There’s nothing like riding a motorcycle. With the wind in your hair and the open road, it’s a thrill like any other.
Want to keep enjoying those thrilling rides for many years to come? Then adequate motorcycle insurance is vital. Use this guide to compare your options and find the best motorcycle insurance for your needs.
In this guide:
- Compare the best motorcycle insurance
- 5 best motorcycle insurance companies
- How much does a motorcycle insurance policy cost?
- Is motorcycle insurance required?
- What type of coverage can you receive with motorcycle insurance?
- How can you save on your motorcycle insurance policy?
- How to choose the best motorcycle insurance
Compare the best motorcycle insurance
| Insurer | A.M. Best Rating | Best For |
| Progressive | A+ | Overall coverage & discounts |
| Dairyland | A+ | Specialized coverage |
| Markel | A+ | Multi-bike coverage |
| GEICO | A++ | Loyalty discount |
| USAA | A++ | Military members |
5 best motorcycle insurance companies
Not all insurers are created equal. To make sure you’re choosing the best insurance company for your needs, see our expert reviews below.
Best for overall coverage and discounts: Progressive
Best overall coverage & discounts
- Get covered for as little as $75 per year
- Customize your protection with specialized motorcycle coverage
- All of your discounts are automatically applied for you
Progressive is well known in the insurance world, offering everything from home, car, and rental coverage to life, business, and, you got it, motorcycle insurance. The company has an A+ A.M. Best rating, and its auto insurance offerings helped it claim one of the top spots on J.D. Power’s customer satisfaction rankings.
Based on our research, Progressive is the best overall motorcycle insurer because of its wide array of coverages and the many discounts the company offers.
All Progressive motorcycle policies automatically cover your bike’s full replacement cost, up to $3,000 in accessories and custom parts, and coverage for bodily injury, property damage liabilities, uninsured/underinsured motorists, comprehensive and collision, and medical payments. Add-on coverages include roadside assistance, enhanced injury protection, and a disappearing deductible, which gets you 25% off your deductible for every claim-free period.
That’s not the only discount, though. The company also offers reduced premiums for advance quotes, multi-policy holders, members of certain associations, riders with a motorcycle endorsement, and more.
- Full replacement cost (not depreciated values)
- $3,000 in accessories and custom parts
- Original Equipment Manufacturer parts
- Bodily injury and property damage liability
- Uninsured/underinsured motorists
- Comprehensive and collision
- Medical payments
- Total loss coverage (pays the cost to buy the latest model if your bike is totaled)
- Roadside assistance
- Trip interruption
- Carried contents and personal belongings
- Enhanced injury protection
- Disappearing deductibles
- Getting an advance quote at least one day before your policy begins
- Multi-policy holders
- Being a member of the Harley Owners Group and the United Services Automobile Association
- Getting a motorcycle endorsement on your driver’s license
- Completing a safety course
- Switching to progressive from other insurance companies
- Going three years with no accidents or violations
- Paying your premium in full
Best for specialized coverage: Dairyland
Best for specialized coverage
- Physical Damage Plus coverage repairs your bike with genuine manufacturer replacement parts
- Offering insurance coverage since 1966
Owned by Sentry Insurance, Dairyland offers auto and motorcycle policies in the majority of U.S. states. The company has an A+ rating with A.M. Best and a 4.5 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot.
Dairyland is our choice for the best-specialized coverage. The company offers special equipment and premium coverage options, including roadside assistance, rental reimbursements, and coverage for mopeds and scooters. Basic coverages include bodily injury, collision, comprehensive, medical expenses, and more. Guest passenger coverage is also available.
Discount-wise, Dairyland’s options are numerous. You’ll get a premium reduction if you have multiple bikes, own a house, are a member of specific organizations, or you take a safety course.
- Comprehensive and collision
- Bodily injury liability
- Medical expenses
- Property damage
- Underinsured motorists
- Guest passenger
- Optional or special equipment
- Personal injury protection
- Original manufacturer parts
- Rental reimbursement
- Total replacement cost
- Roadside assistance
- Trip interruption
- Insuring multiple bikes
- Owning a home
- Being a member of the Harley Owners Group or other riding groups
- Renewing your policy
- Taking a rider safety or training course
- Switching from another insurance provider
Best for covering a variety of bikes: Markel
Best for covering a variety of bikes
- Policies as low as $50 per year
- Receive coverage for cruisers, sport bikes, scooters/mopeds, custom bikes, and more
Markel is a specialty insurance company offering coverage for small business owners, motorcyclists, boat and ATV owners, and art collectors. They’ve been in business for nearly a century and hold an A+ A.M. Best rating.
We ranked them as best for multi-bike owners (and collectors, too) because of the vast array of bikes covered. The company covers everything from street bikes and mopeds to cruisers, trikes, and custom motorcycles.
Markel’s standard motorcycle policies include collision, comprehensive, property, passenger, bodily injury liability, medical payments, funeral expense coverage, and coverage for mechanical breakdowns, trailers, and uninsured/underinsured motorists. There’s also $1,000 in automatic accessory coverage, and you can add on additional coverage for trip interruption, roadside assistance, and rental reimbursement.
Discounts at Markel are plentiful. You’ll get a premium reduction for having anti-lock brakes, anti-theft alarms, multiple bikes, being a safe driver, and more. There’s even a 10% discount just for switching from your previous insurer.
