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Most of us are looking for ways to save money—including on car and motorcycle insurance. Whether you drive a beater bike or one of the most expensive motorcycles on the road, you deserve to save as much money on insurance premiums as possible. However, it's important to ensure that cutting costs doesn't also mean cutting back on necessary coverage. After all, your bike is an investment, and investments deserve proper protection.
Luckily, there are lots of options when it comes to obtaining affordable insurance for your ride. We compared details on motorcycle policies from more than 30 insurance companies and selected a comprehensive list of six companies we feel offer the best bang for your buck.
Cheap Motorcycle Insurance of 2023
- Best Overall: GEICO
- Best Discounts: Safeco
- Best for New Riders: Harley-Davidson
- Best for Military Members: USAA
- Best for High-Risk Riders: Dairyland
- Best for Safe Riders: Liberty Mutual
Best Overall : GEICO
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GEICO
If you want cheap motorcycle insurance that doesn’t require you to compromise on coverage, then you’ll want to check out GEICO. You can get all of the popular coverage options for your bike, not to mention one of the best digital experiences in the industry.
Pros and Cons
Common basic types of motorcycle coverage plus additional perks
State-of-the-art website and mobile app
Ability to pay in installments
Limited coverage for custom parts or specialty bikes
Few local agents available
Coverage
When deciding on the best motorcycle insurance for the price, you’ll want to make sure that you get all the coverage you need for your motorcycle, yourself, and other motorists you may encounter. GEICO offers the six main types of coverage, including:
- Bodily injury liability coverage
- Property damage coverage
- Collision coverage
- Comprehensive coverage
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
- Medical payments coverage/personal injury protection
However, GEICO doesn’t stop coverage there. It also offers optional coverages for:
- Accessories and helmet coverage
- Roadside assistance with towing and labor coverage
Discounts
GEICO offers the following discounts for motorcycle riders:
- A transfer discount of up to 10% when you switch your motorcycle insurance to GEICO
- A multiple policy discount of 10% for insuring more than one motorcycle or a car and motorcycle
- Safety discounts of up to 10% for completing a motorcycle safety course
- Loyalty discounts of up to 10%
Customer Satisfaction
GEICO had been receiving high marks from customers and industry rating services. But in the latest J.D. Power 2021 Insurance Shopping Study, the company fell to fourth after taking the top spot in 2020. But GEICO does maintain an A++ rating in financial strength with AM Best.
Most customers like GEICO because of its cheap rates and wide array of discount options. Also, customers note that they find the claims process and working with GEICO’s customer service to be fairly easy.
Limitations
Because GEICO primarily focuses on internet and phone service, you may struggle to find a local agent if you prefer to handle your insurance in person. Also, GEICO’s motorcycle insurance doesn’t offer as many add-ons or enhancements as some other insurance companies out there.
Additional Perks
Although many car insurance companies now offer most of their services online, GEICO remains on the cutting edge for online tools. It has one of the most comprehensive websites and mobile apps in the industry.
Additionally, GEICO has some distinctive payment options for customers that can help riders on a tight budget. You can break up your payments into smaller, manageable installments based on your payday. While the company does charge a small fee for this service, it can really help people who can't afford a whole six-month policy or full monthly payments.
Overall, GEICO is one of the best choices out there for cheap motorcycle insurance. Thanks to the extensive coverage options and state-of-the-art digital experience, chances are that you won't feel like you're getting cheap insurance when you choose GEICO.
Best Discounts : Safeco
While low premiums are great, discounts can also help you obtain cheap motorcycle insurance. Believe it or not, lesser-known Safeco offers some of the industry's most impressive motorcycle insurance discounts. In addition to some discounts that virtually no other insurance company provides, Safeco also offers many add-ons, such as $20,000 in custom equipment coverage.
Riders could save money with Safeco's discounts and coverage provisions, so it's no wonder that the company is one of the best options for cheap motorcycle insurance.
