an accident, no matter who is at fault.
Optional and Specialized Coverages
Customize your policy with optional coverages that match your bike and riding style.
- Custom Parts and Equipment (CPE): A must-have if you’ve invested in aftermarket parts like chrome upgrades or a custom paint job. Standard policies offer limited coverage, but you can purchase more.
- Roadside Assistance: Covers towing, flat tires, and fuel delivery if your bike breaks down. Some policies also include trip interruption coverage for lodging and meals if you’re stranded far from home.
- Guest Passenger Liability: Covers medical expenses for a passenger injured in an accident where you’re at fault. This is essential if you ride with others.
- Total Loss Coverage: If your new bike is totaled, this pays for a brand-new replacement of the same make and model, not just its depreciated value.
- Other Options: Consider safety riding apparel coverage to replace damaged gear, transport trailer coverage, and rental reimbursement while your bike is being repaired.
How to Get an Accurate Motorcycle Insurance Quote
Getting an accurate motorcycle insurance quote is straightforward with a little preparation. You can fill out an online form or speak with an agent to walk you through the process.
At Select Insurance Group, we shop your coverage across more than 40 carriers in Florida, the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia to find competitive rates that fit your lifestyle. The key is providing thorough and honest information to ensure your quote is reliable.
Information You’ll Need for a Motorcycle Insurance Quote
Have these details ready to speed up the process and get the most accurate motorcycle insurance quote:
- Personal Details: Your full name, address, date of birth, and employment status.
- Driver’s License Number: To verify your license and review your driving history.
- Motorcycle Details: The make, model, year, and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
- Usage Information: Your estimated annual mileage and whether you ride for pleasure, commuting, or business.
- Storage: Where you store your bike overnight (e.g., locked garage, driveway, street).
- Riding History: How long you’ve been licensed and any accidents or violations in the past few years.
- Safety Courses: Completion dates for any accredited motorcycle safety courses.
- Current Insurance: Details of your current motorcycle or auto policy can help identify multi-policy discounts.
- Customizations: Information about any aftermarket parts, custom paint, or performance modifications.
- Security Devices: Anti-theft devices like alarms or GPS trackers may qualify you for discounts.
Key Factors That Influence Your Quote
Several factors determine the cost of your motorcycle insurance quote:
- Age and Experience: Younger, less experienced riders typically pay higher premiums than mature riders.
- Driving Record: A clean record with no accidents or tickets is the best way to get lower rates.
- Motorcycle Type: High-performance sport bikes cost more to insure than cruisers or touring bikes due to higher risk and repair costs.
- Engine Size (CC): Larger, more powerful engines generally lead to higher insurance costs.
- Location: Urban areas with more traffic and higher theft rates usually have higher premiums than rural areas.
- Coverage and Deductibles: Higher liability limits and lower deductibles increase your premium but offer more protection. A higher deductible lowers your premium.
- Annual Mileage: Riding more miles increases your time on the road and, therefore, your risk.
- Other Factors: In some states, your credit-based insurance score, gender, and marital status can also influence rates.
Comparing Quotes and Finding the Best Value
Once you have several motorcycle insurance quote options, the goal is to find the best value—the right coverage at a competitive price—not just the lowest number.
How to Effectively Compare Your Motorcycle Insurance Quote Options
To compare quotes accurately, look beyond the price tag. A cheap quote might mean you’re getting less coverage.
- Compare Apples-to-Apples: Ensure the deductibles, liability limits, and optional coverages are the same across all quotes. A quote with lower limits will naturally be cheaper but leaves you more exposed.
- Check for Exclusions: Read the fine print. Does one policy exclude things like track days or custom parts that another covers?
- Research the Claims Process: A low price isn’t a bargain if the insurer is difficult to work with during a claim. Look at customer service ratings and reviews from other riders to understand their experience.
- Verify Financial Strength: Your insurer must be able to pay claims. Check their financial stability rating from a trusted source like the A.M. Best Company.
As independent agents, we simplify this process by comparing options from over 40 carriers for you, presenting clear choices that fit your needs and budget.
