[frontiers2]

hi ben,

in my research, and in my quest to be an informed newbie, i was looking for insurance. what type of coverage would you recommend for a beginner??

i priced progressive and got a quote for $1300/yr. of course my coverages were on the high end (i.e medical – $300,000, property damage $????, unisured motorist $??? i forgot what i picked but it was 5 to 6 figures coverage or something like that) and it was quoted on a kawasaki ninja 250r. now from what i heard that sport type bikes will be quoted slightly higher compared to cruisers.

now. what are some good companies to go with, and maybe you can do a review on motorcycle insurance, and maybe an overall comprehensive guide for newbies from classes, to shopping for bikes, etc…

i really like the ninja 250r but the insurance is putting my off a little bit.

thanks for all you do on the site..

andy

[WeaponZero]

1. sportbikes are higher to insure than cruisers because they take into account that people who ride sportbikes generally ride more recklessly and the bodywork makes for expensive repairs.

2. do you have any accidents/violations on your record? I know im 27 but that quote seems real high to me. I use progressive and my insurance only costs me about $300 per year for full coverage with everything maxed out on a naked SV650.

[CBennett]

lol WOW, Progressive was my worst quote also..but I actually got better coverage through Nationwide…. 1999 Ninja 250 $75 a year thats with the higher coverages also.(250/500 not the typical 100/300) so they offered better coverages at lower rates so it pays to call around. Obviously its kinda pointless for full coverage on a bike that only cost $1100 but still $75 a year is pretty good!

[six-shooter]

Also bear in mind that if you have good health insurance to cover any medical bills you might have in an accident, you may want to opt out of the medical coverage on your motorcycle insurance. That can drop your price considerably.
That being said, Progressive was the lowest quote for me, but I’m in a different class of bike & driver (small displacement cruiser, 35+ years old).

[Matt]

Different areas have vastly different insurance rates.
In Ontario, insurance on a Ninja 250 is $800/year for a new rider with MSF.
A Ninja 650 is $1700. A proper supersport is well over $2000.

Makes that $75 seem pretty awesome doesn’t it?
—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[CBennett]

lol yup, All my other quotes were in the $120 range and Progressive was OUTRAGEOUS at almost $250 for crappy 100/300 coverage..and thats 39 years old not tickets/accidents no safety course yet.

[kirk]

Geez! That’s expensive. I pay 888.00 a year on my Honda CBR1000 with Geico. This includes liability and coverage in case it gets stolen.
I used to pay 89.00 a year on my GS500F just for liability.

[parad0x177]

The insurance game is the same whether it is cars or motorcycles. The flashy, high performance, highly desirable (appealing to thieves) toys will always be more expensive. And, unfortunately, motorcycles carry with them a much higher risk factor (to you and the insurance company), and so the premiums increase (relatively).

All is not lost, though. As mentioned above, you may be able to back off on the medical coverage if you have good stand-alone medical insurance. Similarly, if the bike isn’t your sole means of transportation or if you always keep some money squirreled away for a rainy day (which you should, if at all possible), you can raise the deductibles to lower the rates. Just make sure you understand the trade offs as you adjust these things; if your medical insurance has a big deductible, then you should consider keeping enough medical coverage on the bike to cover that and, if the bike is financed, the bank may set limits on how high your deductibles can be.

In the end though, the biggest deciding factor is you. As a general rule, the folks riding great big cruisers and tourers are likely to be at least middle-aged family types just cruising down the highway while sportbike riders tend to be more thrill seeking and are likely to be looking for twisties and/or (unfortunately) just have more horsepower than brains (a.k.a. Squids). The insurance companies know this and count on it. And, obviously, if you have tickets or accidents on your record, that won’t help.

Fortunately, if you’re still under 25, the insurance companies will dramatically lower your rates when you cross that threshold and they will also lower them when/if you get married. Loyalty can also help; all of my cars, my house, and my scooter are covered by State Farm and have been for years, so I get “accident free” (Knock on wood), “multiple lines”, and “multiple policies” discounts. Oh, don’t forget to ask about discounts for the MSF course. It may not make a big difference, but every little bit helps.

And, finally, don’t be afraid to shop around. Quotes are free, even over the phone. For reference, I’m 31, single and live in middle Georgia. Both Progressive and Geico quoted me $1400-$1500/year for full coverage on my GSX-R600. Meanwhile, State Farm charges me roughly $285/year for the same coverage. Granted, they don’t offer a MSF discount and they won’t cover riding gear, but the money I save on insurance can easily cover gear replacement.

Good luck and be safe!

[Loki]

I was able to get mine for 50 bucks a month. And im 17.
My dad is signed on with me.

[Author]

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