Motorbike Insurance
From mopeds to supersport bikes, you can trust your pride and joy with the motoring experts. Product options include our standard bike insurance and our enhanced Bike Insurance Plus, as well as a suite of optional extras to ensure you get the cover that’s right for you. Get a motorbike insurance quote today.
24/7 claims management service
Flexible cover options available
90 days EU cover as standard
What’s covered with RAC Motorbike Insurance?
In the event of an accident or theft, making sure you have the right motorbike insurance can help get you up and running again as quickly as possible. There are three levels of cover you can choose from:
Third Party
This is the minimum level of cover required by law in the UK. It covers liability for injury to others (apart from passengers. You need to add pillion cover for injuries to passengers). It also includes damage to other peoples’ property and liability whilst towing a caravan or trailer. It doesn't cover damage to your own vehicle in an accident.
Third Party, Fire and Theft Insurance
This offers you the same features as third-party. It also includes protection if your motorbike is stolen, attempted to be stolen or damaged in a fire.
RAC Motorbike Insurance – Comprehensive
Comprehensive RAC Motorbike Insurance Plus is our highest cover. With this level of cover, you’ll be protected for damage to your bike, property and yourself, even if you are at fault.
This also includes up to £1000 helmet and leathers cover, no matter who was to blame for the accident. Alongside personal accident cover of up to £25,000.
Why choose RAC Motorcycle Insurance?
We’ve been rescuing bikers like you for 120 years and so we like to think we’ve learnt a thing or two about bikers needs. Our motorbike insurance can be tailored to suit you, whatever bike you ride, and we work with a panel of approved insurers to get you the best price we can.
Compare bike insurance options from the RAC.
RAC Bike Insurance
RAC Bike Insurance Plus
24/7 claims management service
Minimum of 90 days EU cover
NCD discount available (including NCD up to three years old for returning bikers)
Flexible cover options including multi-bike policies and cover for accessories and modifications
Choose from comprehensive; third party, fire and theft; and third party only cover
Helmet & Leathers cover included
Personal Accident cover included
How much is motorbike insurance?
The price of your motorbike insurance depends on a number of factors. However, if you’re deemed as riskier to insure, then your policy could be more expensive. This is impacted by things like:
- Your age: being a young driver can mean you're less experienced and make you riskier to insure.
- Your job: if you use your bike for your job – for example a delivery driver – your motorbike insurance could be more expensive.
- Engine size: having a more powerful engine can increase the cost of your motorbike insurance policy.
- Time you usually ride: if you ride during peak times when the roads are busier, like rush hour, you are at higher risk of being in an accident.
- Security: keeping your bike safely stored in a garage overnight and having other security measures could help reduce the price of your policy.
- Driving history: if you’ve had any previous claims or convictions, this can have an effect on the price of your motorbike insurance.
- Annual mileage: having high annual mileage means you’re on the road for longer, which can bump up the price of your bike insurance.
What does motorbike insurance cover?
RAC motorbike insurance covers most types of bikes, including everything in the list below. The price you pay will depend on which type of bike you're insuring.
Insurance for mopeds and scooters is usually quite cheap, as they aren’t as powerful or expensive as standard motorbikes. But if you’re under 25 and it’s your first bike, you may have to pay a little more as insurers will consider you a high-risk age group.
Supermoto bikes are usually off-road style bikes designed for racing, designed to take sports tires or street tyres, instead of off-road tyres. It’s usually cheaper to insure lighter weight models with smaller engines.
A motorbike is usually considered ‘classic’ if it’s made over 20 years ago. You can insure a classic bike under standard RAC Motorbike Insurance. But if it’s particularly old or valuable, think about getting RAC Classic Motorbike Insurance, which is specifically designed for vintage bikes.
Because they’re designed for high speeds, insurance for sports bikes is often a bit more expensive than for other motorbikes.
You usually need a different kind of insurance for off-road bikes. But RAC Motorbike Insurance covers off-road bikes like motocross bikes, trial bikes and dirt-bikes.
Choppers are usually a customised bike, without rear suspension and with kicked-out forks. Because they’re customised, insuring them can cost a little more.
As large, heavy motorbikes with big engines, insurance for cruisers can also be expensive – especially if they’ve been customised.
How to get cheaper motorbike insurance?
The cost of your motorbike insurance depends on a number of factors and many of these can’t be changed. For example, the age of the policy holder. But if you’re looking to get cheaper bike insurance, you could reduce the cost by:
✓ Having a no claims discount by driving safely and responsibly
✓ Driving carefully to minimise risk of an accident
✓ Add a named driver to your bike insurance to help reduce the cost of your policy (but make sure you aren’t ‘fronting’, which is a criminal offence)
✓ Paying annually instead of monthly can often reduce the price of bike insurance
✓ Increase the amount of voluntary excess you pay if you need to make a claim2
✓ Reduce your mileage
✓ Storing your bike in a garage or safe space overnight
✓ Passing a recognised motoring qualification, such as Pass Plus.
