Coverage options for motorcycle insurance are similar to the standard ones you’ll find for auto insurance. In addition to liability and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, most insurers offer these options:
- Collision: Pays out for damage to your motorcycle, minus your deductible amount. A deductible is the amount you select when you buy your policy that’s deducted from a claim check.
- Comprehensive: Pays out if your motorcycle is stolen or damaged by something other than a collision with another vehicle. Animal collisions are covered. A deductible applies.
- Medical payments (MedPay): Not available in all states, medical payments coverage pays for medical bills if you and your passenger are injured in an accident. Unlike personal injury protection, medical payments coverage doesn’t cover lost wages and other costs. Let’s state the obvious: Driving or riding a motorcycle comes with risks, no matter how careful you are. Medical payments coverage can come in handy if you don’t have health insurance or you don’t have enough.
- Personal injury protection: Generally pays out for medical bills for injuries you, your passenger or pedestrians suffer in an accident regardless of who’s at fault. (Rules vary by state.) Although some insurers offer PIP, some states may not allow insurance companies to sell the coverage to motorcyclists because of their high rate of accidents.
Insurance companies typically offer add-on options, although some may offer one or more as part of their standard policies. For some of these, limits and deductibles apply.
- Trip interruption coverage: Pays out for lodging, transportation and food if your bike is disabled in a collision far from home, usually defined in your policy as 100 miles or more.
- Coverage for custom parts, equipment and accessories: In most states, insurers include some custom parts and accessories coverage with comprehensive and collision insurance — typically up to $3,000, though the amount can vary. For many riders, however, customizing a bike is part of the lure of owning a motorcycle. If the chrome parts, saddlebags and personal touches you add to your bike are worth more, you can buy additional accessories coverage, usually up to $30,000.
- Transport trailer coverage: Many insurance companies offer coverage for trailers valued at up to $7,500.
- Roadside assistance: Includes towing and labor at the site of your bike’s breakdown.