Motorcycles provide both fun means of recreation and vital modes of transportation. They also pose risks to operators that differ from those of the standard vehicle. These are sensitive machines. Therefore, operators usually have to insure them with specified motorcycle insurance policies. Motorcycle insurance should take into account both the risks of the vehicle and the risks of the operator.
Every motorcycle rider is unique. Some are seasoned veterans while others are novices. Age and experience play important roles in how much risk a driver poses to others on the road. Therefore, older bikers, younger riders, and middle-aged motorcyclists often wind up paying different costs for their motorcycle insurance. If you’re a young or unseasoned motorcycle rider, you should take your own risks into account when getting motorcycle insurance. 
Young Operators and Motorcycle Risks
To ensure that riders have strong experience, some states place restrictions on operations. Motorcycle operations are different from those of standard vehicles. If you’re a new biker, you may have to receive special licensing or endorsements to operate. Other young motorcyclists may face additional restrictions beyond the standard requirements. These may include restrictions such as parental consent or successful completion of motorcycle safety courses.
What you may not realize is that auto insurers frequently take a biker’s age into account when determining policy rates. Consider it in the context of being an older rider. As they age, bikers (indeed all drivers) may see a reduction in faculties, such as diminished eyesight. This may mean that the driver poses a higher risk of accidents when biking. They may therefore pay higher bike insurance rates because their insurer assumes a higher level of risk by covering them.
A similar age effect is often present for young bikers as well. Being a young driver means that you may not have years of experience behind the handlebars of your bike. This means that you may still pose operating risks. You may not fully be able to expertly control your bike as someone with years of experience could. Therefore, your insurer may likewise consider you a higher risk.
Getting Motorcycle Coverage as a Young Operator
Age often impacts how much risk certain drivers pose. Young riders may have higher risks than others. Therefore, if you’re a young driver, you may wind up paying more for your motorcycle insurance coverage. Nonetheless, other factors determine the rates you pay for your motorcycle coverage. These may include your bike’s value, your location and the coverage levels you select.
Young drivers need to remember one important insurance fact first and foremost. Auto insurance and motorcycle insurance are not the same thing. Therefore, you should never attempt to insure your motorcycle using a standard vehicle policy. You need a separate, unique policy for your bike. Auto and motorcycle insurance may have similar coverage elements, but they are fundamentally different types of policies.
When insuring a motorcycle, your agent can help you get the correct coverage. Most states require most vehicle operators, including motorcyclists, to carry minimum levels of insurance. Your insurance agent will likely automatically include these levels in your policy.
However, it is often best for young adults carry more than the minimum insurance levels. An accident may result in damages that exceed the limits of a minimum policy. If you don’t have high appropriate insurance levels, you might wind up having to pay significant costs out of pocket. It’s hard enough to make ends meet as a young person today. Could you really afford significant costs or lawsuits related to a motorcycle wreck?
Coverage you might consider buying for your bike include:
- Collision coverage: To protect you in case your bike sustains damage in a wreck. Your policy may help you afford repairs or totally replace the bike.
- Comprehensive coverage: This coverage can also help bikers repair or replace their vehicles. However, the damages it can help cover often originate from hazards unrelated to wrecks. Covered perils may include fire, theft, vandalism or weather damage.
- Medical Payments coverage: If you or your motorcycle passengers sustain injuries, medical bills may become costly. This coverage can help you pay for your health needs related to an accident.
- Uninsured/underinsured coverage: Sometimes, a biker might collide with someone else who is at-fault for the accident. But, that person may not have the appropriate insurance. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage can help you make a claim on your own policy instead of on that person’s policy.
With the right attention, you can usually find coverage suitable for you and your bike. Your insurance agent can help you set your coverage limits to a level that suits your needs as a young adult. Increasing your limits may increase your policy costs. However, your agent may be able to apply discounts or other price controls to improve your rates.
Need motorcycle insurance? Call Bromell Agency, Inc. at (318) 251-1212 for a fast, free quote on an affordable policy.