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Riding a motorcycle can be a great deal of fun
it can permit the rider the freedom to move when cars are
at a standstill and the ability to take to the country roads
and feel the fresh air against you. The concept of freedom
to ride is in the hearts of many and thousands of bikers treasure
their motorcycle as their means to escape the busy every modern
city life.
Motor
Cycles have become more sophisticated over the past few decades
becoming faster and more fuel efficient but one thing has
led to rising premiums for motor cycle insurance and that
is the increase in the incidence of accidents involving a
motor cycle. The likelihood of personal injury is higher on
a motor cycle than a a four wheeled vehicle purely because
during a motor cycle accident riders are often detached from
the motorcycle and thrown in opposite direction and can be
injured by other vehicles and or even by your own motor cycle
landing on top of you. Unlike a car with seat belts and airbags
and roll cages and SIP (Side Impact Protection) your only
protection on a motorcycle is your crash helmet and your leathers
and a great deal of luck.
When it comes to motor cycle insurance it is
of course a legal obligation to ensure that you are properly
insured, but not just to be legal but to protect yourself
an others in the event of a motor cycle accident. Motorcycle
riding may be becoming more popular and fashionable but the
worrying trend is the increase in accidents rates and fatalities
and severe injuries, especially in young riders who are less
experienced handling a powerful motor bike and with less road
sense, riding faster on more responsive motorbikes.
Motor
bike riders look for motor bike insurance quotes like every
other driver of a vehicle and usually compare many before
making a decision, as premiums are increasing year on year
it is important to think carefully about the level of cover
you require and shop around to obtain the best deal.
Before you start to look for your motorcycle
quotation you should carefully think about what you want to
be covered for and once you have obtained some competitive
motorcycle quotations you should look at the policy small
print before you commit yourself.
Accidents can happen any time of day so don’t
forget to find out if your chosen motor bike insurer operates
a 24 hours call center service and you might also need a legal
protection cover in case you have to fight for claims for
person’s injury or to damage to their property caused
directly from an accident.
There are some important factors that you should
be aware of that the motorcycle insurance companies use to
evaluate your risk of your motorcycle, which will affect the
price. Some examples of these are:
- Your age
- Where you live
- Your driving record
- Your occupation
- What your motorcycle is used for
- Is your motorcycle garaged overnight or
not
- Any security devices fitted to your motorcycle
- The cost of repair and replacement
- Make & Model
- Performance
- Engine capacity
- The possibility that it will be stolen (some
bikes are "hot" and are very popular bikes to
be stolen so you don’t really want to be riding a
motor bike that top of the thieves list).
It is useful for you to know about these factors
not that you can much about most of them because these factors
are essential information for the insurer to calucluate your
motor bike quotation. However, there are factors that you
can affect your motor bike quotation to reduce the cost of
your motorcycle insurance such as:
- No-Claims Bonus –
this is the best way to reduce your insurance premium. If
you have never made a claim for a year or two you will earn
"No Claims Bonus", the insurance companies will
also increase your no-claim discount when you renew your
insurance policy. You may choose to have a protected no-claim
bonus by paying a little more premium; this will allow you
to have a specific number of claims with no affect to your
no-claim bonus. Remember to protect your No Claims Discount
it could save your hundreds of pounds
.
- Excess –
This is the amount that you are obliged to pay in the event
of an accident firstly, there are mandatory excess which
there is no negotiation on and voluntary excess which you
can agree to pay a higher amount in return for a reduced
premium. You can choose the amount of excess that you are
prepared to pay. If you choose to pay more excess the premium
would be reduced, but beware that it will cost you if you
claim. So if you think carefully before committing yourself.
- Security –
Try to secure your motorcycle as much as possible such as;
in an secure locked garaged, use an insurance approved lock,
safety alarms to lessen the chance of loss. Remember that
Motor Cycles are relatively easy to steal if you fail to
keep it secure so lock it or lose it. And never leave the
ignition keys in the bike not even for a minute.
- Limited Mileage –
Some insurance companies will give you the extra discounts
if you ride under 5,000 miles a year. So calculate your
approximate mileage
.
Shop
around – Each broker gives the different quote for different
riders and some of them give a special discount for insurance
motorcycle online. Keep checking their website.
If you only want the cheapest motorcycle insurance,
be sure that you are covered enough as it may be cheap but
may have many restrictions. Be aware of the excess stated
on the policy and with the legal expenses cover, which should
be included in the motor cycle quotation. You don’t
want hidden and unexpected surprises when you claim in the
form of a very high excess, or cost of repairs or liability
that you have to pay to the person you have injured or damaged
property which are not covered for.
Type of Cover
Generally, there are three types of cover
for motorcycle insurance. The simple minimum is the "third
party only" insurance. You can claim for the amount of
damage to other persons caused your motorcycle.
The next is the "third party, fire and
theft" insurance, this includes the damage caused directly
by fire, explosion, theft or attempted theft of your motorbike
as well as cover to third parties.
Then
there is "comprehensive" insurance, which covers
third party, fire and theft, and damage to your motorcycle
whether the accident causes is caused by your mistake or not.
The majority of motorcycle insurance in the
market is "third party, fire and theft". Comprehensive
cover is rather expensive, especially for the young rider.
Actually, if you go to the major motorcycle
insurance companies they are able to cover all type of motorcycles,
mopeds, scooters and can offer you some other services related
such as motorcycle lessons, loans to buy the bikes or a breakdown
service.
Above all enjoy your motorbike riding and ensure
you have good insurance and take additional riding lessons
to protect yourself and buy the best crash helmet you can
afford and good quality riding leathers as those things alone
could save your life.
Click
Here For
Motor Cycle Insurance Quotes
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