Recent Survey Suggests Third Of Bikers Own More Than One Motorcycle

The results of the latest survey from UK motorbike insurance outfit Swinton suggests that as much as 32% of motorcyclists have one motorcycle for commuting and a separate motorcycle for leisure and weekend riding.

In an online poll collecting over 1200 responses, almost one in three reposnded that they have more than one bike. A massive 65% stated that they have a motorbike that they ride only on a Sunday. Additionally, of these Sunday riders, 90% have opted for a specific model of motorcycle built for speed and style.

Compiling a list of the favourite weekend motorcycles, Swinton bike insurance found that the most popular weekend bike was the Harley Davidson CVO FAT BOB. Other bikes on the list included the Yamaha YZF R1, Honda CBR 1000RR Fireblade and Ducati Hypermotard.

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Insurance Cover for Motorcycle Clothing

When thinking about setting up your motorbike insurance policy, it is quite easy to forget that protecting your motorcycle clothing under your policy can be an important and cost effective thing to do. However recent research suggests not nearly enough bikers can reclaim the cost of the clothing in the event of an insurance claim.

As many bikers know, the cost buying good quality motorbike clothing, gloves, boots and a helmet can easily add up to many hundreds of pounds but at least you will know that the extra money spent here will do more to protect you in the event of an accident. Unfortunately even a minor accident can cause a considerable amount of damage to your clothing, and it can be expensive to get this all replaced. Let’s not forget the motorcycle helmet is one of the most expensive items to purchase and the most likely to need to be replaced if you were to fall from your motorcycle.

With this in mind, it may be a surprise to many that 54 percent of insurance policies don’t offer cover for clothing, while only 42 percent offer it as an extra option. Therefore bike riders are urged to check the small print on their insurance documentation and perhaps look to arrange cover for motorbike clothing if it isn’t already offered.

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Declaring Car Insurance Claims On Your Motorbike Insurance Policy

As a lot of motorbike riders tend to also have full driving licences, there are many cases where you will need both car and motorbike insurance policies. It can seem a little tricky as to what information needs to be provided on the two policies – it’s likely that you will take out the insurance policies at different times and from different insurance providers with slightly different phrasing of questions or license requirements.

One particular issue that can at first appear to be a bit of a grey area is that of declaration of previous claims and which policies those claims would affect. Many believe that due to motorcycles and cars being different types of vehicle their claims will not overlap.

It would appear this is not the case.

Motorcycle insurance providers require that any kind of car insurance claim in the last 3 to 5 years be declared, and similarly car insurance providers require all bike insurance claims to be declared. Insurance providers need this information so as to calculate what kind of risk you pose in terms of needing to make a future claim.

Failure to declare any car or bike insurance claims on insurance policies where you are the named driver will likely make your policy void if you were to ever make a claim against that policy, potentially leaving you greatly out of pocket.

So when it comes to applying for your motorbike insurance, make sure you declare any claims – be they on car, bike or van insurance. Depending on the insurance provider, they will only require those claims made in the last 3 to 5 years so older claims can be ignored.

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Motorbike Damaged During Attempted Theft – Am I Covered?

The unfortunate fact of the matter is that theft of motorbikes and other motorized vehicles does happen, and can happen frequently depending on your location, the value of your motorbike on the open market, and a dozen other factors. Whether or not you are covered for damages incurred during theft is dependent upon as many factors.

The first thing to consider is how, precisely, the damage was incurred. If the damage was incurred because the thief was able to commandeer your motorbike because it was not properly secured, your coverage claim is not as likely to be filled. In this circumstance, you may be held culpable because your motorbike was not properly secured against theft and misuse by individuals of ill will and larcenous intent. If your motorbike was under heavy lock and properly secured, however, the circumstances may be called differently for this particular case. If the damage was incurred because it was being forcibly seized and hauled away in a lorry, coverage might be more likely than if the bike were actually used by an unscrupulous assailant.

It is possible under some circumstances to insure an item, such as a motorbike, specifically against theft and damages that may result from theft. Under insurance policies like this, there will usually be certain requirements as to how the motorbike must be kept under lock and key, often down to very specific details such as what sort of lock and what sort of key must be used, how the bike must be chained up, what external security devices must be attached, where it must be locked up, whether in your garage, car port or if you can leave it on the street…many details may be applied in the name of safety for the sake of keeping you insured. However, this is the most effective means by which to protect your motorbike against damages incurred from theft, as such a carefully tailored policy will guarantee protection no matter the theft-related circumstance. Ensure you bring this up with your motorbike insurance provider when putting together your policy.