2For example, if you set your excess at £150 instead of £50, the cost of your policy should reduce but you should make sure you would be able to pay this amount in event of making a claim.
It’s important to answer all questions honestly and accurately when getting a quote for insurance. Failure to do so could invalidate your insurance and lead to criminal convictions.
Optional extras – tailor your cover to suit your needs
- Personal Accident Cover – Give yourself and your family peace of mind should you experience an accident on your motorbike with cover of up to £25,000 in the event of: accidental death, loss of sight, loss of limb or permanent total disability. Included with Bike Insurance Plus
- Excess Protect Cover – Claim up to £600 of your policy excess back in the event of: accidental damage, fire, theft or vandalism
- Helmet & Leathers Cover – up to £1,000 cover for your helmet, protective clothing, leathers, gloves and boots following an accident regardless of who was to blame for the accident. This covers you on any bike you are riding, providing you are permitted to do so. Included with Bike Insurance Plus
- Legal Expenses Cover – Protect yourself after an accident that wasn’t your fault, with up to £100,000 of legal costs to help you seek recovery of uninsured losses
- Replacement Vehicle Cover – Provides a replacement bike for up to 14 days in the event of your vehicle being unrideable following: theft, attempted theft, fire, vandalism and accidental damage
- Key Protect Cover – All keys belonging to immediate family living in the household are protected against loss, theft and breakage to a maximum of £1,500
- RAC Breakdown Cover (UK and European options available) – 24 hour assistance in the event of a bike breakdown
Full terms and conditions of these products can be found in the Policy Wording.
Cover to suit you
RAC Motorbike Insurance is flexible, so you can include extras that aren’t covered under standard insurance for motorcycles.
Other passengers
If you want to ride your bike with another passenger, remember to add pillion cover when you get your motorcycle insurance.
Sidecar cover
If you have a sidecar attached to your bike, it’s usually considered an accessory that needs extra cover. With RAC Motorbike Cover you can add sidecars and other accessories easily.
Modifications
Our motorcycle insurance has flexibility for modifications, too. If your bike has been modified, remember to mention this when you get your cover.
What isn’t covered in your motorbike insurance?
There are some things you’ll need specialist cover for.
Track days:
Standard motorbike insurance doesn’t cover races, so if you’re taking to the circuit for a track day, you’ll probably need to get dedicated motorbike insurance for racing. Track day motorbike insurance isn’t a legal requirement, but some race courses will demand it.
Breakdowns:
If your motorbike breaks down, it isn’t usually covered under motorbike insurance. So make sure you get motorbike breakdown cover so you won’t be stranded if your bike needs a repair out on the road.
Planning to ride in the EU?
If you’re an RAC Insurance customer, just follow the link below to find out what you need to do and when.
Frequently Asked Questions
From the age of 16, assuming you have both a provisional licence and a CBT (Compulsory Basic Training Certificate), you can ride a vehicle up to 50cc, which will be speed limited to 28mph.
From age 17 you can ride motorbikes up to 125cc (A1 category) with the same certification and documentation.
To ride a vehicle above 125cc, you need to be aged 19 or over, and have 2 years’ experience on an A1 licence to ride medium-sized motorbikes (category A2 – typically up to 500cc).
You need to be aged 21 with 2 years’ experience at A2 level, or be aged 24+ to take the large motorbike (category A) direct access test.
To obtain a motorbike insurance quote from the RAC, you’ll need:
- details of the motorbike you intend to insure
- your personal details
- your driving history (including any claims and convictions).
You’ll also need to select the type of bike insurance cover you require, be it Comprehensive, Third Party, Fire and Theft or Third Party Only. You can also choose further cover from our great range of optional extras.
The type of motorbike insurance you need will depend on many factors, including your budget, the extent of protection you require, how you intend to use your motorbike and what type of bike you own.
There are three levels of motorbike insurance – Third Party only; Third party, Fire and Theft (TPFT); and Comprehensive.
Third Party cover is the most basic level of motorbike insurance cover, and the minimum required by law. It covers damage to a third party’s vehicle, their property or themselves as well as any passengers they or you may be carrying. It does not cover you or your motorbike for damage or loss of any kind.
Third Party, Fire and Theft (TPFT) cover offers the same level of motorbike insurance cover as Third Party Only, with the addition of cover for your own vehicle in the event of fire or theft.
Comprehensive cover is the most complete level of motorbike insurance cover. It adds cover for you and your motorbike in the event of an accident which is your fault, in addition to all the cover provided by TPFT.
We also provide a range of extra cover options, for example, breakdown and legal expenses, to protect you from additional losses not covered by a standard motorbike insurance policy.
A general rule is that the smaller and less powerful the motorbike, the cheaper the cover will be. However, an insurance policy is calculated using many factors, including your age, annual mileage, claims history, and where you store your bike at night.