Pros and Cons
Several discount options for cyclists
24/7 roadside assistance and claims filing
Up to $20,000 in custom equipment coverage
Not all coverages and features available in every state
Doesn’t offer online quotes
Coverage
Like most other insurance companies, Safeco provides all of the basic types of motorcycle insurance coverage, such as:
- Property damage and bodily injury liability
- Passenger liability
- Collision coverage
- Comprehensive coverage
- Uninsured motorist coverage
- Medical payment provisions
Additionally, Safeco offers these extras and add-on policies:
- Roadside assistance and trip interruption coverage
- Custom parts and equipment coverage (up to $20,000)
- Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts provisions
- Riding gear and accessory replacement
- New Harley-Davidson replacement coverage for two years
Discounts
With a variety of discounts for cyclists, you could save money on your premium by stacking Safeco discounts, such as:
- Safe driving discount for completing a motorcycle safety course every three years
- Safety and anti-theft discounts for bikes that qualify
- Multiple cycles and multiple policy discounts for those who bundle
- Continuous coverage and claims-free renewal discounts for customers
Customer Satisfaction
Satisfaction among Safeco motorcycle insurance customers is at an all-time high. From 2019 to 2021, Safeco received just one motorcycle customer complaint -- in 2019 -- according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
Safeco customers stated they were satisfied with the claims process and the availability of local agents throughout the country. Unlike some insurance companies, Safeco strives to connect with customers individually and ensure their needs are met both on and off the road.
Safeco does offer a mobile app where you can file claims and access your policy. Some reviewers say the app could put itself more on par with the competition by improving upon its presentation of billing data and general options and graphics, while others say the app is easy to navigate and applaud the simplicity of its billing and claims features.
Limitations
Safeco doesn’t offer a complete online experience, as the company requires you to call a local agent to obtain a quote and maintains a pretty basic website with few options for customers.
Additional Perks
For the most part, Safeco may be a great choice if you’re looking for cheap motorcycle insurance without lots of bells and whistles. The discount and coverage options should suit riders who want to know that they’ve got ample coverage when they head out on the road.
Best for New Riders : Harley-Davidson
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Harley Davidson
Harley-Davidson, one of the world’s most popular motorcycle makers, now offers insurance coverage too. Indeed, its motorcycle insurance is one of the most comprehensive policies available. Its accident forgiveness program, maintenance coverage, and various perks make Harley-Davidson worthy of consideration for cheap motorcycle insurance for new riders.
Pros and Cons
Accident forgiveness standard on all policies
Coverage includes maintenance and warranty options
Wide array of discounts to help riders save even more
Coverage not available in all states
Doesn’t offer a mobile app
Coverage
Although Harley-Davidson offers insurance directly through its dealerships, it covers other motorcycle brands. Regardless if you ride a Harley or a Kawasaki, Harley-Davidson can offer you:
- Bodily Injury Liability
- Guest Passenger Liability
- Property Damage Liability
- Collision Coverage
- Comprehensive Coverage (includes theft, fire, and vandalism)
- Uninsured Motorist and Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury and Property Damage
- Medical Expense Coverage
- Personal Injury Protection
- Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) coverage
- Accident Forgiveness (one freebie per term after at least 12 months of H-D insurance)
What's more, Harley-Davidson offers some snazzy extras as add-ons, including:
- 24/7 Roadside Assistance for towing, battery failure, fuel shortage, flat tires, and lost keys
- Optional Equipment Coverage for custom or after-market parts
- Bike Replacement Cost and Optional Equipment Replacement Cost in the case of a total loss
- Rental Reimbursement Coverage while your bike is in the shop
- Vacation Rental Insurance if you rent a motorcycle while on vacation
- H-D Appearance Protection for your paint job or leather
- H-D Planned Maintenance for factory recommended service
- Extended Service Plan for extended warranty coverage for up to seven years and unlimited miles
Discounts
While Harley-Davidson's coverage alone makes it stand out from a number of other motorcycle insurance providers, the company also offers a wide array of discounts for its customers, such as:
- Riding Academy discount if you've completed the H-D Riding Academy course or an approved safety course in the last five years
- New Bike discount if you insure a brand new bike instead of buying used
- Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) member discount
- Multi-Cycle and bundle discounts
- Home Ownership discount if your home is insured
- Anti-Theft discount when you install a device to prevent theft
- Claim-Free Renewal discount every time you were accident-free during the previous coverage period
- Loyalty discount for every year you remain a Harley-Davidson insurance customer
- Experienced Rider discount based on your number of years as a rider
- Prompt Payer discount when you renew your policy after making consistent on-time payments
- Military and Law Enforcement discount for active or retired service members and law officers
Customer Satisfaction
While Harley-Davidson is notably one of the top motorcycle manufacturers in the world, the company actually partners with Sentry Insurance to offer its insurance policies. No worries, though, because Sentry Insurance is one of the nation’s largest insurance companies. It maintains an A+ rating of financial strength from AM Best.
