Motorcycle Insurance Articles
Driving Records And Their Effect On Motorcycle Insurance
2010-07-30
A motorcycle insurance quote can be raised or lowered for thousands of factors. Everything from a car's mileage to a driver's gender can have an impact. However, a motorcycle owner's driving record is by far the most important criteria that insurance companies use to determine premiums. Understanding the effects of a driver's record requires some general understanding of the insurance industry as a whole; and improving your driving record can drastically improve the cost of your motorcycle insurance policy.
Motorcycle insurance companies look at every factor they are legally allowed to consider when determining a motorcycle insurance quote because they want to accurately determine the chances of a claim on each policy they offer. This allows them to maximize their profits, since they're able to more accurately assign premiums. A motorcycle owner's driving record is especially important, as dangerous riders who get traffic citations and get involved in accidents are more likely to make a claim than safer riders. Each ticket on a rider's record will quickly change a driver's premiums.
As you might imagine, changing your driving record can be very difficult, particularly if you've received more than one citation while riding your bike. However, you can take some steps to affect how your insurance company processes these marks on your record, and in many states, there are more options for motorcycle owners than there are for car owners. One of the simplest ways to change your record is to take a motorcycle safety class. Many motorcycle insurance companies offer discounts for riders who take these classes, as there's a strong statistical link between safe bike owners and bike safety courses. Most courses are very simple and will only take a few weeks or less to complete. Some states also offer court supervision, which can help you keep a low motorcycle quote after a citation or other traffic incident. You can also simply wait-depending on your state's insurance laws, your insurer may not be able to penalize you for marks on your driving record older than two or three years (or your insurer may give less consideration to particularly old citations and accidents).
Motorcycle owners should keep their records in mind when looking for a motorcycle insurance quote. Be sure to report any incidents and citations honestly when you're looking for a quote, as insurance companies will be able to find out about your record from the state if you're not honest. Look for several quotes to compare, and think about the amount of coverage that you're buying. You'll greatly improve your chances of locating a low-cost motorcycle insurance policy.