Comprehensive (or fully comp) motorbike insurance

There are three types of insurance to choose from, two fall under third party and provide the most basic of cover while comprehensive motorcycle insurance (sometimes referred to as fully comp) gives a rider peace of mind for pretty much every eventuality.

The major difference to third party cover is that you can claim for damages or losses if you have an accident or cause damage to your bike that is your fault. If you have an accident that is not your fault but are covered for third party or third party fire & theft then you may still be able make a claim against the third party who is at fault. Find out more in our guide below.

What is comprehensive / fully comp insurance?

Comprehensive motorcycle insurance covers you for everything third party and third party fire and theft does including accidents that are your own fault. So, whether you incur a loss because your bike or scooter is stolen, you hit a car or another rider, or fall off through your own mistake or environmental conditions, your insurer will not only pay the other party’s losses but your own as well.

What does Bennetts' comprehensive motorbike insurance cover?

If your bike, scooter or moped is stolen or damaged beyond repair in a fire, you will receive a payout that will allow you to buy a similar bike of a similar market value. If your stolen bike is recovered but damaged, your insurer will pay to have any damage put right.

If it’s within 6 months of buying a brand-new bike and if your bike is damaged to the point where it can’t be repaired, it will be replaced with a new bike of the same make and specification. This also applies if the bike is stolen and not recovered. If you have an accident, comprehensive insurance will cover losses and damage to anyone else involved. This could mean fixing their vehicle or repairing their property, or it could mean compensation for income lost through their inability to work or fulfil other obligations.

If the accident was your fault or no one else’s fault – such as environmental conditions like ice, wet leaves or a diesel spill – then comprehensive cover will also pay to put right your losses. While it can be the case that many bike accidents are the fault of other road users, there are also plenty caused when, sometimes, we just get it wrong; misreading a corner or losing our footing on gravel or making a U-turn.

Bennetts’ comprehensive motorcycle insurance cover also includes:

As well as what’s included, for your peace of mind, we also offer additional cover options such as legal expenses cover, personal accident cover and cover for your helmet and leathers.

What is the difference between comprehensive and third party bike insurance?

Comprehensive is full coverage motorcycle insurance - it covers you for everything third party does but also for accidents, whether it is your fault or not and even if no one else is involved. There are two third party policies - third party only and third party fire and theft.

The former is the most basic cover you can legally have to drive a motorbike and ultimately protects the other person, ‘the third party’, if you were to have an accident. The latter also covers your bike if it were to be stolen or catch on fire.

• Third party only:

  Only covers losses to other parties involved in the accident (if the accident was your fault), but doesn’t cover loss or damage from theft, attempted theft or fire.

• Third party fire and theft:

  This (as it suggests) also covers you if your bike is stolen or damaged in an attempted theft or if it catches fire.

• Comprehensive (or fully comp):

  This policy type covers you for everything third party does but also protects you if you have an accident that is your fault or one where no one else is involved.

Can I get comprehensive 1 day bike insurance cover?

No, you can’t get 1 day bike insurance cover through Bennetts. You’ll need to take out a policy which is for 12 months. If you ride regularly enough throughout the year, which most riders do, it is worth taking out the annual policy anyway.

Is comprehensive motorcycle insurance more expensive?

Not necessarily. This type of cover used to be more expensive than third party but as drivers and riders started to take out basic policies to save money, fully comp started to get cheaper. The price you pay depends on several factors, but motorbike comprehensive insurance is often cheaper and more beneficial to riders as their own bike is covered in the event of an accident.

Insurance premiums are built from a person’s risk profile and if you are high risk then this will be reflected in how much you pay. Comprehensive motorcycle cover can be more expensive than third party fire and theft or third party only because of the additional cover provided, but the difference in price will vary based on your risk profile.

Some insurers specialise in certain kinds of risk and so might be able to offer just as good a deal on comprehensive cover for your profile as another would offer for third party fire and theft.

That’s why it could be cheaper to deal directly with a broker rather than use a comparison site because you can get a tailored quote based on a broader set of questions and data.

What can affect the cost of comprehensive motorbike insurance?

There are several other personal factors that will contribute to the cost of comprehensive motorbike insurance.

Firstly, your age. Young riders - specifically those under the age of 25 - are considered more likely to have an accident and therefore have to claim, so insurance tends to be slightly higher.

Likewise, the more powerful the bike you have, the higher the cost could be. Also, have you had an accident and claimed in the past? Even if it was in a car rather than on a bike you could still find your insurance is now higher.

Do you want to find out exactly what you could be paying for your specific bike and particular circumstances? Then get a quote today.

Why choose Bennetts for comprehensive insurance?

Now you know the details of comprehensive bike insurance, why choose Bennetts? Well, firstly, we will search through our panel of insurers to find you our best price for the cover you require.

If you have any questions or queries, you’ll find us at the end of the phone or on webchat, so you can get the answer you need as soon as you need it.

More importantly, the claims department is available 24 hours a day so you can speak to someone as soon as you need to and if your bike needs to be recovered after an accident, we will arrange that.

Further information around how motorcycle insurance is calculated is available if you are interested.

Do you regularly travel across Europe for bike tours? Then, you’ll be pleased to hear that we also provide cover for up to 90 days within the European Union (per policy period) and cover for riding other bikes (subject to conditions).

Have you still got questions? Don’t be afraid to ask, our team will be happy to answer them.