You are stuck in a traffic jam on the way to work. The traffic in front of you is barely moving. You’re probably going to be late, when ZOOM! A motorcycle flies by your car, weaving in between lanes while all the other vehicles sit patiently waiting for traffic to move.
Motorcycling is incredibly dangerous. You are traveling sometimes at a speed over 80 mph on two wheels, and nothing but a few pieces of metal to support you. There is no seat belt and some riders even neglect to use a helmet. No wonder why when a motorist gets into an accident, it is often fatal.
A lot of people associate airplanes are more dangerous than vehicles. That couldn’t be further from the truth. You are much less likely to be in an airplane crash than you are a car pile-up. The same holds true for motorcycles. The odd of getting into an accident aren’t as high as people always think, but they are very deadly when they do occur.
Insurance companies break down each motorcycle driver on a case-by-case basis. It would be easy to point the finger at all drivers and label them reckless and risk takers. However, insurance companies are inclined to sit down and cut costs on the premium in any way possible.
Some riders look to pass the test and receive their licenses and consequently are on the road wrecking havoc. But this is a guaranteed way to have a high premium. Touting experience when it comes to motorcycle riding is extremely important in the eyes of the insurance industry.
Insurance brokers are willing to reward riders who take part in safety courses and additional motorcycle driving courses by offering a cheaper premium. Experience is vital, and insurance companies will go a long way to reward it.
Insurance companies also like to reward drivers with clean driving records. Have you been in your fair share of accidents and received your fair share of tickets? Chances are insurance companies are not going to be pleased and award you with a cheap premium. Your history pays off and it will if it’s clean.
Premiums will also raise no matter how clean the driving record is or how much experience the driver features, due to the fact that bikes are easy to steal. They are out in the open and many thieves view them as cheap and easy snags. So unless you have a tracking device or other security features, an insurance provider is going to stay hesitant on your investment.
So you see motorcycle insurance falls under two categories. Either you pay expensive premiums for your reckless or “high risk” past ways, or you save a lot of money and prove to the insurance agency that you will do everything possible to stay out of harms way.
Graham McKenzie is the content Syndication Manager at insurance123.co.zaSouth Africa’s leading Motorcycle Insurance information portal