However, because of this partnership, it’s hard to accurately measure customer satisfaction ratings for Harley-Davidson insurance as an individual provider.
Limitations
Harley-Davidson doesn’t provide coverage in Alaska, Hawaii, or Washington, D.C. Coverage options vary from state to state, so check with a representative or obtain an online quote before switching over. Finally, Harley-Davidson doesn’t offer a mobile app, so your business must be conducted over the phone, on your computer, or in person.
Additional Perks
Unlike most bare-bones motorcycle insurance policies, Harley-Davidson offers a selection of add-on options, such as extended service plans, theft and appearance protection, planned maintenance, bike loans, and a Visa rewards card that allows you to redeem points on Harley-Davidson gear.
It’s one of the few motorcycle insurance providers that include accident forgiveness as a standard part of its policies. This is a useful perk for new riders who may crash and burn once before they really learn how to ride.
Best for Military Members : USAA
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USAA
Most current and former military already know just how great insurance coverage from USAA really is. When it comes to motorcycle coverage, USAA provides competitive rates and numerous discounts. This, along with USAA’s history of outstanding customer service, makes it a natural choice for current and former service members and their eligible family members looking for cheap motorcycle insurance.
Pros and Cons
24/7 claim filing and customer service
Up to $30,000 in custom parts coverage
Numerous discount options
Only available to eligible military members and their family
Not many extras compared with other providers
Coverage
Although USAA doesn’t provide a great number of add-on coverages, it offers all of the basic types of coverage:
- Property damage and bodily injury liability
- Collision and comprehensive coverage
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage
- Medical payment provisions
While USAA’s motorcycle insurance may seem pretty bare-bones, the company does have many other types of insurance, which means that you can bundle policies and use USAA for one-stop shopping for your insurance needs.
Discounts
Many current and former military members undoubtedly choose USAA because of its low rates and attractive discounts. When it comes to cheap motorcycle coverage, these discounts include:
- Multiple policy discount for those who bundle their motorcycle insurance and other policies, such as car, homeowners, and life insurance
- Multiple cycles discount for those who insure more than one bike through USAA
- Loyalty discount for maintaining your USAA coverage
- Safety training discount of 5% off for those who complete an approved motorcycle safety course
- Family discount of 10% off if you’re a family member of another USAA member and join after their recommendation
- New motorcycle discount if your bike is less than three years old
- Storage discount for active military who place their bike in storage
- Good driver discount for every year you remain accident-free
- Seasonal discount during times when you may not ride your bike
Customer Satisfaction
USAA consistently receives high ratings in J.D. Power’s insurance studies, including the 2021 Insurance Shopping Study and 2021 Claims Satisfaction Study.
When you read what USAA members have to say about the company, you see that its outstanding customer service is what makes it stand out from the crowd. Additionally, USAA is one of the few insurance companies that exclusively caters to military members, which means that the company offers some targeted perks and discounts that meet the needs of military members.
Limitations
USAA insurance is only available to current or former military members and their immediate families. Although that’s a pretty big limitation, it allows USAA to deliver a quality product for some of the most selfless people in the world.
