Reviews Report
- Allstate is Reviews.com’s top cheap motorcycle insurance company due to its coverage options, customer satisfaction and support.
- The best motorcycle insurance companies have plenty of discounts.
- All providers we reviewed offered a discount for taking a motorcycle safety course.
The best cheap motorcycle insurance companies should cover you and your bike no matter what happens. This means well-rounded coverage with plenty of discounts in order to give you the protection you need at an affordable rate. After hours of research looking into almost two dozen of the nation’s top providers, we picked the four best options that strike the perfect balance between low premiums and great coverage. However, since insurance rates are highly personal, you’ll still want to compare quotes to find the best price for the coverage you need.
The 6 Best Cheap Motorcycle Insurance Companies
- Nationwide: Best for High-Risk Riders
- Liberty Mutual: Best for Low-Risk Riders
- Safeco: Best for Discounts
- Allstate: Best for Bundling
- USAA: Best for Military Members and Families
- Markel: Best for Coverage Options
Compare the Best Cheap Motorcycle Insurance Companies
Nationwide | Liberty Mutual | Safeco | Allstate | USAA | Markel | |
Our review | Our review | |||||
’High-risk’ riders | ’Low-risk’ riders | Discounts | Coverage options | Military families | Coverage options | |
Reviews.com Score | 4.4 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 4.25 |
A+ | A | A | A+ | A++ | A | |
J.D. Power score | 862/1,000 | 853/1,000 | 838/1,000 | 858/1,000 | 900/1,000 | Not Rated |
Compare rates | Compare rates | Compare rates | Compare rates | Compare rates | Compare rates |
Information accurate as of February 2021.
Best for High-Risk Riders: Nationwide
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Affordable upgrades
- Built-in accessory coverage
- Easy online claim filing
Cons
- No motorcycle replacement coverage
- No mature rider discounts
Types of Coverage Offered**
- Custom equipment
- OEM endorsement
- Roadside assistance
- Medical payments
- Uninsured/underinsured
Discounts Available
- Multi policy/vehicle
- Motorcycle safety course
- Theft recovery device/Anti lock brakes
- Riding association affiliation
*J.D. Power’s 2020 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study rating. Based on a 1,000-point scale.
**In addition to basic coverage of comprehensive, collision, body liability, personal injury, and property liability.
Best for Low-Risk Riders: Liberty Mutual
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Accident forgiveness
- Excellent replacement bike coverage
Cons
- Not ideal for specialty bikes
- Discounts not available nationwide
- No online quote tool
Types of Coverage Offered**
- Better Bike Replacement
- New bike replacement
- Roadside assistance
Discounts Available
- Safety course
- Bundle and save
- Experienced rider
Best for Roadside Assistance: Safeco
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Safety discounts
- Bike replacement coverage
Cons
- No coverage for vintage bikes
- No online quote tool
Types of Coverage Offered**
- OEM
- Safety gear
- Harley Davidson Replacement Cost Provision
- Roadside assistance
Discounts Available
- Claims-free
- Bundle
- Safety course
- Experienced rider
Best for Bundling: Allstate
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Best bundling discount
- Generous coverage options
- Lease/loan gap coverage
Cons
- No coverage for vintage bikes
- No online quote tool
Types of Coverage Offered**
- Uninsured/underinsured
- Towing and labor
- Medical payments
- Trailer
- Lease/loan gap
- Optional or added equipment
Discounts Available
- Multi vehicle/policy
- Good rider
- Transfer
- Motorcycle organization
- Safety course
Best for Military Members: USAA
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Excellent customer satisfaction
- Strong financial rating
Cons
- Only available to military
- Limited information on website
Types of Coverage Offered**
- Medical payments
- Uninsured/underinsured
- Roadside assistance
Discounts Available
- Claims-free
- Safety course
- Multi-vehicle
Best for Coverage Options: Markel
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Wide variety of coverage options
- Many discounts available
Cons
- Phone or email claims only
Types of Coverage Offered**
- Roadside assistance
- Trip interruption
- Passenger liability
- Mechanical breakdown
- Trailer
- Funeral expense
Discounts Available
- Safe driver
- Safety course
- Transfer
- Accident forgiveness
- Anti lock/brake systems
*J.D. Power’s 2020 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study rating. Based on a 1,000-point scale.
