Motorcycle Coverage: An Overview
By Lisa Lawson, Customer Service Representative
Motorcycle designs vary greatly to suit a range of purposes, such as long distance travel, commuting, cruising, racing and off-road riding. Each of these comes with different motorcycle coverage options.
In addition to what we consider a regular motorcycle, there are alternative “cycle options.” Two of the more common 3-wheel cycle options are Can-Am Spyders and Polaris Slingshots.
One step to take before providing coverage is investigating licensing guidelines for these vehicles, including if your client needs a motorcycle license or a state driver’s license to drive them. Guidelines vary by state.
| State | Slingshot State Law Classification | Operator License Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | Motorcycle | Driver's license with cycle endorsement or cycle license. |
| Illinois | Autocycle | Must have a driver's license. |
| Iowa | Autocycle | Must have a driver's license. |
| Missouri | Motorcycle | Driver's license with cycle endorsement or cycle license. |
| South Dakota | Motorcycle | Driver's license with cycle endorsement or cycle license. |
| Wisconsin | Motorcycle | Driver's license with cycle endorsement or cycle license. |
WRC Agency can help you place coverage for motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs, golf carts and other vehicles.
Getting a quote from a couple of carriers is quick and easy if you complete our Motorcycle/ATV quote form. Please fill it out completely — we want your client to get all the discounts they qualify for — and forward it to wrcagency@thewrcgroup.com. In most cases, you should receive a response in less than 24 hours, if not much sooner.
The list of discounts is long and wide-ranging. Some of the most common are:
- Advance quoting
- Antilock brakes
- EFT discount
- Home ownership
- Association discount
- Lo-jack discount
- Motorcycle license discount
- Multivehicle
- Safety course discount
- Locked storage discount
It’s important to inquire about accessories. For a UTV, accessories could include a glass windshield, glass rear panel, hinged window doors, hydraulic lift system, plow blade or a winch. A motorcycle may have added electronic equipment, conversion kits, after-market handlebars or seats, or custom paint or chrome plating. In addition, you can add safety riding apparel coverage.
Motorcycle Crash Statistics
Your clients’ safety is important. Statistics reinforce the severity of motorcycle accidents.
Motorcycles are less stable and less visible than cars and often have high performance capabilities. When motorcycles crash, their riders lack the protection of an enclosed vehicle, so they’re more likely to be injured or killed. The federal government estimates that the number of deaths on motorcycles was nearly 27 times the number in cars per mile traveled in 2018.
Serious head injuries are common among fatally injured motorcyclists, so helmet use is important. Helmets are about 37 percent effective in preventing motorcycle deaths and about 67 percent effective in preventing brain injuries. Yet only 18 states and the District of Columbia mandate helmet use by all riders.
In 2019, 5,014 motorcyclists died in crashes. Motorcycle deaths accounted for 14 percent of all motor vehicle crash deaths, which was more than double the number of motorcyclist deaths in 1997.
If your clients are riding motorcycles, be sure they are licensed and insured properly. WRC Agency can assist you in placing motorcycle coverage for your clients.