Like car insurance, you can’t legally operate a motorcycle without a certain level of insurance coverage. Specifically, most states require that you have at least two types of insurance protections:
- Bodily injury liability coverage helps pay for the medical bills of anyone that you injure if you’re involved in an accident when driving your motorcycle.
- Property damage liability coverage compensates anyone whose property you damage during a collision. For example, if your motorcycle veers off the road and you damage a homeowner’s fencing, this coverage would help cover the cost of repairs for the property owner.
Other types of coverage might also be required in select states. If you’re caught driving without at least your state’s minimum level of insurance coverage, you could be at risk of a major fine or having your license revoked. You could even face jail time if this isn’t the 1st time you’ve been caught without insurance.
Thankfully, it’s never been easier to compare coverage options and get the insurance that you need to stay safe on the road. Our guide to motorcycle insurance options will help you choose the right policy for you.
Motorcycle Insurance Options
Now that you understand why motorcycle insurance is a must-have, let’s take a look at a few of our favorite insurance providers offering policies across the United States.
- Customer Service
Best for New Riders: Allstate
If you’ve never purchased motorcycle insurance before, it can be difficult to determine just how much coverage you need, your state’s minimum requirements and the differences between coverage types. Allstate can be an excellent choice for new riders thanks to the company’s commitment to varied policy options and high-level customer service options.
When you choose Allstate to service your motorcycle insurance, your policy will come with help from a personal agent who’s familiar with your state’s insurance requirements. This ensures that you don’t need to spend hours searching through policy options and the differences between coverages or determining exactly how much coverage you need. Having an insurance agent on-hand can also help ensure that you’re taking advantage of every discount you qualify for without missing any documentation.
- High-risk rider rates
Best for Discounts: Nationwide
You can save money on your motorcycle insurance if you take advantage of as many discounts as you can from your insurance policy provider. Nationwide offers a very wide range of discounts that you can use to lower what you pay each month. Some of the current discounts that Nationwide offers to motorcycle riders include:
- Savings for owning a home
- Savings for being a member of a motorcycle riding club
- Savings for installing an anti-theft device on your bike
- Savings for insuring multiple motorcycles on a single policy
- Savings for taking a motorcycle safety course
In addition to motorcycle-specific discounts, many of Nationwide’s standard discounts for home and auto insurance policies also extend to motorcycles. For example, you can save on your motorcycle insurance when you bundle it together with another Nationwide insurance policy or when you pay a year’s worth of monthly premiums upfront when you sign up for coverage.
- Comprehensive coverage/Business Owners' Policy
Best for Harley-Davidson Owners: Harley-Davidson Insurance
If you own a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, you might have spent large amounts of money customizing your ride. Harley-Davidson motorcycle insurance offers specialized coverage options for a vast range of Harley-Davidson motorcycle types. From standard motorcycles to cruisers and from V-rods to CVOs, Harley-Davidson has customized insurance options for many types of bikes.
Harley-Davidson also offers impressive insurance options for customized motorcycles. The company’s optional equipment add-on coverage option can help protect the hundreds or even thousands of dollars you might have spent customizing your vehicle.
Harley-Davidson is also 1 of the only motorcycle insurance providers we’ve seen to offer replacement cost coverage for optional equipment — meaning that you won’t need to worry about losing money if your bike and customizations are deemed a total loss following a collision.
Best for Vintage Motorcycle Owners: Foremost
If you have an older motorcycle that you’ve restored, you might have a harder time finding affordable coverage. Foremost is 1 of the only insurance providers that we’ve seen offering specialized coverage choices for vintage motorcycles over 25 years old. Foremost’s Vintage and Vintage Elite insurance policies include coverage for older vehicles and vehicles with up to $30,000 worth of customized add-ons.
Foremost offers 3 tiers of insurance in most parts of the country, and its policies include unique coverages included standard alongside state minimum insurance requirements. For example, motorcycle riders can claim up to $500 worth of helmet and riding apparel coverage following an accident. Higher tier policies (like the company’s Elite plan) include deductible waivers and coverage for permissive use rentals.