Theft is a very difficult issue in the context of insurance, particularly with open-engine vehicles such as motorbikes. However, with careful forethought and selection of an insurance policy compatible with your needs, you can see that even theft will not interfere with the value of your property. Theft is the most conditional, most difficult circumstance to deal with with regards to insurance; you can drive defensively, but you cannot park defensively. You can control your own actions, but you cannot control the actions of others. Insurance against theft is thus, while not the sort of insurance that will be invoked most often, perhaps the most valuable insurance that can be acquired as it covers conditions that you have absolutely no innate command over.

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End Of Summer Holidays Sees Increase In Bikers On The Road

With the school holidays now well and truly over, the morning rush hour slog to work has once again become the long and frustrating journey it has been for many years. However more commuters than ever have opted to tackle the rush hour on 2 wheels rather than 4, as Swinton insurance have released results of a new survey indicating a huge surge in motorcycle riders this year.

Compared to the same time last year, there has been a 16% increase in commuters using motorbikes, accounting for 11% of traffic on the roads. Bikers taking Swinton’s survey cite an average 20 minute reduction in their daily commute as the reason to switching to the more agile form of transport.

With any increase in the number of motorcycle riders on the road it is important to be vigilant both as a biker or a car driver looking out for bikes, particularly at a time of year when the weather slowly deteriorates creating more trying road conditions. New bikers and those recently returning to motorcycle riding after a long break are encouraged to take extra training and refresher courses respectively so as to avoid simple mistakes that could lead to increases in motorbike insurance premiums.

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Making A Motorbike Insurance Claim

Although it is always a shock to have a motorbike accident and it is easy enough to be so disoriented that you delay making an insurance claim, it’s vital that you notify the insurance company right away about your accident and follow through on all the various steps in the claims process. When making your claim, you have to be completely honest about exactly what happened during the accident. Any distorted or omitted facts, any exaggerations or misrepresentations, will not help you at all. Motorcycle insurance claims investigators are skilled at weeding out discrepancies in your story and have numerous resources to cross-check the facts. If the bike insurance company believes that you have been dishonest, they can legally void your claim.

You should report your accident as soon as possible to fulfill certain legal requirements. The longer you take to report the claim, the higher the chance of it not being approved. There are two reasons for this. One reason is that if there has been any physical injury, a delay in notification may result in a higher cost for hospitalization or medical treatment. So your claim may be denied if the injuries got worse over time. The other reason is that, even if there is no physical injury, the longer the time between accident and report, the less accurate the description of the accident is likely to be.

Besides reporting the claim as soon as possible, you should provide as much detail as you can. Essentially, an insurance company would like to know if there were any third parties involved; the location, date, and time of the accident; if there were any witnesses; and the extent of bodily injuries and damage to the vehicles involved in the accident.

So, after your motorbike accident, the first thing you have to do is call the emergency number of your insurance company for the claims department. A representative will discuss the claims process with you and tell you the best way to go about filing your motorbike insurance claim. It’s advisable to write down all this information, as the more accurately you can comply with their claims procedure, the faster and more efficiently your claim will be processed.

Although the claims process is fairly similar from one insurer to another, each has slightly different policies and procedures. However, if you have not paid your premiums, your claims may be rejected and if you only have third party insurance, then your motorbike damage will not be covered. Usually all that is necessary to start the claims process is your policy number and a quick check on your payment history.

If your claim is approved, your motorbike will be fixed at a garage authorized by the insurance company. This garage can quickly estimate the cost of the repair. You may have to pay the excess amount and the insurance company will pay the remaining amount once the work is done. In addition, you may, if your policy covers it, be able to rent a motorbike while yours is in the shop.

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Motorbike Insurance For Over 50s

It appears more and more older people are taking to the roads on two wheels, as recent figures suggest up to a fifth of UK motorcyclists are made up of ‘born-again’ bikers – those over 50 who haven’t ever owned a motorcycle or haven’t ridden in decades. This shows there is clearly a market for providing cheap motorbike insurance for older riders.

The older generation tend to have more disposable income in recent years, as salaries increase or children leave home. This means they are often free to purchase their dream motorcycle such as a Triumph or Harley Davidson, or spend money on those motorcycle lessons they always wanted.

