Personal Insurance
A motorcycle policy is not a car policy with two fewer wheels.
Different injury exposure, a low default limit on the parts you added, and a passenger question most riders never think to ask.
No obligation. Starting a review does not change or bind any coverage.
What's going on
You are buying a bike, or you have had one for years on a policy nobody has looked at since. Either way the coverage was probably set up quickly, using defaults, and the defaults are where the gaps live.
Why it matters
A motorcycle needs its own policy — a personal auto policy does not extend to one. More to the point, the exposures are not the same as a car's. The odds of a serious injury in any given collision are considerably higher, which changes which coverages matter most; and a typical policy includes a low default allowance for aftermarket parts, which is where most of the money riders actually put into their bikes sits.
Things worth considering
Points we would talk through with you. Which of them apply depends on your situation, and what you do about them is your decision.
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Custom parts and accessories have a default limit, and it is low
Exhaust, bags, windscreen, seat, chrome, audio, custom paint — most policies include only a small allowance for all of it, often a figure you would pass with one exhaust and a set of bags. Total the aftermarket spend and ask for the limit to match. This is the single most common gap on a motorcycle policy.
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Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage matters more here
Missouri requires liability and uninsured motorist coverage, with minimum liability of 25/50/25. If a driver carrying those minimums pulls out in front of you, $25,000 does not go far against a serious injury — and their limit is their limit. Underinsured motorist coverage is what sits behind that gap, and on a bike it is worth a longer look than it gets on a car.
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Medical payments coverage
Med pay responds to injuries regardless of fault and without waiting for a liability question to be settled. On a motorcycle, where an ambulance ride is a realistic outcome of a low-speed incident, it is a different proposition from the same coverage on a car.
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Passengers are a separate question
Guest passenger liability is not automatically included on every motorcycle policy, and on some it is an option you have to select. If anyone ever rides pillion, confirm it is there rather than assuming.
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How the bike would be valued after a total loss
Actual cash value, stated value and agreed value settle very differently, and the distinction matters most on older, rebuilt or heavily customised machines where a valuation guide will not reflect what the bike actually is.
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Riding gear
Helmet, jacket, boots, gloves. Some policies address gear damaged in a covered loss, some do not, and a homeowners policy may treat it differently again. Worth asking specifically if your gear represents real money.
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The winter storage mistake
Plenty of riders reduce coverage over winter to save premium. Dropping liability on a bike that is not being ridden can be reasonable; dropping comprehensive means theft, fire and storm damage in the garage are no longer covered — which is precisely when those things happen. If you lay the bike up, know which coverage you are taking off.
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What you ride changes the rate
Cruisers, sport bikes, touring machines, dual-sports and trikes are rated differently, and engine size, rider age and riding history all feed in. A safety course can matter too.
Information on this website is general in nature and is not a complete description of any insurance policy or every coverage option that may be available. Coverage availability, terms, conditions, limits and exclusions vary by insurer, policy and individual circumstances. The issued insurance policy and applicable endorsements control coverage. Beacon Point Insurance Group may provide information regarding available insurance options and discuss coverage considerations based on information you provide, but customers are responsible for selecting the carrier, coverages, limits and deductibles they wish to purchase. No insurance coverage is bound, changed, or canceled through this website unless confirmed by Beacon Point Insurance Group or the applicable insurer.
How this tends to come up
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A bike worth less than its parts
Several thousand dollars of exhaust, bags and chrome on a machine carrying the standard accessory allowance. After a loss the bike is paid for and most of the additions are not — and the rider had no idea there was a separate limit.
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Hit by a minimum-limits driver
The other driver is at fault and carries Missouri's minimum. Their liability limit is exhausted long before the medical bills are. Whether anything responds beyond that depends on choices made on the rider's own policy, before the fact.
We Learn. We Compare. We Explain. You Decide.
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We Learn
We ask questions about your situation and the insurance you currently carry.
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We Compare
Based on the information you provide, we can obtain and compare available options from the insurance companies we represent.
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We Explain
We help you understand important differences in coverage, limits, deductibles, policy terms, and price.
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You Decide
You select the company, coverages, limits, deductibles, and options you want to purchase.
What working with us is like
The part people tend to mention is that someone explained it and then let them decide.
More personal coverage
Let's find the options that work for you.
No obligation. Starting a review does not change or bind any coverage.