subject: Understanding The Issues Relating To Motorcycle Insurance [print this page] Did you know that motorcycles are twice as likely to be stolen as cars,around three million pounds worth of motorcycles are stolen every month in the UK.
There are more than 100 motorcycles stolen in the UK everyday with approximately 80% of motorcycle thefts take place on the owners' premises.
These are alarming figures, but unfortunately they are true, and if you just purchased a motorcycle, whether it's new or second-hand, you need to take whatever steps are necessary in order to protect your bike against theft, particularly if you're hoping to find affordable motorcycle insurance.
One can hardly blame insurance companies for taking a hard stance on the issue, considering they're the ones who end up forking out millions of pounds each year. Yes, they will still sell you insurance even if you leave your bike unattended most of the time, and even if you don't care whether it gets stolen or not.
Insuring a motorcycle is not the same as insuring a car, and if you want affordable cover, then there's certain things you need to understand. First of all, people who purchase motorcycles are generally quite young, and as such, they don't yet have much 'hands-on' experience. This is something which is definitely going to count against you, particularly if you're under the age of twenty five.
If you've only got a year or two to go until your 25th birthday, you may even want to consider waiting until then before you go out and buy that dream machine. That's not to say you can't get affordable cover, but it certainly will be more difficult, especially if your heart is set on a big bike. If you're younger than 25 and you really must have a bike, then you should seriously consider buying a second-hand one and not a high performance one either.
Your experience is also going to come into the equation, because if you've never owned a motorcycle before, you're more likely to have an accident than someone who's been riding for years. Unfortunately this means higher premiums, and the only thing you can do is shop around for the best deal.
Have you had any recent convictions? Whether you were driving a car or riding a bike at the time, they are still going to count against you. Obviously a few parking tickets won't be a problem, but drink driving charges, or driving without motorcycle insurance is certainly going to mean higher rates. If you have a clean record, you really do need to keep it that way because you can be rest assured the insurance companies will find out if you've fallen foul of the law.
The area in which you live will also be taken into consideration when you apply for motorcycle insurance. If you live in the heart of a city for example, the risk of being in an accident increases, and so does the risk of theft, particularly in certain areas. If this is a problem you're facing, then you need to make sure your bike has every conceivable anti-theft device fitted.
If you only use your bike on weekends and public holidays, there's no point why you should pay for full insurance, but instead, you may want to discuss limited mileage cover because there really is a huge difference as far as cost is concerned.
Even if you meet all the criteria of the various insurance companies, always make sure you shop around. Compare motorcycle insurance policies and compare prices, because if you do, you'll be surprised at just how much money you can save in the long run.
by: Tom Jones
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