Motorcycle Insurance in Phoenixville + Chester County
Motorcycle Insurance
Like drivers of other registered vehicles, Pennsylvania motorcycle owners must maintain financial responsibility for their bikes. The state requires minimum motorcycle liability coverage of $15,000 for injury or death to one person, $30,000 for injury or death to two or more people in a single accident, and $5,000 for property damage. Riders should also keep proof of insurance available as required by Pennsylvania law.
Motorcycle insurance differs from standard Pennsylvania auto insurance in an important respect. Motorcycles are excluded from the requirement for the $5,000 first-party medical benefit commonly associated with Pennsylvania auto policies. Riders should therefore discuss available medical coverage, liability limits, uninsured and underinsured motorist protection, and coverage for damage to the motorcycle with their insurance agent. The state minimums provide a starting point, but additional coverage can offer considerably more financial protection after a serious motorcycle accident.
Collision-this protection covers your bike in a collision with another vehicle or a stationary object.
Uninsured/under-insured motorist – With that many uninsured drivers you can understand why you need this coverage. As if worrying about uninsured drivers isn’t enough, you must also be aware of under-insured drivers. An uninsured/under-insured motorist policy protects you in either case.
Comprehensive – this protection covers non-collision mishaps such as “Acts of God”–fire, wind, storm, flood, etc–and criminal activity like theft or vandalism.
Typically included in the Policy
Death or bodily injury
Damage or destruction of property
Personal injury protection (PIP)
The minimum coverages in the Keystone State cannot adequately cover an accident. The caps are shockingly low if you are involved in a major accident that injures you and your passenger. Then there is your bike to consider. That is why you should always carry additional coverage. You may want to consider the following coverages:
Bodily injury – this protection covers certain costs if you injure or kill someone in an at-fault accident. It also protects your passenger.
Medical payment – this covers items such as prescription drug payments; dental care; medical co-payments and deductibles from other health coverage policies; home nursing care, or funeral expenses. These expenses may or may not be covered under your PIP policy, so you will want to ask an insurance agent.
Let Alliances-Yerkes Insurance Agency help you find the right amount of coverage to suit your insurance needs.
Call us today at (610) 816-0043.
Do Better Than Minimum Requirements
Pennsylvania requires motorcycles operated or currently registered in the Commonwealth to maintain financial responsibility. For most riders, that means motorcycle liability insurance with at least $15,000 for injury or death to one person, $30,000 for injury or death to more than one person in an accident, and $5,000 for damage to someone else’s property.
Those limits can leave a substantial financial exposure after a serious crash. A hospital stay, significant injury to another person, or damage to an expensive vehicle can quickly exceed minimum liability limits. Your motorcycle itself also needs consideration because liability insurance does not pay to repair your bike after many types of losses.
AIA-Yerkes Insurance Agency can help you look beyond the minimum requirements and decide what protection makes sense for your motorcycle, riding habits, budget, and financial situation. As an independent insurance agency with access to more than 20 carriers, we can also compare available motorcycle policies and rates rather than limiting you to one insurer.
Motorcycle Coverage for Your Bike, Your Liability, and More
Liability Coverage After an At-Fault Motorcycle Accident
Bodily injury and property damage liability coverage helps when you are legally responsible for an accident that injures another person or damages someone else’s property. This could include another driver, a pedestrian, or a passenger, depending on the circumstances and your policy.
The amount of liability coverage deserves careful consideration. Pennsylvania’s required minimums satisfy the state’s financial responsibility requirement, but a serious accident can produce costs well beyond those amounts. Higher liability limits can provide additional financial protection when damages exceed the minimum coverage.
Collision Coverage for Damage to Your Motorcycle
Collision coverage addresses physical damage to your motorcycle after a covered collision, subject to your deductible and policy terms. This may include a crash with another vehicle, an impact with a stationary object, or certain single-motorcycle accidents.
The value of the motorcycle can help determine whether collision coverage makes sense and what deductible you choose. Riders with financed motorcycles may also have coverage requirements established by their lenders.
Comprehensive Coverage for Theft, Weather, and Other Damage
Plenty can happen to a motorcycle while nobody is riding it. Comprehensive insurance generally addresses qualifying losses outside of collisions, which can include theft, vandalism, fire, falling objects, and certain weather-related damage.
This coverage deserves particular consideration for motorcycles kept outdoors or stored away from home. Even a motorcycle that spends much of the winter in storage can still be exposed to theft, fire, and other losses.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage
An uninsured driver has no applicable liability insurance. An underinsured driver has insurance, but their policy limits may be too low to address the damages associated with an accident.