Best for Bundling Options: Farmers Insurance
Another way to save on your motorcycle insurance is to bundle your insurance coverage together with the other types of coverage you use to protect your property. Farmers Insurance offers generous bundling discounts alongside a complete list of almost every type of insurance that you might need. From business insurance to homeowner’s insurance to life insurance, Farmers offers plenty of bundling opportunities.
Farmers Insurance currently offers 3 policy choices for motorcyclists: Saver, Plus and Elite. Each package includes first accident forgiveness and coverage for your helmet and safety apparel. Higher tier plans also include total loss settlement coverage, diminishing deductible policies and personal effects coverage. You can customize any policy with up to $15,000 worth of optional equipment coverage as well.
Best for Members of the Military: USAA
USAA is a unique insurance provider offering motorcycle insurance policies to members of the United States’ armed forces, veterans and family members of those who have served. Though not everyone will qualify for a policy from USAA, veterans and servicemen and women will find exceptionally affordable motorcycle insurance policies.
USAA’s policies include 24/7 roadside assistance, which is included as an optional add-on coverage with most other motorcycle insurance providers. USAA also offers 24/7 claims reporting, which means that you can request service at any time of the day or night. The company extends policies to most types of on-road and off-road motorcycles, ranging from standard cruisers to dirt bikes and four-wheelers. Like other coverage providers, you can also bundle USAA motorcycle insurance together with other types of insurance for your home, car or business.
- Bundling regular car insurance with specialty policies
Best for Original Equipment Coverage: Safeco
Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) coverage is a type of protection that ensures that if you need to have your motorcycle repaired, your insurance policy will cover the cost of new parts. Most insurance policies limit coverage to only include aftermarket parts, which might not have been designed for the specific type of vehicle that you own.
When you choose a policy from Safeco, you won’t need to worry about aftermarket parts being used to repair your bike. All of Safeco’s policies include OEM parts coverage, allowing you to rest with the peace of mind that comes with knowing that your bike will be repaired the right way. Safeco’s policies also include $3,000 worth of extra parts coverage with no additional fee.
- Affordable coverage
Best for Drivers With a DUI on Their Record: Dairyland
If you’ve been convicted of a DUI or DWI, you might have a significantly more difficult time finding the insurance coverage that you need when compared to a rider without a conviction. Many insurance providers won’t extend coverage to riders with a DUI because riders with these types of convictions are statistically more likely to file an insurance claim. Even if you find an insurance provider that does extend policies to men and women with a DUI conviction, the company’s rates may be more expensive than you can afford.
Dairyland specializes in providing SR22 motorcycle insurance policies. If you’ve been convicted or pled guilty to a DUI charge, you’ll typically be required to get an SR22 form proving that you’re carrying insurance before you can legally ride again. Dairyland’s team doesn’t only extend policies to riders who need SR22 insurance — their team can also help you understand how to prove that you have coverage to stay on the right side of the law.
Ride Off With the Right Coverage
If you don’t have a motorcycle insurance policy, you should make it your top priority to find coverage as soon as possible. Like driving without car insurance, riding your motorcycle without at least your state’s minimum coverage can put you and your license at risk. You could even face jail time if you’ve already been cited for riding without a license.
Thankfully, it’s never been easier to get the motorcycle insurance that you need from the comfort of your home. Before you sign up for coverage, we recommend getting a custom quote from at least 5 of our recommended providers.
Every insurance company uses its own unique formula to determine your premium. This means that it’s possible to find 10 companies offering the exact same coverage at 10 completely different price points. Get as many quotes as possible before you choose your coverage provider to ensure that you never overpay for your insurance.
Related content: HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE INSURANCE REVIEW
Money-saving Motorcycle Insurance
Harley-Davidson Insurance Services provides services as a trusted motorcycle insurance agency that knows all about the motorcycle lifestyle. The company stands behind its policies with industry-leading services, coverage and support. You’ll also get money-saving motorcycle insurance discounts and experienced customer service and claims support.
You can get Harley-Davidson Insurance today with a free, quick quote.
About Sarah Horvath
Sarah is an expert in the insurance, investing for retirement and cryptocurrency space.