Fuel prices have us all evaluating our driving habits. Fortunately, they’ve fallen from the terrible highs of over $4 a gallon, but they’ve been gradually climbing since then. Prices are now in the $3 plus range. In some way it doesn’t seem as severe as before, because we’ve already survived worse. But it’s more pricey that you ever intended to pay when you purchased a car and decided to use it as your primary means of transportation. So you’ve finally had enough, and you bought a motorcycle. Good move! But now you’ve discovered another problem; the price of motorcycle insurance.

There are a couple of reasons that motorcycle insurance is so expensive. First, motorcycles are involved in a lot of accidents, simply because they’re difficult for other drivers to see. Although the other driver may be at fault too, if you are partially responsible for an accident, your insurance has to pay. Insurance companies also have to take into account the cost of paying claims when the other driver is uninsured or under-insured.

Motorcycle accidents are also more likely to involve significant bodily injury claims. Because of the almost limitless amount of such a claim, this increases premiums. There are some things you can do to reduce this danger – drive carefully and leave your bike in the garage when road conditions are especially treacherous. Wind, rain, fog and other weather factors are more dangerous for motorcycles than for cars. Those are good days to drive a car or find another means of transportation. Always wear a helmet, and insist that any passengers do too.

Lastly, insurance companies base their rates on statistics. If the odds of a claim or the average dollar amount of a claim are high for the particular type of vehicle that you drive (or ride), your premiums will be higher. This helps insurance companies account for all kinds of things that they can’t identify, from hot-dogging drivers to vehicles with safety problems. If you are planning to buy a bike, get insurance quotes for a few different models. The price difference may be significant enough to influence which bike you choose.

What’s the best way to keep those gas savings rather than handing them over to the insurance company? First, drive safely all the time so that your history shows that you are a low risk driver. Whether you’re in the right or not, do what it takes to avoid accidents. Second, compare motorcycle insurance prices. Don’t just assume that all insurance companies charge similar prices. They don’t. Contact at least three companies and get quotes for the coverage you want for your bike with your driving record. It’s so easy now that you can get quotes online. It’s well worth whatever time you spend getting quotes. This is not a one-time purchase. It’s a major expense, year after year, and you probably don’t price out every year. You’ll save year after year, month after month if you shop around and get a better rate. Imagine saving $200, $300 or $400 this year – and next year, and the year after that – all for doing your legwork now. Prices can creep up after a few years, especially if something about your driving record or vehicles has changed since you first chose this insurance company, so it’s a good idea to get a quote from a different insurance company every few years. Choose the better of the two for the upcoming year. That’s not much effort to make sure you have the best price.

Written by Coleen Smith Motorcycle Insurance Compare Bike Insurance Comparison