Additional Perks
Although USAA's motorcycle insurance looks pretty bare-bones, that doesn't mean there aren't some attractive perks. For starters, USAA has a mobile app that allows customers to access all of its products, including insurance, banking, and investment services. USAA also allows online bill pay through your mobile device using Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Samsung Pay.
Additionally, USAA provides several convenient payment methods to customers, such as the option to pay in full or in monthly installments. Customers can also schedule automatic payments through a checking, savings, or money market account. This payment option is especially helpful to active military who may end up deployed overseas.
USAA also provides 24/7 roadside assistance for its members.
Best for High-Risk Riders : Dairyland
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Dairyland
As motorcycles are more frequently involved in fatal collisions than any other type of vehicle, high-risk cyclists with a driving history may struggle to obtain coverage through standard insurance companies. However, even bikers with a lengthy driving record may be able to obtain coverage through Dairyland Insurance.
Pros and Cons
Coverage and SR-22 documentation for high-risk drivers
Discount options that aren’t impacted by your driving history
24/7 roadside assistance and claims processing
Features vary state to state
Not ideal for riders with a clean driving record
Coverage
Dairyland offers a wide array of coverage for nearly any type of motorcycle, scooter, or moped:
- Property Damage and Bodily Injury Liability
- Guest passenger liability
- Collision and Comprehensive coverage
- Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist coverage
- Medical Expense provisions
- Personal Injury Protection
- 24/7 Roadside Assistance
- Rental Reimbursement
Additionally, Dairyland offers special equipment coverage and OEM parts replacement, which can be great for those who modify their bikes or are concerned about maintaining their motorcycle’s value.
Discounts
While not as expansive as some other companies on our list, Dairyland offers these discounts for motorcycle riders:
- Rider course discount for those who pass a safety course
- Rider group discount for those who belong to a motorcycle club
- Transfer discount for riders who switch to Dairyland
- Loyalty discount for customers who stick with Dairyland for more than one year
- Homeowner discount for those who own an insured home
- Multiple cycles discount for customers who insure more than one bike
Customer Satisfaction
Out of more than 6,400 reviews on Trustpilot, the majority of customers rated Dairyland’s insurance coverage as “excellent,” with the company rated 4.5 out of 5 stars. Most customer reviews mention the great customer service they received over the phone and the ease of obtaining coverage. This is especially important for high-risk drivers who may get the runaround from other insurance companies.
Although you won’t find independent ratings for Dairyland, you can look at the business ratings for its parent company, Sentry Insurance, which maintains an A+ rating of financial strength from AM Best.
Limitations
Dairyland’s policies are geared toward high-risk drivers, so drivers with clean records and good credit may find that Dairyland’s premiums are not competitive.
Additional Perks
Dairyland offers several digital tools to help drivers manage their policies online. With its mobile app and website, customers can pay their bills, access account information, and view insurance cards. Auto claims specialists are available to assist you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For riders who fall into the high-risk category, Dairyland is a safe bet to obtain cheap motorcycle insurance without any strings attached.
Best for Safe Riders : Liberty Mutual
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Liberty Mutual
While companies such as Dairyland specifically cater to high-risk motorcyclists, those with a history of safe driving can find companies that help them save money too. One such company is Liberty Mutual, which offers discounts for those with a safe driving history and those who invest in safety features for their bikes.
Pros and Cons
Discounts for safe riders
Better bike replacement coverage allows you to upgrade in the case of a total loss
Coverage available in all 50 states
Higher-than-average complaint ratings
Coverage and discount options vary by state
Coverage
Like most other insurance providers, Liberty Mutual’s motorcycle coverage options include:
- Property damage and bodily injury liability
- Collision and Comprehensive coverage
- Medical payment provisions
- New Bike Replacement
In addition to these standard coverage options, Liberty Mutual offers several notable add-ons, such as:
- Better Bike Replacement
- 24/7 Roadside Assistance
- Accident Forgiveness
Liberty Mutual’s better bike replacement coverage is a perk that virtually no other motorcycle insurance company provides. In the case that your current bike ends up being a total loss in an accident, you receive enough money to buy a newer bike.
