Motorcycle Insurance vs Car Insurance: What’s the Difference?
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History is full of thought-provoking questions. Philosophers debate what the meaning of life is across time, and scientists wonder to what limits they can play God and remain ethical. Right up there with these intellectual puzzles is the age-old question of finding out what the difference is between car insurance and motorcycle insurance.
Ok, so we exaggerated a little. But if you’re considering buying a car or motorcycle, knowing the answer to this question is vital to your decision.
So we’re here to help by breaking down exactly what the differences are in the question of motorcycle insurance vs. car insurance. So strap on your seatbelts and let’s get started!
Motorcycle Insurance Vs. Car Insurance
The first big difference between the two types of insurance comes with the cost. In general, car insurance will sit somewhere in the $1500-$1600 a year range. Meanwhile, motorcycle insurance has an average of $702 a year.
Car insurance is the more expensive of the two in large part due to its popularity. With far more cars on the road, the demand for insurance is high, so prices go up. Besides, cars tend to be more expensive to fix than motorcycles, which factors into the insurance price. Finally, motorcycles are smaller, so they cause less damage in a crash to other things.
Another difference between the two types of insurance lies in how the PIP (or personal injury protection) coverage works for the two vehicles. With cars, you have the potential to acquire a no-fault version of the policy, which covers damages for you and the other party regardless of who was at fault.
Motorcycles don’t get this level of PIP, so any injuries you incur in an accident won’t get covered by your insurance company unless you can prove the other party was at fault.
Getting Into the Nitty-Gritty
One caveat that motorcycle riders do get with insurance is lay-up policies. This lets you suspend all active insurance policies you have (except for the comprehensive) for a set amount of time while you’re not using the vehicle. For example, winters often lead to cold and snowy months in many parts of the country, and you’re not going to drive your bike in that.
As a result, you save money on your insurance cost overall during those times. While car drivers can get that insurance too, it’s much more situational due to a car’s ability to handle more difficult terrain.
Finally, some states will differ in the minimum amount of insurance required for each vehicle. For example, Arkansas requires that car drivers buy at least a certain level of first-party coverage that motorcycle drivers do not have to get.
Time to Hit the Road
Congratulations! Now that you know all about the differences in the battle of motorcycle insurance vs. car insurance, you’re ready to hit the road! If you’re looking for more information on keeping your vehicle insured, check out some of the other posts on our blog!
Now, if you’ll excuse us, it’s time for us to make like Peter Fonda in Easy Rider and start cruising!