Motorcyclists may want to discuss uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage when they review their policies. A serious motorcycle accident can result in substantial injuries, and another driver’s limited insurance can create a significant financial problem.
Insuring the Motorcycle You Actually Own
Motorcycles can vary tremendously in value and use. An older bike used for an occasional Sunday ride presents a different insurance picture from a new touring motorcycle used for long-distance trips. The same is true for a heavily customized bike compared with a stock motorcycle.
We look at those differences when we help clients compare coverage. The motorcycle’s value, how often you ride, where you keep it, whether it is financed, and the coverage limits you select can all affect your insurance.
Your policy should also reflect changes you make after buying the motorcycle. If you add expensive equipment or substantially modify the bike, tell your insurance agent rather than assuming the additional investment automatically receives the same protection as the original motorcycle.
A policy review is also worthwhile when you purchase another motorcycle or substantially change how you use the one you already own.
Motorcycle Accessories and Custom Equipment
Motorcycle owners can put a surprising amount of money into their bikes after leaving the dealership. Saddlebags, custom seats, upgraded exhaust systems, electronics, wheels, custom paint, and other modifications can add significant value.
Coverage for aftermarket parts and custom equipment varies among policies and insurance carriers. A standard policy may provide some protection, but its limits may not reflect what you have actually invested in the motorcycle.
Keep records and receipts for major additions to your bike and discuss them with your insurance agent. AIA-Yerkes can review the available coverage for custom equipment and help you determine whether your existing limits are appropriate.
This is another area where access to multiple carriers can be useful. Motorcycle policies are not identical, and a policy that works well for a stock commuter bike may not be the best option for a motorcycle with substantial custom work.
Motorcycle Insurance for Seasonal and Occasional Riders
Pennsylvania winters keep plenty of motorcycles in the garage for months at a time. It may be tempting to cancel insurance as soon as riding season ends, but there are several factors to consider first.
A stored motorcycle can still be stolen or damaged by fire and other covered events. Canceling all coverage could leave you responsible for the entire loss. Pennsylvania also requires financial responsibility on currently registered motor vehicles, and PennDOT provides specific procedures for motorcycle owners who cancel liability coverage during periods when the bike will not be used.
Talk with us before changing or canceling a policy for the winter. We can explain the available options and help you understand how a change could affect the motorcycle’s protection, registration, and future insurance costs.
Review Your Motorcycle Insurance Before You Renew
Your bike and your life may look different from when you originally purchased the policy. Perhaps you added custom parts, bought a second motorcycle, started riding more frequently, paid off the motorcycle loan, or changed where you store your bike.
Those changes give you a good reason to revisit your insurance.
AIA-Yerkes follows a “Review Before You Renew” philosophy because an insurance policy should continue to reflect what you own and how you use it. We can review your limits and deductibles, discuss changes to the motorcycle, and compare available rates among our carriers.
Pennsylvania’s Insurance Department also notes that motorcycle insurers may offer discounts based on factors such as approved safety courses, certain association memberships, safe driving records, and factory-installed anti-lock braking systems. Multi-policy discounts may also be available.
Compare Motorcycle Insurance Through an Independent Agency
Price deserves attention when you shop for motorcycle insurance, but the policy behind that price deserves just as much attention. Liability limits, deductibles, collision and comprehensive coverage, protection for custom equipment, and available discounts can differ from one policy to another.
AIA-Yerkes Insurance Agency can shop among more than 20 carriers and help you compare those differences. We can also review your motorcycle coverage alongside your home, auto, umbrella, and other insurance policies when appropriate.
Whether you just bought your first bike or have been riding for decades, give us a call at (610) 816-0043. We will help you review your options and find motorcycle insurance suited to the bike you ride.
FAQs
Is Motorcycle Insurance Required in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Pennsylvania requires motor vehicles that are operated or currently registered, including motorcycles, to maintain financial responsibility. PennDOT states that the minimum liability limits are $15,000 for injury or death to one person, $30,000 for injury or death to more than one person in an accident, and $5,000 for damage to another person’s property.
Driving without required insurance can result in penalties that include registration and driving-privilege consequences. Pennsylvania law also requires owners to provide proof of financial responsibility under applicable circumstances.
How Much Motorcycle Insurance Do I Need?
Pennsylvania’s minimum liability limits establish how much coverage you need to satisfy the basic financial responsibility requirement. They do not necessarily establish how much insurance is appropriate for your circumstances.
