In short, motorcycle insurance protects you, others and you bike from damages caused in an accident or covered incident like theft, weather damage, and legal costs for accident litigation. It does not cover anything related to mechanical breakdowns, wear and tear or maintenance.
Motorcycle Insurance Coverage
Updated: April 25, 2025
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What Does Motorcycle Insurance Cover?
LIABILITY-ONLY VS. FULL COVERAGE
Liability-only motorcycle insurance policies only cover you for damages that you are at-fault for to others. However, a full coverage policy includes this same coverage in addition to comprehensive and collision insurance which covers your vehicle for all incidents other than mechanical breakdowns and wear and tear.
Types of Motorcycle Insurance
Overall, there are six types of motorcycle insurance coverage that are the same as auto insurance coverages:
Liability Coverage
This type of coverage split into bodily injury liability, which covers injury you cause to others and property damage liability, which covers property damage you are at fault for.
Collision Insurance
This type of motorcycle coverage provides protection for bike damages from any type of collision with another vehicle or a stationary object.
Comprehensive Insurance
This type of insurance covers you for all other incidents that may damage your vehicle including theft, weather, animals and other natural phenomena like falling trees, fire, and falling rocks.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Uninsured and Underinsured coverage provides you protection in the case an at-fault driver doesn't have enough liability coverage to cover expenses on your end in an accident.
Medpay
Where available, this covers your personal injuries in an accident, regardless of who is at fault.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
In addition to your own personal injuries in an accident, PIP covers you for lost wages.
Motorcycle Insurance Coverage Add-ons
Below we've summarized add-ons you can get to your motorcycle policy:
Motorcycle Coverage Add-on | Coverage Details |
|---|---|
Roadside Assistance | Covers you for battery jumpstarts, towing, gas delivery, tire replacement and lockout services if your bike breaks down. |
Accessory and Custom Equipment | This covers you for any additions or custom changes to your motorcycle up to a specified limit. |
Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) | This allows your bike to be repaired with manufacturer parts rather than third-party sourced ones when making a vehicle damage claim. |
Safety Apparel | This add-on covers you for your safety equipment gets damaged up to a certain limit. |
Total Loss Coverage | For comprehensive and collision coverage damages or if your bike is totaled, you're covered up to the value of parts or your whole vehicle as if it were new. |
Carried Contents | This covers any contents carried on your bike up to a specified limit. |
Disappearing Deductible | The longer you go without an accident the lower your deductible gets for collision and comprehensive insurance claims. |
Accident Forgiveness | While terms vary by provider, your first at-fault accident will be forgiven and not affect your rates with this add-on. |
Enhanced Injury Coverage | This adds additional projection for your own personal injuries and a death and dismemberment coverage package. |
Is Motorcycle Insurance Required?
Some form of liability and/or UM/UIM coverage is required in 49 out of 50 states except for Florida. Usually, most states require 25/50/25 liability insurance and coverages for PIP, Medpay, Collision and Comprehensive insurance are in almost all cases optional. However, aside from how much motorcycle coverage is required, you want to consider your own risk profile when deciding past state mandated coverages.
What Is Motorcycle Insurance?: Bottom Line
Motorcycle insurance can cover you for both liabilities you're responsible for and any damages to your bike. Coverage is required in most states, but we recommend reviewing all options and your risk profile toget the best motorcycle insurance option for you
Motorcycle Insurance Coverage: FAQ
Below, we answer some frequently asked questions about motorcycle insurance coverage:
What does motorcycle insurance cover?
What motorcycle insurance covers depends primarily on what type so finsurance you select. However, at minimum, you're covered for damages you're at fault for including bodily injuries and property damages you cause. You can add on coverages for your vehicle to be covered in collisions or damages caused by theft, weather or other natural phenomena.
What motorcycle insurance do I need?
At minimum, you need the required liability insurance coverages for your state. However, whether you need additional coverage depends on your risk tolerance, location and riding habits.
Does motorcycle insurance cover theft?
Motorcycle insurance can cover theft if you add comprehensive insurance to your policy.
About Rachael Brennan
Rachael Brennan is a licensed insurance agent with over a decade of experience in the industry. She holds a property and casualty (P&C) license across all 50 states and a life, health, and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) license in New York and surrounding states. She writes personal finance and insurance content for MoneyGeek, specializing in property, casualty, health, life and accidental death and disability insurance.
Brennan earned her Bachelor of Science in Communications from Texas A&M University-Commerce. As a writer, she uses her insurance and personal finance experience to share practical knowledge and help people make informed financial decisions.
sources
- Insurance Information Institute. "Facts + Statistics: Motorcycle Accidents." Accessed May 16, 2021.