Motorcycle Insurance: What Comprises a Motorcycle Insurance Quote?

A motorcycle insurance quote is based on the type of insurance coverage a motorcyclist requires. The most basic element of an insurance quote for motorbikes is the liability coverage which includes coverage for bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage coverage per accident. It is always a good idea to obtain more extensive liability insurance than what the law requires because drivers can sue other drivers who injure them in accidents and minimum liability insurance does not cover this risk.

If a rider causes an accident, collision insurance will cover the cost of motorcycle repair. Collision coverage is the most expensive component of a motorcycle insurance quote. A higher deductible can result to a lower premium. The cost of replacing a motorcycle or repairing damages with materials of similar kind and quality, without removing depreciation, is the replacement cost. Depreciation is the estimated value of the vehicle when wear and tear is taken into account. Insurance companies would declare a motorcycle a total loss when the repair costs exceed a given percentage of the motorcycle's worth.

Comprehensive coverage, on the other hand, pays for motorcycle damages that are not due to an accident. This covers anywhere from damages caused by theft, fire, vandalism, disasters to hitting an animal on the road. It is wise to check a motorcycle's book value as insurance companies do not normally pay more than this particular value.

Another part of the insurance package for motorcycles is the medical payments that cover the medical expenses incurred by the rider and his passenger, if any. The expenses can come from accidents while riding one's own motorcycle or someone else's with permission. It also covers injuries incurred as pedestrians. Expanded forms of this coverage include personal injury protection and broader no-fault coverage, which may pay for lost income and child care.

Meanwhile, coverage for uninsured and underinsured motorists pays for injuries incurred by a rider if he figures in an accident where the other party or parties have no insurance. Some companies even provide coverage for property damage. Other supplemental coverage products are also offered by companies either as part of the master policy or as separate premium items. These could include rental reimbursement, towing and labor costs and gap coverage for a new motorcycle. The last item pays for the difference in the actual cash value of the insured motorcycle and the amount left on its financing if it was declared a total loss in an accident.

Most consumers would admit to not fully understanding a motorcycle insurance quote that is provided for them when purchasing insurance for their motorcycle. People tend to focus on the bottom line figure giving little or not attention to how this figure was arrived at. It would be wise to gain an understanding of the basic features of a motorcycle insurance policy if only to realize that the money paid for the premium is indeed well spent.