Tips for cheap bike insurance

How to get cheap bike insurance in 2025.

If you’re looking to renew your policy, what can you do to lower costs and get cheap bike insurance? To help you save money, here are some top tips on how to cut bike insurance quotes without cutting corners on cover.

Use your garage

One of the best ways to get cheap bike insurance is to keep your bike in a locked garage at home. A few insurance firms are so strict about this, they won’t cover a bike unless it’s kept in a garage overnight; other firms aren’t quite so harsh but will increase your premium to reflect the higher risk of theft.

Of course, lots of us don’t have the luxury of a garage at home. But you can still get cheaper bike insurance if you’re able to rent a secure garage close to where you live (usually within a mile). Just make sure you tell your insurer the bike is garaged, but not at your home address.

Get some training

Riders who have had their licence for a long time can be considered lower risk. Over time your insurance premium should go down. However, if you’ve only been riding for a short period of time, there are other options; an insurance company will appreciate that you’re less of a risk on your bike (and reward you with cheap bike insurance) if you’ve undertaken further training after passing your test. Check out our article on advanced rider training for more details.

Cheaper bike insurance could be just a short training course away – and beyond saving on your insurance premium, you’ll probably feel a lot safer on your bike, too.

Stay in the UK

The motorcycle insurance premium for your bike is going to rise if you let your insurer know that you intend to leave the country and circumnavigate the globe on two wheels.

If you stay in the UK you’ll be rewarded with cheaper bike insurance because you’ve avoided the sometimes risky, badly-surfaced roads and drivers on the opposite side of them. And your bike is an insurance risk while it floats across the channel on the ferry, too.

So take your biking holidays at home, and you’re almost guaranteed to enjoy cheaper insurance.

Get additional security

Many insurance companies will give you a cheap quote based on how your bike is secured – whether that’s in your locked garage or on the street.

Some insurance firms will offer discounts on your premium of around 10% if you add additional security, whether that’s an alarm, locks and chains, or a tracker.

A Thatcham-approved device will most likely get you some cheaper bike insurance, and these often end up paying for themselves in the costs you save.

Lower your annual mileage

The good news is that this doesn’t mean riding less (which we would never recommend). It’s just about being as accurate as you can when you estimate your mileage.

As a general rule, the fewer miles you ride, the cheaper your bike insurance will be. That’s simply because you’re on the road less and considered to be a lower insurance risk.

Don’t be tempted to exaggerate and shave off too many miles though. If your estimated and actual mileage are wildly different, your insurer could refuse to pay out in a claim.

Buy insurance online, get a discount

Buying your motorcycle insurance on the net gets rid of the overhead costs of a call centre, so insurance companies often cheapen online policy prices.

You can also get quotes any time of day or night – so for bike buyers leading busy lives it’s often much more convenient too.

Increase your voluntary excess

Doing this can dramatically cut your bike insurance premium. The downside is that if you do have an accident and make a claim, you’ll have to cover a larger amount of the cost. So, before you hike up your excess, take a quick look at our guide on hidden costs and higher excesses to see how your policy might be affected.

Shop around for more quotes

Bike insurance is a betting game – firms are betting on how much money they need to take in to cover their liabilities and make a healthy profit. But they don’t have to profit from every new policy taker, just the lazy ones. Let someone who’s too idle to get multiple quotes pay over the odds so you don’t have to.

It’s possible to save £100s or even £1000s on some quotes, traditionally you’d have to spend hours on the phone repeating your information – but now motorcycle insurance comparison websites like MCN Compare allow you to input your details just once, and as we have all the top insurers in one place you are guaranteed to find the best deal possible.

No claims bonus

Several years’ worth of no claims could cut your insurance premium by around 50% or even more depending on the insurer.

Even small claims can add hundreds of pounds to your policy and in extreme cases, it could stop you from getting your policy renewed altogether.

This isn’t to say never make a claim, but if your bike’s sustained damage you can repair yourself, such as a cracked fairing, think carefully about claiming. If you unfortunately do need to make a claim, here are some tips so that you don’t get stung at renewal.

Be honest

It might sound blindingly obvious, but the cheapest motorbike insurance in the world will turn out to be useless if it comes to light that you lied to get a cheaper quote.

Never be tempted to lie about things like where your motorbike is stored just to get a lower insurance quote.

What happens if they turn up at your house to see the locked, brick-built garage that your bike was stolen from, only to find a rotten wooden shed with no door?

It’s an extreme example, but if your motorcycle insurance claim hinges around a small detail, it would be unfortunate for it to directly relate to a white lie on your initial request for a quote.

Ride an older bike

If you’re not fussed about getting a brand-new machine, choosing a bike that’s two or three years old can help you get cheaper bike insurance. Not only are older bikes less likely to get stolen, they may be less expensive to repair, and parts could be easier to source.

Negotiate

It may also be worth negotiating with your insurer, meaning you could potentially trade off an agreed mileage limit or a higher excess for a lower premium.

It is important to remember though that you must stick to your side of the bargain. Do not say you’ll do 5000 miles and then do 10,000.

Pay annually

If you’re able to pay for your insurance in full when you take out the policy rather than in monthly instalments, you’re likely to see a significant discount.

Avoid modifications

For cheap bike insurance, avoid the temptation to make significant alterations. While modifying your bike makes it yours, it adds pounds to your premium because it’s likely to cost more to repair. The same goes for imported bikes where spare parts may also be harder to find, adding more to the cost.

That said, some modifications are accepted by a number of insurers and won’t impact your bike insurance premium, for example, adding safety features or improving comfort. Bear in mind that different insurers have different ideas about what’s accepted, so double check before making any changes.

Consider short term cover

If you’re a seasonal rider, think about a short-term policy which covers you while you’re actively using your bike. These policies are designed to be flexible with the option of buying cover daily, weekly or monthly and can help you cut your bike insurance costs.

When your bike’s not being used, remember to arrange a SORN and laid-up insurance which covers fire damage and theft while it’s being stored.

You can compare and save on comprehensive motorbike insurance cover with MCN Compare. We compare against all the top insurers in one place to ensure you get the cheapest cover available, tailored specifically for you. See for yourself, get a quote now (online and over the phone).

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Reviewed on 4th February 2019 by Andrew Campbell, MCN Legal Advisor.
Edited by Sian Daly, MCN Compare content editor 08 May 2025.