However when it comes to motorbike insurance, older riders will likely come across the same problems as all other riders, and that is finding a cheap insurance quote. The problem stems from the fact that insurance providers see bikers as a greater insurance risk than other vehicle drivers, and unfortunately traffic accident statistics back this up. While motorcyclists make up just one percent of all UK road traffic, they are involved in almost a fifth of road user deaths.

Older motorcyclists will have one obvious advantage over younger riders in that their age will normally mean greater road experience and less chance of making dangerous decisions than younger riders. This is evidenced by the fact that older riders tend to ride more conservative bikes like touring motorcycles rather than sports bikes, further showing they are less likely to turn into ‘speed freaks’.

There are other ways mature motorcyclists can reduce their motorbike insurance premiums. Simple things like keeping the bike in your garage will help reduce insurance costs. If you don’t have a garage, it may still be financially beneficial to rent garage space for your motorbike. Failing that, investing in approved locking and alarm devices to beef up your bike’s security will certainly help. Basically, anything that will reduce the risk of a claim to the insurance provider is likely to reduce the bike insurance premium.

Another way of reducing insurance costs for older riders would be to accept a higher level of voluntary excess. This is the amount of money you would be prepared to pay out of your own pocket towards any potential motorcycle insurance claim. This would show the insurance provider that a claim will cost them less to cover and so would likely reduce the premium you need to pay.

The level of cover required will obviously also play a big part in the amount paid. The usual three options apply – fully comprehensive, third party fire and theft (TPFT), or third party only.

As ever with any motorbike insurance search, make sure to look at as many comparison sites and get as many quotes as possible to ensure you find the best possible deal. With some insurance companies specialising bike insurance for the over 50s, there’s a good chance you will find a great deal out there.

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Motorbike Insurance Premiums Set For Record Rise in 2010

Bikers looking to reinsure their motorbike for the coming year should prepare themselves for big increases as car insurance premiums see a record 20% increase on average.

Bike insurance has already experienced larger than average cost increases for the past year, and the pressures facing car insurers look set to affect motorbike insurers in the same way.

These pressures include increased personal injury claims, caused by the more prominent litigious mentality in recent years. Other pressures on car insurance premiums include fraudulent claims and uninsured drivers, the latter unfortunately being a particular problem amongst young motorcyclists and so likely to reflect in this year’s premiums.

For this reason there has never been more incentive to ensure you get as many motorbike insurance quotes as possible, and look to use insurance comparison sites to cover as many insurers as possible.

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Carole Nash Launches New Incentive Scheme

Motorbike insurance providers Carole Nash have this month announced a new initiative that will allow customers to effectively ‘earn back’ money spent on their insurance premium.

The scheme will Carole Nash insurance policy holders receive a book of vouchers for exclusive promotional offers over £500 in value. Vouchers include £200 off an MCi Tours flydrive holiday and up to 25% off bike security products from Acumen.

The move follows a similar and successful initiative last year that saw Carole Nash giving away free motorbike crash protectors with every new policy.

Head of marketing for Carole Nash, Rebecca Donohue said, “We’ve always tried to support bikers whether through sponsorship of clubs and events or through promotions like ‘Earn Back’ and last year’s R&G offer. This scheme allows bikers to subsidise their passion by getting great deals on things which can protect them and their bike or simply let them escape for some motorcycle-oriented respite from the UK.”

The initiative is due to run throughout the biking season ending October 31st.

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Average Time Spent Searching For Motorbike Insurance Over 2 Hours

UK motorcyclists spend on average two and a half hours searching for their motorbike insurance cover online, according to a report by Swinton Bike Insurance. The bike insurance specialists polled 1,200 customers, finding much more time was spent searching for the right quote in 2009 than the previous year.

The increase could be down to a number of factors. The most obvious theory is that last year’s economic downturn has put more pressure on bikers to find the cheapest possible insurance deal. The ongoing recession has tightened most consumers’ purse strings, meaning much tighter budgets when it comes to finding the right deal.

There is also of course the fact that motorbike ownership has risen steeply in the last few years, meaning more and more insurance companies are prepared to move into the motorbike insurance market and so an increased number of companies to search through for the best deal. Add on top of this the limited number of motorbike insurance comparison sites available and you end up spending a long time going through all of the online quote engines.

While it sounds a lot of time, it never hurts to search as many providers as possible to ensure you get the best possible insurance deal for the next 12 months.

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