Discounts
Liberty Mutual offers some discounts that favor the cautious rider. These include:
- Experienced rider discount for those with at least three years of riding experience
- Safety course discount for those who completed a safety course within the past three years
- Bundle your policy with other Liberty Mutual policies and save
Additionally, Liberty Mutual has several bundle discounts for those who either cover multiple bikes or cover other property, such as cars and homes, along with their motorcycle.
Customer Satisfaction
While NAIC shows that Liberty Mutual has garnered an above-average number of customer complaints over the past three years. Most of those complaints don’t involve motorcycle claims, so it’s important to look at customer reviews before deciding based on these types of ratings.
Limitations
Although Liberty Mutual’s motorcycle insurance is available in all 50 states, some of the coverage types and available discounts will vary based on geographic location. If you’re considering Liberty Mutual for your motorcycle insurance, consult an agent to make sure you’re getting the policy and discounts you really want.
Additional Perks
When it comes to customer perks, Liberty Mutual offers a great website and mobile apps. The website includes features to request a quote, a car insurance coverage calculator, file or manage a claim, and pay bills.
In addition to the better bike replacement policy and discounts for safe riders, these perks make Liberty Mutual worth considering if you’re a responsible rider looking for cheap motorcycle insurance.
Final Verdict
Obtaining cheap motorcycle insurance doesn’t have to be a stressful process that requires you to cut back on desired coverage options. Just make sure to read the fine print, ask what discounts are available, and maintain the best possible driving record. All of this will help you get low premiums while still ensuring that you have the coverage you need.
Do Motorcycles Need Insurance?
Many people assume that their car insurance also covers their motorcycles, but this isn’t the case. Some insurance companies do offer add-on policies for bikes, but these options don’t always cover everything. Furthermore, each state has specific insurance requirements for motorcycles, so each motorcyclist will need to hold the right amount of coverage for their state.
In most cases, a stand-alone motorcycle insurance policy is the best way to meet state requirements and protect custom parts, riding gear, and passengers. These policies also take into account specific risks that motorcyclists face.
How Much Is Motorcycle Insurance?
Motorcycle insurance prices aren’t one-size-fits-all—insurance companies consider several factors when determining premiums. These include the insured's age, gender, geographic location, type of bike, driving history, average usage, requested coverage, and credit score.
How Can You Get Affordable Motorcycle Insurance?
It's always risky to skip out on coverage just to save money. But the following tips can help motorcyclists find affordable insurance for their bikes:
- Look for providers that offer lots of discounts.
- Take a motorcycle safety course.
- Maintain a clean driving record and good credit score.
- Join brand-related owner’s groups or cycling clubs.
- Bundle policies such as car, life, and homeowners insurance with motorcycle coverage.
- Choose a bike that’s cheaper to insure.
When comparing rates, also check for coverage exclusions or hidden fees. And keep in mind that sports bikes or street bikes are the most expensive cycles to ensure, as they pose the highest risk of accident and theft.
Is Motorcycle Insurance Cheaper Than Car Insurance?
While there are always exceptions to the rule, motorcycle insurance premiums are usually a lot cheaper than those for car insurance for several reasons. For starters, motorcycles cost less to replace than cars. And because bikes typically cost less overall, repairs and parts are also usually cheaper. Finally, motorcycle accidents typically cause less property damage than car accidents, which means that there will be fewer payouts for insurance companies even if the motorcyclist is at fault.
How We Chose the Cheapest Motorcycle Insurance
When determining the best choices for cheap motorcycle insurance, we studied policies for more than 30 companies to see what each one offered in terms of coverage and discounts. We also evaluated each company based on several categories, including financial strength via AM Best, claims satisfaction ratings based on J.D. Power’s latest Claims Satisfaction Survey, and customer reviews from websites such as Consumer Reports, and more.
Our analysis is intended as a useful guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare quotes before committing to a motorcycle insurance provider.