It’s possible to help reduce your premium by using approved security devices, storing your motorbike in a secure location, or by riding a less powerful motorbike.
RAC Motorbike Insurance policies cover you for at least 90 days within the EU (this will be detailed in your policy schedule). If you want to take a longer holiday, you’ll need to contact us and we can inform you of your options for getting cover for your road trip.
You require separate insurance for your car and your bike. Your car insurance will not cover you for riding a motorbike.
We don’t currently offer dual insurance policies for a car and bike. You can however cover both your bike and car with our individual car insurance and motorbike insurance policies.
RAC Motorbike Insurance does offer multi-bike policies - to find out more, please chat to one of our agents www.rac.co.uk/chat.
You can choose to add cover for pillion passengers (passengers who sit behind the rider of the motorbike) on your motorbike insurance when you apply for insurance. Selecting this option may increase your premium slightly.
Yes! The RAC offer both UK and European breakdown cover as an optional extra, which can be added to your policy for an additional cost. Choose from single or annual European breakdown cover.
You are normally covered for up to 90 days but please check your schedule for details. If you intend on a longer trip you can give us a call and we’ll do our best to provide you with the motorbike insurance cover you need.
Yes, if you choose to add our Helmet and Leathers cover to your motorbike policy. This will provide you with up to £1,000 cover for these items. This optional extra can be added to our standard product, or is available as part of our RAC Motorbike Insurance Plus product – see the table above for further details.
If you wish to use your motorbike to travel to and from your usual workplace, you will need to let us know when you apply for your insurance. When asked what/how you will use your bike, you should select “Social, Domestic and Pleasure (SDP) Including Commuting”.
If you will be using your bike to travel to and from client meetings, or to other business sites or places of work, you should select “Class 1: Business Use”.
A CBT is a Compulsory Basic Training Certificate. You will need to pass your CBT before being allowed to ride your bike or moped on the road.
You cannot use your no claims discount from your car insurance on your motorbike. In the same way you cannot use your motorbike insurance no claims for your car.
Some insurers will permit you to ride other bikes on your policy, on a third party only basis, if selected.
If you think you may be unable to maintain your policy payments, please contact us in the first instance on 0330 159 157. We have specialists on hand who can discuss your individual circumstances and agree how we can help with your financial situation.
Yes, with RAC Motorbike Insurance you can get multi-bike cover to insure more than one motorcycle.
Yes, motorbike insurance is required by law for anyone riding a motorcycle on a public road.
It protects you against liability if your vehicle is involved in an accident and damages another vehicle or causes an injury to someone else.
Insurance can also provide financial compensation if your bike is stolen, vandalised or destroyed by fire.
The only instance in which you don’t need it is if your vehicle has been declared off the road through a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) from the DVLA.
If you’re caught riding without motorbike insurance, you could be fined or even disqualified from riding. Even if the bike itself is insured, if you’re not correctly insured to ride it, you could get penalised.
The maximum fine is £300, plus you’ll receive at least six penalty points on your licence. If the case was to go to court, you could receive an unlimited fine and be disqualified from driving.The police also have the power to seize and destroy any vehicle being driven without insurance.
Although motorcycle laws are similar to those governing cars, there are some differences.
The rules for learning to ride a motorcycle changed in 2013. There are now four categories of licence:-
AM -This is for mopeds with a speed range of 15.5 to 28 mph. You can hold this licence from the age of 16.
A1 - This is for 17-year-olds or older, and restricts you to 125cc, without L-plates.
A2 – This is for 19-year-olds and older, and restricts you to motorcycles of up to 35kW (47bhp). You must take your test on a bike of more than 20kW (27bhp).
A - This is a full motorcycle licence, and is only available to riders who:
- are aged 21 or over and have held an A2 licence for at least 2 years; or
- are aged 24 and over who have completed a CBT and practical test.
Before taking a test, you must have a Compulsory Basic Training Certificate (CBT). Having this shows you can perform basic manoeuvres.It is also a legal requirement for motorcyclists and pillion passengers to wear a protective helmet and protective clothing. You’re also no allowed to carry more than one pillion passenger.
Page reviewed by: David Buxton
More about RAC Motorbike Insurance
Whether you are a new learner just starting out on a 125cc bike, or an experienced veteran riding a cruiser; RAC offers motorbike insurance from a wide range of insurers to provide you with the cover you need for you and your bike.
Riding a motorbike is about more than just transportation. It’s about the excitement, the freedom, and the fun that comes from being on two wheels. For many, your bike is your pride and joy – and should anything happen to it, you want the peace of mind that comes with having the right motorbike insurance.
Our motorbike insurance can also cover you for any emergency medical treatment, in case of injury during an accident – and as an optional extra, which you can select when getting a quote, we can provide cover for your Helmet and Leathers, should they be damaged following an accident.