The day you pass your motorcycle test is probably going to be one of the best days of your life. You’ll suddenly have the freedom to pick your favorite KTM motorcycles from the local dealer and hit the road.
Your license may limit the size of the bike you can ride but it won’t limit how far you can ride, or how much fun you can have!
However, it’s not as simple as just hopping onto a bike and riding off into the sunset. You need to get the right gear, make sure the bike is properly tested, and you need insurance.
Levels of Insurance
As a new rider or even an experienced rider getting a more powerful bike, you may find that motorcycle insurance is surprisingly expensive. Knowing that you’re a safe rider means you may be tempted not to take out any insurance. But, the fact is that you are legally required to have bike insurance.
The legal requirement is to have third-party coverage or referred to as liability insurance. This means that your insurance company will pay the other party the cost of all damages and health bills up to the limits on your policy, if the accident is your fault. You won’t get any funds yourself if you caused the accident.
There are other levels of insurance available including full coverage which sometimes means Comprehensive, Collision and medical payments that pays for your bike and health bills as well as anyone else involved, even if you were the one that caused the accident.
Not Having Insurance
If you don’t have motorcycle insurance then there are two possible scenarios.
- Police Stop
If the police stop you and find that your bike is not insured they will fine you on the spot. They also have the power to confiscate your bike because you can’t continue to ride it without insurance and they may feel you are not safe on the road.
Alongside the fine, you may face appearing in court to have your license endorsed or you could even lose your license, have to retake the test, or attend a driver training course.
- Accident
The situation is considerably worse if you are involved in an accident, especially if you’re the one that caused it.
Alongside the above penalties imposed by the police for failing to have insurance, you’ll also find yourself liable for the cost of damages to other vehicles and property. On top of this, the other people involved may incur substantial health costs, if the accident was your fault they will be entitled to reclaim these costs from you.
In short, you could be made bankrupt or end up paying these people for the rest of your life. Suddenly paying the cost of insurance doesn’t seem quite so bad.
Don’t forget, most insurance policies also cover fire which can happen completely by accident. Without motorcycle comprehensive insurance, you’ll lose your bike. If it’s expensive that could be a considerable sum of money you’ve lost. The insurance will reimburse this.
Having insurance may seem like an expensive hassle. But, it is a legal requirement and can be a real life-saver for your wallet in the future.