- Comprehensive and collision
- $1,000 in accessories
- Uninsured/underinsured motorists
- Mechanical breakdown
- Trailers
- Medical payments
- Funeral expenses
- Bodily injury, property damage, and passenger liability
- Roadside assistance
- Trip interruption
- Rental vehicle reimbursement
- Bikes with anti-lock brakes and anti-theft alarms
- Renewing your policy
- Switching from a different insurer
- Completing a safety course
- Having three years with no more than one minor violation
- Going four years with no accidents (25% off!)
Best for its loyalty discount: GEICO
Best for its loyalty discount
- 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on motorcycle insurance
- Receive a discount up to 20% when you renew your policy with GEICO
GEICO is widely known for its car insurance options, but they also insure motorcycles. The company is one of the highest-rated insurers on our list, clocking in an A.M. Best rating of A++. GEICO is also one of the top-rated insurers in terms of customer satisfaction, according to J.D. Power.
GEICO stands out for its sizable loyalty discount, which offers riders a 20% premium reduction just for renewing their policies. There are also hefty discounts for taking safety courses, holding multiple policies with the company, or just being a “mature” driver.
The company offers the standard fare of coverages, including comprehensive, collision, property damage, and more. There are also add-on options for roadside assistance, accessories, helmets, and personal injury protection.
- Bodily injury liability
- Comprehensive and collision
- Property damage
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist
- Accessories
- Helmets
- Roadside assistance
- Medical payments and personal injury protection
- Switching from a different insurer (20% off)
- Insuring multiple bikes
- Having multiple policies with GEICO
- Being an experienced rider (10% off)
- Taking a safety course (10% off)
- Renewing with GEICO (20% off)
Best for military members: USAA
Best for military members
- USAA members get a 5% discount on their motorcycle insurance
- USAA motorcycle insurance is offered from an agency provider
USAA specializes in insurance coverage for military members and their families, so it’s no surprise the company is our pick for best motorcycle coverage in that category. The company’s well-known for its excellent customer service and holds an A++ rating from A.M. Best.
Bike-wise, USAA covers several models, including cruisers, dirt bikes, touring bikes, mopeds, and scooters. Standard policies include comprehensive, collision, property damage liability, bodily injury, and medical payments coverages. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is also included.
The company offers many discounts, including a 5% discount for being a USAA member and discounts for claims-free periods, taking a safety course, or insuring multiple motorcycles.
- Comprehensive and collision
- Bodily injury
- Property damage liability
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist
- Medical payments
- Having claims-free periods
- Insuring multiple bikes
- Taking a safety course
- Being a USAA member (5%)
How much does a motorcycle insurance policy cost?
The average cost of motorcycle insurance clocks in at just under $1,200, but actual costs depend on many factors. The amount of coverage you choose plays a role, as does how often you use the bike and the amount of mileage you average each year.
Other factors that can impact your premiums include:
- Your credit score
- Your age and gender
- Your location
- Your driving history
- The model and age of your bike
Rates vary by insurance company, too. That’s why it’s essential to shop around for your policy.
Is motorcycle insurance required?
Motorcycle insurance is required in the majority of U.S. states, just as car insurance is. There are also minimums you must carry in many places in terms of comprehensive, collision, and liability insurance. You can learn more about minimums in your area by contacting your local Department of Motor Vehicles.
Additionally, if you’ve financed your bike using a loan, your lender or bank will likely require insurance as well. You’ll need to check with them about any minimum coverage requirements.
What type of coverage can you receive with motorcycle insurance?
Motorcycle insurers offer many options when it comes to coverage. The exact choices vary by provider, but here are some of the more common options you can expect to encounter:
- Comprehensive and collision: This covers repairing or replacing your motorcycle if it’s damaged or totaled.
- Property damage and boldly injury liability: This will pay for legal costs if you damage property or hurt someone while on your bike.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: If another driver hits you and their insurance won’t cover the full damage, this type of coverage can fill in the gap.
- Medical payments or personal injury protection: This covers medical bill costs if you or a passenger is hurt while riding.
There are many other options, too, including coverage for accessories, specialized or custom equipment, roadside assistance, and more.
How can you save on your motorcycle insurance policy?
Most insurance companies offer a variety of discounts that can help you save cash on your premiums. Going accident-free for some time can also usually reduce your rate.
Here are just a few of the standard discounts offered by major insurance companies:
- Safe driver, for those who go accident-free or claim-free for certain periods of time
- Multi-policy holders, if you insure your car, home, or other valuables with the same company
- Renewing your policy or switching from another insurance provider
- Taking a safety course or getting a motorcycle endorsement on your license
You can also reduce your rate by increasing your credit score or opting for a “lay-up” policy, which essentially suspends your policy (and the premium you pay on it) during periods when its unusable (like during winter).
How to choose the best motorcycle insurance
Motorcycle insurance policies vary widely from one company to the next. To be sure you’re getting the best coverage at the best price, it’s important to shop around and compare your options.
When doing this, look at the policy’s overall costs, the included coverages, the discounts offered, and the company’s claims process. Customer reviews and ratings should also come into play, as should its add-on coverages.
Recap of the best motorcycle insurance companies
| Company | Best For |
| Progressive | Overall coverage and discounts |
| Dairyland | Specialized coverage |
| Markel | Multi-bike coverage |
| GEICO | Loyalty discount |
| USAA | Military members |