**In addition to basic coverage of comprehensive, collision, body liability, personal injury, and property liability.
Cheap Motorcycle Insurance: What You Need to Know
Coverage options
The best motorcycle insurance is affordable, but it also needs to provide adequate coverage. The seven personal injury lawyers and independent insurance agents we spoke to all agree: You should buy more insurance than your state requires.
“The biggest problem with motorcycle insurance is that riders buy the cheapest policy to be ‘street legal’ by state law, but they don’t buy the correct amount of coverage to protect themselves in the event of an accident,” says Brad Tabakin, a personal injury attorney.
When it comes to coverage, the limits you choose are up to you, but the best provider needs to make the most important coverages available at the very least:
Collision coverage
Collision pays to repair or replace your bike if it’s damaged in an accident. This comes standard with any insurance plan — the real question is how big your deductible will be. With most providers, you can choose a deductible anywhere between $100 and $1,000. Selecting a higher deductible usually means getting a lower premium, but it will also cost you more in the event of a crash.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive covers any losses and damages that weren’t the result of an accident, like theft or natural disaster. As with collision coverage, you’ll have some freedom to choose a deductible you’re comfortable with.
Lots of discounts
We scoured each of our finalists’ websites and tallied up their discounts to see where you can find the biggest savings. Most insurance providers will discount your premium for being a “less risky” customer to insure.
You may qualify for some discounts by default, like being a “mature rider” or a homeowner, but you can also take proactive measures to make sure you get the best deal on your premium. For instance, if you install an anti-theft device, most providers will knock a few dollars off because they’re less likely to have to reimburse a stolen bike.
Affordable premiums
Based on our experts’ recommended coverage levels, we got multiple quotes from each of our contenders, altering the age of the rider and the type of motorcycle to get an idea of how that would affect price.
We found great policies with plenty of coverage — but they’re not always the cheapest plans out there. While other providers may advertise even lower rates, those bargain prices come at the expense of strong coverage. We looked for top-notch coverage at an affordable rate.
How to Save on Your Motorcycle Insurance Premium
Motorcycle insurance discounts
Most discounts are pretty easy to qualify for if you’re aware of them ahead of time. To keep you in the know, we compiled a comprehensive list of available discounts and which of our top picks offer them:
Nationwide | Liberty Mutual | Safeco | Allstate | USAA | Markel | |
Safety course | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Anti-theft device | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Anti-lock brake | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Motorcycle association membership | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Bundling | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
Paid-in-full | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
Homeowner | ✔ | ✔ | ||||
Safe driver | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
No at-fault accidents | ✔ | |||||
Renewal | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
Mature rider | ✔ |
Motorcycle Insurance FAQ
Methodology
We evaluated motorcycle insurance companies based on discounts, coverage, claim filing, financial strength and customer satisfaction to determine Reviews.com scores and create our best motorcycle insurance reviews. To compare motorcycle insurance companies with other providers across the board, we calculate each Reviews.com score based on the following:
- Discounts: Motorcycle insurance companies that advertised more discounts received higher scores in our methodology
- Financial Stability: Reviews.com utilized AM Best ratings to assign a score based on each motorcycle insurance company’s financial stability.
- Customer Satisfaction: Because J.D. Power does not study motorcycle insurance customer satisfaction, we utilized J.D. Power’s 2020 Insurance Shopping Satisfaction Study for auto insurers.
- Coverage: Motorcycle insurance companies were awarded higher scores for advertised coverages beyond the body liability, property liability, collision and personal injury protection.
- Claims Filing: Reviews.com compared each company’s claims filing process — companies that had mobile claims filing scored the highest in this metric.