Top tips to getting the right kind of motorcycle insurance

Do you have insurance on your motorcycle? If you don’t, you should consider having it to protect your financial investment. Hein Jonker, the founder of the Motorcycle Safety Institute, agrees, saying, “One never knows to what extent an accident can go, so it’s best to be prepared for it, even if it’s partial cover.”

At Dialdirect, we say that having bike insurance is an absolute must. But, before you take out this kind of insurance, it’s essential to learn about the different options you have and what you can do to get cheaper motorcycle cover. 

This article covers everything worth knowing about motorbike insurance, and will be one of the most important you’ll ever read.

How is motorcycle insurance different from car insurance? 

Vehicle insurance, which includes both motorcycle cover and car insurance, varies based on the type of vehicle insured. Generally, a car is more expensive than a motorbike. However, insurance tends to be more expensive for a motorbike than for a car.

What brings about this difference, you may wonder? The major difference between car insurance and motorbike cover is risk, which in turn, leads to premium differences. Here are some ways motorbikes are riskier than cars:

• Personal protection: A motorcyclist is less protected than someone in a car during an accident. As a result, there’s a higher risk of personal injury in a motorbike than in a car during an accident.

• Time spent using the vehicle: Motorbikes are often used more for recreation than regular transport, meaning people tend to spend less time riding them than driving cars.

• Probability of write-off: There is a higher chance of a motorcycle being written off after an accident than a car, which increases the risk of insuring a motorbike.

Although the premium on motorbike insurance can be more expensive than for a car, remember that your riding record and type of motorbike also influences it.

Is it worth getting motorcycle insurance?

Imagine getting into an accident while on your bike. Chances are it will be damaged or even completely totalled. Can you afford to repair your motorbike out of your own pocket right now? That’s where motorcycle insurance comes in.

You may be able to replace your written off motorbike and fix another person’s vehicle if you accidentally damaged it, provided you have the right kind of bike insurance.

Replacing your gear can also be expensive. For example, a new helmet can cost anything upwards of R4,500, depending on the type, quality and brand. Gloves, although cheaper than a helmet, start from R2,200 for a quality pair.

If your motorcycle doesn’t get written off in an accident, you’ll probably at least have to replace some of its parts. Motorcycle spares are generally more expensive than car parts because the motorbike industry is smaller. For example, a head gasket for a motorbike can be more expensive than one for cars like a Ford Bantam.

We know you’re a careful bike rider, but it’s near impossible to guess when you’ll be in an accident, or even cause one. Research from the Motorcycle Safety Institute found that bike riders cause nearly eight in ten of reported accidents that they are involved in. 

Isn’t it better to accidentally damage someone’s car when you are prepared to handle the costs involved?

 Top 5 tips about getting bike insurance 

 Although motorbike insurance can be more expensive than car insurance, you can still find more affordable plans, which can save you anything from a couple of hundred to thousands of rand. There are numerous tactics you can implement to obtain cheaper motorcycle insurance, including the following:

 1. Get the right type of motorcycle insurance

Do you ride an older, low-value motorbike? If so, the right cover for you and your motorcycle might be third-party-only liability insurance instead of the more pricey comprehensive cover.

Before you decide on the right cover, get a few different motorcycle insurance quotes to establish which is your cheapest option.

2. Take an advanced motorbike riding course

Taking an advanced motorcycle riding course helps upgrade your bike riding skills, meaning that you reduce your risk profile. Some insurers may reduce your motorcycle insurance premium for the extra skills you acquire.

Consider the relative cost of the course against the savings you make before deciding to take a motorbike riding course. In your evaluation of the situation, factor in the potential to make fewer insurance claims due to improved bike riding skills.

3. Fit motorcycle security 

A motorbike that is less likely to be stolen attracts cheaper insurance than one that is highly likely to be stolen. Adding motorcycle security such as an alarm, an immobiliser and a tracker improves the security of your bike.

These measures can deter thieves from stealing your bike and increasing the chance that they are caught if they try to. This reduced risk of theft can make your motorbike insurance cheaper.

4. Buy a less expensive motorbike

Bike insurance premiums depend on the value of your motorbike. This means that the lower its value is, the cheaper your insurance will be.

So, buying a less expensive bike can result in cheaper insurance. On top of that, cheaper motorbikes are often more affordable to fix or replace.

5. Avoid modifying your motorcycle

Motorbike modifications enhance the aesthetics of your bike, but make it more attractive to thieves. Thus, modifications tend to increase the risk of theft of your bike. Additionally, adding modifications make your bike more expensive.

This can add to the cost of your motorbike insurance.

Types of bike insurance available in South Africa

Like with car insurance, bike insurance in South Africa is available in various forms, including comprehensive cover, third-party-only insurance, third party and theft cover, and theft-only insurance.

• Comprehensive motorbike insurance: This covers just about any accidental damage to your motorbike, as well as the costs associated with theft. If you accidentally damage someone else’s vehicle or building with your bike, this type of insurance also protects you.

• Third party and theft cover: With this type of cover, you are covered in case you accidentally damage another person’s vehicle or building with your motorbike. If your bike gets stolen, you’ll also be covered.

• Third-party-only bike insurance: The insurance covers you only in the event you accidentally damage someone else’s property with your motorcycle.

These insurance types cover most types of bikes, including quad bikes, superbikes, cruisers, scooters and off-road bikes. 

A superbike is a high-performance motorcycle with at least a 600cc engine capable of fast speeds. Hence, insurance on these types of bikes might be expensive.

An off-road bike is designed to navigate through rough and tough terrains, but are lighter than adventure bikes. A quad bike has four wheels suited for riding on unpaved roads. It also has a short wheelbase and can easily flip.

A cruiser is designed for comfort and to ride on paved roads. The most popular make of cruiser motorbikes are Harley-Davidsons.  

 Get a motorcycle insurance quote from Dialdirect

You cannot be sure when bad luck might hit you, and you find yourself in an accident on your motorbike. You want to be prepared when that happens and have the necessary insurance to take care of any costs.

Dialdirect offers you motorcycle insurance to cover you in times of need. To secure your cover, start by getting a motorbike insurance quote on our website so that we assess your risk and offer you the protection you need. 

Sources:

https://www.msi.org.za/motorcycle-insurance/ 

https://www.coverhound.com/insurance-learning-center/the-difference-between-insuring-a-car-and-a-motorcycle

https://www.hastingsdirect.com/bike-insurance/guides/how-to-get-cheap-bike-insurance.shtml 

https://www.moneyexpert.co.za/motorcycle-insurance/ 

https://fciains.com/blog/when-is-it-worth-it-to-get-comprehensive-motorcycle-insurance/