Consider the value of your motorcycle, your assets, how frequently you ride, whether you carry passengers, and the financial consequences of a serious accident. Riders with newer or more valuable motorcycles may also want collision and comprehensive coverage. If your motorcycle is financed, your lender may require physical damage coverage.
What Does Motorcycle Insurance Cover?
Coverage depends on the policy you purchase. Liability insurance can address bodily injury or property damage for which you become legally responsible. Collision coverage can protect your motorcycle after certain crashes, while comprehensive insurance can address qualifying losses such as theft, vandalism, and fire.
You can also discuss uninsured and underinsured motorist protection and coverage for custom parts or accessories. We can walk through the available options so you understand what your particular policy covers.
What Is the Difference Between Collision and Comprehensive Motorcycle Insurance?
Collision insurance addresses covered physical damage to your motorcycle that results from a collision. Comprehensive insurance generally addresses covered losses that do not involve a collision, such as theft, vandalism, fire, or certain weather events.
The two coverages complement one another but serve different purposes. Your motorcycle’s value, deductible, financing arrangement, and overall budget can help determine whether carrying both makes sense.
Does Motorcycle Insurance Cover a Passenger?
Coverage for a passenger depends on your policy and the circumstances surrounding the accident. Liability coverage may apply when you are legally responsible for injuries to another person, but motorcycle policies and available medical-related protections can differ.
If you regularly ride with a passenger, mention that when you discuss coverage with your agent. We can review how your particular policy addresses passenger injuries and explain any options that may be available.
What Happens If an Uninsured Driver Hits My Motorcycle?
This is where uninsured motorist coverage can become particularly important. It can provide protection under qualifying circumstances when an at-fault driver has no applicable liability insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage addresses situations where the responsible driver has insurance but their limits are insufficient to address the covered damages.
Policy limits and terms matter considerably, so riders should review this coverage rather than assume another driver’s insurance will always be sufficient.
Are Custom Parts and Motorcycle Accessories Covered?
They may be, but you should not assume every modification is automatically covered for its full value. Motorcycle policies can place limits on aftermarket equipment and custom parts.
If you have invested in custom paint, wheels, exhaust components, electronics, saddlebags, upgraded seats, or similar equipment, tell us about it. We can review your policy’s treatment of those additions and discuss additional coverage when appropriate.
Does Motorcycle Insurance Cover Theft?
Comprehensive motorcycle coverage generally addresses theft, subject to the terms, limits, exclusions, and deductible of your policy. Basic liability coverage does not protect the motorcycle itself against theft.
If theft protection is important to you, check that comprehensive coverage is included and review the deductible. This can be particularly relevant for motorcycles stored outdoors, transported frequently, or kept somewhere other than your primary residence.
Should I Cancel Motorcycle Insurance During the Winter?
Talk with your insurance agent before canceling coverage. Even though you may not ride for several months, the motorcycle can still face risks such as theft or fire while it is stored.
There are also Pennsylvania registration and financial-responsibility rules to consider. PennDOT specifically addresses seasonal motorcycle insurance cancellations, so dropping liability coverage should involve more than simply stopping your insurance payments.
Can I Insure More Than One Motorcycle?
Yes, insurers commonly offer options for households with multiple motorcycles, although eligibility, policy structure, and discounts vary by carrier. Tell us about every motorcycle you need to insure and who regularly operates each one.
AIA-Yerkes can compare options among our available carriers and look at whether placing multiple motorcycles with one insurer provides a practical or financial advantage.
What Affects the Cost of Motorcycle Insurance?
Your premium can depend on the motorcycle, selected coverage limits, deductibles, riding history, location, use, and other underwriting factors. The insurer itself also makes a difference because carriers can evaluate the same rider and motorcycle differently.
Discount opportunities may also affect the final cost. Pennsylvania’s Insurance Department notes that insurers may offer motorcycle discounts for safety courses, safe driving records, certain memberships, anti-lock brakes, or bundled policies.
Can I Bundle Motorcycle Insurance With Home and Auto Insurance?
Potentially. Some insurers offer multi-policy discounts when motorcycle coverage is placed alongside home, auto, or other eligible insurance. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department specifically identifies bundling as one discount consumers can ask their insurers about.
AIA-Yerkes can compare the overall cost and coverage rather than looking at the motorcycle premium in isolation. Sometimes coordinating policies with one carrier works well; in other circumstances, another arrangement may provide a better fit.