1. Driver age and experience — your age and driving experience is already set. But be aware that younger and less experienced drivers inevitably pay more for their insurance. Driving experience includes your accident and claims records. Fewer accidents and fewer claims mean lower insurance costs. This is one area you do have control over as time goes on.
Even so, younger riders as well as older can often reduce their rates by simply taking a safe driver class. Drivers of all ages will get significant rate advantages the longer their driving record is free of accidents and claims.
2. Bike age, cost and modifications — Of course the more expensive the bike and more risk to the insurance company and the higher the cost of the insurance. Especially if you make modifications to the bike, insurance costs can skyrocket. That’s because the cost of replacing those modifications is often high.
If you haven’t purchased your bike yet and particularly if you’re a first-time biker, consider getting an older, lower powered model to cut your teeth on. Newer bikes and bigger engines increase the cost of replacement and the risk of an accident, so insurance companies naturally charge more for these.
3. Bike security and storage — The more secure your storage area the more likely you’ll get a good discount on insurance since bike theft becomes less of a risk. If you have a locked garage to store the bike in, be sure to tell your insurance company.
Similarly if you have an immobilizing device or other security device like LoJack on your bike you will score points with your insurance company. You can purchase and install an effective bike immobilizer device for less than $100.
4. Safety for drivers and passengers — most if not all states require you to wear helmets these days. If you don’t you can be sure the insurance company will charge you more simply because the risk of a serious accident is much higher. The company may also give rate reductions when you use other safety equipment. Check to find out.
Insuring passengers is expensive but necessary. Make sure they wear the same safety equipment and have the same coverage as you. You may not realize it, but bikers are sued more often by passengers than anyone else. If you typically do not have passengers you should be able to pay less for your insurance.
Once you have bought your bike a number of these factors are pretty much locked in. So it’s worth your while to think about this before you buy and or when you are changing bikes. You can save yourself a lot of money in your insurance bill if you take these factors into consideration.
Dan Danmenn enjoys writing useful articles and sites for motor-bikers on how to save money on insurance. If you learned something from this article you might also want to visit his newest website Motorcycle-Insurance-Quotes.org where you can learn more about buying Motorbike Insurance
