Types of insurance cover

Most people have heard the terms Fully Comprehensive, Third Party Fire and Theft and Third Party Only when it comes to insurance. However, what does it all mean, and more importantly what does it mean for you???

As each rider’s circumstances are different, some live in a rural area, some in a city, some have a garage, some don’t, we have shown below a guide to the different types of motorbike insurance available. Hopefully this will help you make the right choice for yourself when you take out cover.

Third Party Only bike insurance

This covers the policyholder against damage to a third party's property or to the third party themselves. Third party only bike insurance cover is usually cheaper when  compared to Third Party Fire and Theft or Comprehensive motorbike insurance.

What does it mean?

For example, if you have an accident with another vehicle and it is your fault then the Third Party Only insurance policy will pay for the repair to thae other vehicle, and will pay for any medical claims or injuries suffered by the occupant(s) of the other vehicle and your pillion rider. However, a Third Party Only bike insurance policy will not pay for your expenses of repairing your own vehicle and nor will it pay anything toward your medical expenses if you are unfortunate enough to be injured.

Also, if your motorbike is stolen or set on fire, a Third Party Only policy will not make any payment toward the theft or repair of the bike.

Third Party Fire & Theft bike insurance

This is exactly the same as the Third Party Only motorcycle insurance policy, however additionally a Third Party Fire and Theft motorbike insurance policy will pay out in the event that your vehicle is stolen or is set on fire.

Comprehensive motorcycle insurance cover

A comprehensive (normally known as a "fully comprehensive" or “fully comp”) motorcycle insurance policy will pay out for third party damages and injuries, will also pay out in the event of your vehicle being stolen or set on fire, and additionally will pay for any damage to your motorbike. Often, if you have an accident that is deemed to be not your fault then you will need to make a claim on your insurance policy and the costs will be recovered from the third party insurance company.

What policy should you buy?

Obviously, everyone's circumstances are different and therefore you should take care to ensure that you buy the level of insurance that is appropriate for you. The old adage, you get what you pay for is sometimes true with bike insurance. If the next level of cover up from what you have been quoted isn’t too much more then it may be worth investing a bit extra, to get a lot extra. After all, an extra £100 might not be a lot to pay if it means you get insured for an accident that’s your fault. However, shop around and sometimes there are deals to be had. Try our Bike Insurance page for further advice on making the correct choice. You never know, it might cost less than you think.