Opening Up Savings: Discounts and Smart Strategies
Most insurance providers offer a variety of ways to lower your motorcycle insurance quote.
- Bundling Policies: Insuring your motorcycle with the same company that covers your car, home, or RV can lead to a significant multi-policy discount. We can help you explore bundling with South Carolina Auto Insurance, Florida Auto Insurance, or North Carolina Auto Insurance.
- Multi-Cycle Discount: Insuring more than one motorcycle with the same carrier will earn you a discount.
- Safety Course Completion: Completing an approved motorcycle safety course makes you a safer rider and often lowers your premium.
- Anti-Theft Devices: Alarms, tracking systems, or immobilizers can reduce your rate.
- Good Driver Discount: Maintaining a clean driving record is one of the best ways to keep your rates low long-term.
- Other Common Discounts: Ask about discounts for mature riders, paying your premium in full, being a homeowner, low annual mileage, and memberships in riding organizations like the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.).
Beyond discounts, you can also save by choosing a bike that’s less expensive to insure (like a cruiser over a sport bike) and selecting a higher deductible.
Frequently Asked Questions about Motorcycle Insurance
Here are answers to some of the most common questions we hear from riders seeking a motorcycle insurance quote.
Should I cancel my motorcycle insurance during the winter?
No, you shouldn’t cancel your policy, even if you aren’t riding. Your bike is still vulnerable to theft, vandalism, and fire while in storage. Canceling creates a lapse in your coverage history, which can lead to higher premiums when you want to insure it again in the spring. A better option is a lay-up policy or seasonal adjustment. This reduces your coverage (and premium) during the off-season by removing collision coverage while keeping comprehensive protection for events like theft.
Does my policy cover a passenger?
Yes, but you need the right coverage. Guest passenger liability pays for a passenger’s medical expenses if they are injured in an accident where you are at fault. In many states, this is automatically included on policies for street bikes. If you frequently ride with a passenger, it’s crucial to ensure your liability limits are high enough to provide adequate protection. Additionally, Medical Payments (MedPay) coverage can help with your passenger’s medical bills regardless of who caused the accident.
Can I get insured with a less-than-perfect driving record?
Yes, you can get insurance even with a blemished driving record. A history of accidents or violations will lead to higher premiums, as insurers view it as an indicator of higher risk. In some cases, you may need an SR-22 filing, which is a certificate your insurer files with the state to prove you have the required liability coverage.
Working with an independent agency like Select Insurance Group is a major advantage here. We shop multiple carriers, including those who specialize in high-risk situations, to find the best possible motorcycle insurance quote for you. The best way to lower your rates over time is to maintain a clean driving record moving forward, as violations typically fall off your record after three to five years.
Conclusion: Ride Confidently with the Right Protection
You’ve taken the most important step—learning what goes into a motorcycle insurance quote and how to make it work for you. From understanding the basics of liability coverage to exploring specialized protections for your custom parts, you now have the knowledge to make informed decisions about your coverage.
The cheapest quote isn’t always the best quote. What matters is finding the right balance: comprehensive protection that fits your needs and your budget. That means comparing policies carefully—checking that deductibles, coverage limits, and exclusions match up across quotes. It means asking questions about the claims process and reading what other riders say about their experiences. And it means taking advantage of every discount you qualify for, from bundling policies to completing safety courses.
Here’s the truth: shopping for insurance can feel overwhelming. There are dozens of carriers, hundreds of coverage options, and countless ways to customize your policy. That’s exactly why we’re here.
At Select Insurance Group, we’ve spent over three decades helping riders across Florida, the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia find the coverage they need. As independent agents, we’re not tied to a single insurance company—we work for you. We shop across more than 40 top-rated carriers, comparing motorcycle insurance quote options side by side to find you the best combination of protection and price.
Whether you’re insuring your first bike or your fifth, whether you have a spotless driving record or a few bumps along the way, we’re here to guide you through the process. We’ll answer your questions, explain your options in plain English, and make sure you understand exactly what you’re paying for.
Your next ride should be about freedom, not worry. Let us handle the insurance details so you can focus on the road ahead.
Ready to get started? Get a Quote today and ride with confidence, knowing you’re fully protected.
