It’s one of those things you hope you never have to use, but motorbike breakdown cover can give you an unmatched peace of mind that if something were to happen, you are covered.
It is basically exactly the same as breakdown cover for a car, the only difference being it is, obviously, for your motorbike. In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about motorbike breakdown cover and how you can find the lowest price.
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The different types of motorbike breakdown cover
In general, there are two types of motorbike breakdown cover:
- Personal cover
- Vehicle cover
The difference between these is that the personal option covers you as a driver and the other is cover for the motorbike itself.
Personal cover
By opting for this type of motorcycle breakdown cover, it ensures that you are covered as a rider, no matter what vehicle you are driving. Plus, more often than not, you are also covered even if you are a passenger on someone else’s bike.
Vehicle cover
As is suggested by the name, vehicle cover is for one specific motorbike. Therefore, the bike is covered instead of the policyholder. So if you are someone who has multiple bikes, it may be best to opt for personal cover instead.
Are there different levels of cover for motorbikes?
Just like with breakdown cover for other types of vehicles, there are various levels of cover for motorbikes.
| The level of breakdown cover | What this type of cover includes |
| Roadside assistance (also known as rescue) | As you can probably gather, this level of breakdown cover means your breakdown provider will send someone out to make any possible repairs on the side of the road. If they cannot complete all issues there, your motorbike, yourself, plus any passengers, will be taken to the nearest garage to fix it. |
| Nationwide recovery (sometimes just referred to as recovery) | This type of cover includes roadside assistance, but it allows your bike to be taken to any garage in the UK. Therefore, it can be useful to have if you often take long drives and could possibly break down far from home. |
| Home start | Home start cover means you are covered if you break down close to home or even on your own drive! |
| Onward travel (also referred to as recovery plus) | If you break down and your problems aren’t a quick fix, this level of cover will allow you to continue with your journey. So, it could pay for overnight accommodation or alternative travel. |
How much is motorbike breakdown cover?
Like with any type of insurance, the price can vary depending on the type of cover you choose plus the level of cover you require. Usually, vehicle cover is the cheapest type of motorbike breakdown cover but does have its limitations – it is just the one vehicle insured after all.
In terms of the different levels of cover, it is very similar to other vehicles – roadside assistance is the cheapest option and as you move up the levels, the price tends to go up too.
Saying that, breakdown providers often have flash sales or discounts throughout the year. So, if you are looking for ways to lower the price of your cover, take advantage of these deals!
What can affect the cost of cover for a motorbike?
As well as the types and levels of cover, your motorbike breakdown insurance can also be affected by other factors.
- The number of bikes you would like to include – The more bikes you would like to include in your cover policy, typically, the higher the price. You could always see how much it would cost to have separate policies for each, but this usually works out as more.
- How old your bike is – Just like with car breakdown cover, the older your bike, the more expensive it is to cover. This is because it has a higher chance of breaking down in the eyes of breakdown cover providers.
- The number of CCs your bike has – The higher the number of CCs, the more powerful your motorbike is. Usually, the more CCs you have, the more expensive your bike will be to insure.
Is motorbike breakdown cover just for motorbikes?
More often than not, breakdown cover providers offer motorbike cover for more than just motorbikes. For example, you could insure your moped or scooter on the same type of cover.
However, some providers will stipulate that the vehicle in question needs to be at least 49cc to qualify for this type of insurance. Anything less will not be able to be covered by their insurance plans.
What’s not included with motorbike breakdown cover?
You won’t find a car breakdown cover policy that covers every eventuality, and, unfortunately, the same goes for motorbike breakdown cover. There are some exclusions that may mean you are not covered by your insurance:
- Not maintaining your bike – If the reason for your breakdown is that you have not kept up with your bike’s regular services and it now has overall poor maintenance, your provider may not cover you.
- You are in a road accident – Certain breakdown policies do not include the recovery of your motorbike if you have been involved in a road accident. This is especially true if the emergency services are involved.
- You breakdown on private land – As the land is private, your breakdown provider may not be granted access onto the property to reach you and your motorbike.
We recommend reading your breakdown cover policy to see what you are and are not entitled to before signing anything.
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