Last Updated on May, 2024
If you are a biker like me who shares a special bond with your motorcycle, getting a motorcycle breakdown cover is the best thing you can do for your bike to give you peace of mind.
The last thing you want as a biker is to be stranded in the middle of nowhere with your bike broken down and no clue on how to get assistance.
When it comes to the best motorbike recovery, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about motorbike covers.
Quick Summary
- Motorcycle breakdown cover is an insurance policy for two-wheeled vehicles that provides assistance and recovery services in case of a breakdown.
- There are two types of motorcycle breakdown cover: personal cover for the rider and passengers, and vehicle cover for a specific motorcycle.
- The cost of motorcycle breakdown cover varies depending on the level of coverage and the number of vehicles being covered, and there may be exclusions such as accidents or lack of maintenance. It is important to know the details of the policy before deciding on one.
Contents
- 1 What Does a Motorcycle Breakdown Cover Mean?
- 2 Types of Motorcycle Breakdown Cover
- 3 Motorcycle Breakdown Covers Levels
- 4 UK and European Motorcycle Breakdown Cover
- 5 How Much Does a Motorbike Breakdown Cover Cost?
- 6 Common Exclusions for Motorbike Breakdown Cover
- 7 What Should I Do if My Motorbike Breaks Down in the Middle of the Road?
- 8 FAQs
What Does a Motorcycle Breakdown Cover Mean?
A motorcycle breakdown cover is an insurance policy for two-wheeled vehicles such as moped, motorbike, and scooter. This type of insurance cover has you covered with policies from motorcycle roadside assistance to home start recovery.
Therefore, when your motorbike breaks down, all you have to do is call your motorbike insurance provider and provide all the information. We will send out a professional to fix your motorbike. In case we can’t fix your motorbike on the same day, we will take it to the nearest garage
Types of Motorcycle Breakdown Cover
As with most vehicles like cars, vans, or motorbikes, you must choose whether you want yourself and a passenger or your vehicles covered. The main features of a breakdown cover include motorcycle roadside assistance and recovery.
Personal Motorcycle Cover
Personal breakdown policies cover the person riding the motorbike and the passengers if they meet the requirements. In this case, you are insured for your motorbike and riding pillion on someone else’s bike.
Up to four passengers who live at the same address are covered; hence, it is suitable for households that have more than one motorbike or scooter.
Vehicle Motorcycle Cover
The vehicle motorcycle cover is limited to covering a specific motorbike regardless of the driver or passenger. This type of policy is especially suitable for households that share one motorcycle and more than one person uses it.
This gives you peace of mind as you won’t have to worry about who you lend your bike to and if you have them covered.
Motorcycle Breakdown Covers Levels
Before locking into a motorbike breakdown cover, you must also know what different levels best suit you. Whether it is motorcycle roadside assistance, onward travel, or optional extra cover, it is always recommended to know the terms and conditions of each policy before deciding on it.
Motorcycle Roadside Assistance
The most popular policy in our motorbike breakdown cover is getting motorcycle roadside assistance, which helps you get immediate help when you experience a breakdown.
If you can’t get roadside assistance services or get your motorcycle fixed immediately, our mechanic will send it to a local garage for repair.
Home-Start
This policy deals with if your motorbike breaks within or around the vicinity of your home. In this case, you only have to call us, and we will send our best technician to your home address.
Depending on your motorbike breakdown cover options, this policy’s coverage extends to if you break down within a quarter-mile radius of your home.
Nationwide Recovery
In this recovery, you can choose where you want your motorcycle to be taken to repair. In this policy, you can select many locations across the UK that are included in your breakdown cover. This option is especially helpful if your bike has a flat battery or breakdown far from your home.
Onward Travel
This is useful to add to your current breakdown policy when there is a long trip and you have a motorbike breakdown. If immediate roadside assistance and recovery are not possible, the mechanic may take your motorbike to the nearest garage overnight for more expensive repairs.
If that is the case, during the trip, depending on the extent of the bike breakdown cover, the insurer may reimburse travel expenses for overnight repairs.
This may cover the hotel costs for the night and the costs of getting a replacement car or alternative transport to get you back home.
See how much does it cost only for the motorcycle transportation service. (The results may surprise you.)
UK and European Motorcycle Breakdown Cover
When travelling outside the UK, extending your vehicle breakdown cover to motorcycle roadside assistance in Europe as well is the best thing you can do for your bike.
If you frequently take trips to Europe, add a European breakdown cover to your UK breakdown cover, or you could also get a separate yearly policy.
An annual European motorcycle breakdown cover policy will allow you to take unlimited trips in Europe but the policy will be limited to a particular number of days per annum with 24-hour roadside service.
You can also opt for a single-trip European breakdown cover as a standalone policy, which usually lasts for 90 days a year and varies depending on the level of compensation you receive from roadside assistance.
Some insurance providers split the European breakdown cover into different zones. This makes sure that you pay less for breakdown covers that are closer to the UK, such as Ireland, France, or the Netherlands.
How Much Does a Motorbike Breakdown Cover Cost?
The cost of the motorbike breakdown cover would depend on how extensive the coverage is. A more comprehensive breakdown cover will leave a bigger dent in your wallet compared to a basic cover.
A basic breakdown cover will cost around £20 per year, while an intermediate cover will cost £28 per year. A premium breakdown cover can go up to £70 per year. However, it is also important to take into consideration a couple of factors that may add to the price of your breakdown cover.
The older your bike is, the more it may break down and require roadside service, and the more it would require fixing or replacing motorbike parts. Hence making your vehicle cover more expensive.
The more bikes you own and want to find cover for, the more your premium may increase. But depending on your insurer, getting a combined policy for your bikes may have its benefits and could prove to be more cost-saving than getting separate cover for each vehicle.
Common Exclusions for Motorbike Breakdown Cover
Before fixing your mind to a certain breakdown cover policy just based on roadside assistance, you should also look into common exclusions that your provider has.
If your bike requires roadside assistance but is on private land other than your home, we, as your provider, may not have permission to access you and provide you with the help you need.
Exclusions may also apply to road accidents, where recovery may not be included if it is due to an accident. It may also be difficult to reach you when emergency services are taking care of the scene.
Certain electric pavement vehicles, such as electric wheelchairs, may not be eligible for breakdown cover. Additionally, if you are reckless with the maintenance of your bike, then most vehicle cover firms will be reluctant to give you coverage.
For example, if your bike has poor maintenance and breaks down due to a flat tyre they will not provide coverage for that.
What Should I Do if My Motorbike Breaks Down in the Middle of the Road?
When your bike breaks down, the first thing you need to do is to identify a safe spot, pull over on the roadside, and turn off your engine. You may use hand signals and turn on your hazard lights to warn other road users you are experiencing difficulty.
In this event, you should also make sure you stay visible so that assistance can find you easily.Make sure to get yourself away from the roadside, call our roadside service as quickly as possible and wait near your bike until help arrives.
It is a good idea to also keep details and phone numbers of your recovery services on you in case an emergency arises. If the breakdown recovery requires more help, we may take it to a local garage to have a better look at it.
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