By Meha Ahmad, Insuranceagents.com Staff Writer
When the weather gets warm, young motorists can’t wait to get out their new motorcycles and hit the road en masse; curving around sharp turns, zipping in and out of lanes, and feeling the wind whip around their faces. But before you let the good weather and the thrill of the motorcycle get to you, have you considered your motorcycle insurance? The only way you can really enjoy riding that bike—especially if you’re a young rider or new to the bike world—is by gaining the peace of mind that comes with having a proper motorcycle insurance policy. Start shopping for quotes using our online forms.
Most young riders will fall victim to expensive and out-of-budget motorcycle insurance costs. Why? Two reasons: age and experience. Agents give the lower motorcycle insurance premiums to who they consider to be low-risk drivers. That includes motorists who are both older and have more years of experience riding a motorcycle (how can you blame them? They have cold, hard statistics on their side, which show young motorists are more likely to get into a motorcycle accident). As such, most young riders are looking for ways to save on motorcycle insurance.
Though nothing can be done about a driver’s age, there are still other ways to save on motorcycle insurance.
1. Keep a clean driving record: Avoid accidents, tickets and all moving violations. Keeping a clean record will definitely look good to an agent and should get you a lower motorcycle insurance premium. Riders under 25 are recommended to look into whether or not their motorcycle insurance provider offers an additional discount for taking a driver’s safety course.
2. Anti-theft device/system: Guarding against motorcycle theft may help you lower your motorcycle insurance premium. Store it in your garage or install an anti-theft system or alarm to thwart thieves.
3. Get good grades: Whether you’re in high school or college, good grades are definitely something to brag about to your insurance agent. Bs or better may get you a discount on your motorcycle insurance. Show your agent a copy of your report card or transcript. Responsible students are more likely apply their responsible behavior to driving. This can usually get you a discount of 10 percent to 25 percent on your motorcycle insurance premium!
4. Get an older motorcycle (at least for now): Your motorcycle insurance provider is going to consider how much your motorcycle costs when calculating your premium. Why? Because they’re thinking about the worst-case scenario, which includes the insurer possibly having to fully replace your motorcycle in case of a destructive accident. New, expensive motorcycles yield expensive motorcycle insurance premiums. The less your bike costs, the less it costs to insure. Once you’ve gained a few more years experience, you’ll find that you can upgrade to a newer motorcycle and insure it for a much more affordable price.
5. Compare motorcycle insurance quotes: ANYONE who is looking for affordable motorcycle insurance (or any insurance for that matter) should shop around first. Look online for affordable motorcycle insurance quotes. This is the quickest and easiest way to find quotes. After filling out a short online form, agents and insurance providers will be in touch with you (via phone or email) with affordable motorcycle insurance quotes.
6. Look for motorcycle insurance discounts: Is your motorcycle not your main mode of transportation, but rather an occasional indulgence? If you do most of your driving in a car, and only take your motorcycle out during good weather or on the weekends, you could be eligible for a part-time/occasional driver discount.
7. Don’t bother filing a small claim: Your motorcycle insurance is in place to protect you financially in case of a major loss. Filing a claim for smaller incidents will cost you more in the long run, as your motorcycle insurance provider charges you a higher rate. Generally, anything that will cost less than $1000 to fix is something you should probably consider paying out-of-pocket, or try fixing yourself. This will help keep your motorcycle insurance premium low.
Various insurers can provide you with more than adequate coverage, and give you excellent rates on motorcycle insurance: State Farm Insurance is a top provider for motorcycle insurance. Shop for quotes using our online forms where you can compare several offers.
Published: Friday 18th September 2009
