Best and Cheapest Motorcycle Insurance in Texas for 2024
How to find a motorcycle insurance quote in Texas?
Motorcycles are popular in Texas and it's easy to see why. The Lone Star State is known for its warm and dry weather and for its long, open roads. That combination makes Texas a motorcyclist's dream come true. It's why there are more than 438,000 motorcycles registered there, more than any state except for California and Florida.
If you want to ride safely and legally in Texas, there are steps all drivers must take. Some companies offer to teach you how to drive a motorcycle. The state also offers guides and more. In fact, you may save on your insurance policy if you take certain classes. Once you're licensed, the next step in Texas is to get insured.
Do you need motorcycle insurance in Texas?
Motorcycle insurance is required in Texas and all riders must show proof of insurance before registering their motorcycle.
If you're driving a street bike (or an otherwise street-legal vehicle), you need at least the minimum liability limits to get on the road. Texas has mandatory insurance requirements for all drivers, including motorcyclists. The Lone Star State requires drivers to purchase liability insurance with the following minimum Texas motorcycle insurance requirements:
- $25,000 for property damage,
- $30,000 for each injured person, and
- $60,000 per accident.
You can purchase higher coverage limits and additional coverage like collision or comprehensive coverage. All bikers are encouraged to consider these insurance coverages when buying a policy. Additional liability motorcycle insurance coverage in Texas would offer more protection to you and your assets if you were to be found at fault for an accident.
If you were to get into an accident with your motorcycle and you didn't have collision coverage, you would be on your own to pay for the damages to your bike. Unfortunately, even if you get pulled over and don't get in an accident, you could face fines if you don't have proof of insurance when you're on the road. If you're in a motorcycle accident uninsured, the penalties only get worse.
Likewise, if your bike were damaged by a fire or severe weather and you didn't have comprehensive motorcycle insurance coverage, you wouldn't be covered for the damages.
Medical payments and uninsured motorist coverage aren't required to drive a motorcycle in Texas, but these coverages are highly recommended when purchasing a policy. If you're involved in an accident, these coverages will protect you from your injuries and property damage.
The minimum requirements do not fully protect riders when involved in an accident, so adding additional coverage to a policy is a good idea. If you have liability-only insurance, it won't be enough to protect you from all costs for injuries, property damage or replacement of your motorcycle.
How much does motorcycle insurance cost in Texas?
Texas is a vast state, boasting both rural areas and large cities. Like the state, insurance companies offer a wide range of services and options. Prices vary just as widely. Other factors, including the bike you have and your age, also will determine how much or how little you pay for motorcycle insurance in Texas.
In the beginning, when you're just getting licensed, you should expect your motorcycle insurance rates to be higher even for minimum coverage. When you're first starting out, it's best to protect yourself with more comprehensive motorcycle coverage to protect yourself from financial issues. As you gain more experience and clean driving history, your rates will drop naturally. Affordable motorcycle insurance will change as companies offer you more discounts and options.
There are many factors that affect cheap motorcycle insurance in Texas, including:
- Your age
- Your driving record
- Where you live
- Where you store your bike
- Your motorcycle, the type of bike and the age of your bike
- If your motorcycle has any modifications
- How much you drive each year (seasonal or full time)
- Your deductible
- The motorcycle insurance company you choose. (Get 3+ quotes to find the best price for your needs.)
What range of coverages do motorcyclists in Texas have?
Many motorcycle insurance coverage options work in the same way that car insurance coverage does. If you're leasing or financing your bike, you'll likely be required by your lender to purchase collision and comprehensive insurance in addition to any other coverages required by the state of Texas.
Most motorcycle insurance companies in Texas offer the following coverages:
- Liability coverage in Texas: Liability coverage is a required motorcycle insurance coverage in Texas. There are two forms of liability coverage: bodily injury liability and property damage liability.
- Bodily injury liability covers injury or death to other people in an accident that you caused while on your motorcycle.
- Property damage liability covers damage that you caused to another person’s property, such as their car.
- Motorcycle insurance liability also covers legal expenses in case you are sued. Liability doesn’t cover any injury to you or damage to your motorcycle. This coverage doesn’t have a deductible.
- Collision coverage in Texas: Motorcycle insurance collision coverage protects your bike if it were damaged in a collision with another vehicle. In the event that you’re in an at-fault accident in which your motorcycle is damaged, your motorcycle insurance company would cover the cost of damages, up to your policy’s limit, after you have paid your deductible.
- Comprehensive coverage in Texas: Motorcycle insurance comprehensive coverage protects your motorcycle from damages not caused by a collision. Comprehensive insurance covers damages from fire, theft, vandalism and anything else not caused by a motor vehicle accident, such as severe weather like a flood or hail. Similar to collision insurance coverage, your motorcycle insurance company in Texas would cover the cost of damage, up to your policy’s limit, after you paid your deductible.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage in Texas: Uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage protects you from drivers on the road who either don’t have insurance or don’t have enough insurance coverage. If you get into an accident with someone who is uninsured or underinsured, this coverage may help pay for medical treatment, lost wages and damage to your bike. Exactly what this coverage would pay for may vary based on your policy.
- Medical payments coverage in Texas: Medical payments coverage pays for medical payments from injuries to you or any of your passengers in an accident while you were on your motorcycle. Medical payments motorcycle insurance coverage is not available in all states. If you have health insurance, you may not need this coverage. If you don’t have health insurance or you don’t have enough health insurance coverage, medical payments coverage would be useful.
- Personal injury protection coverage in Texas: Some states require drivers to have personal injury protection (PIP) or no-fault insurance. This coverage is used instead of medical payments coverage in some states. It would cover any medical payments for injuries to you and your passengers regardless of who is at fault for the accident.
What kind of optional motorcycle insurance coverages are available in Texas?
In addition to the coverage options listed above, there are many other types of Texas motorcycle insurance coverages available. Once you meet the financial responsibility requirement with minimum liability limits, you can customize your policy to fit your needs. You may be able to add the following coverages as optional coverage to your Texas motorcycle insurance policy.
- Coverage for customized motorcycle parts in Texas: Insurance depends largely on the type of motorcycle you drive. Most of the time, standard collision and comprehensive coverages don't cover motorcycle parts that aren't factory parts. For example, if you replaced your factory fenders with custom fenders, they may not be covered under a standard collision and comprehensive policy. If you've modified your bike with customized motorcycle parts and accessories, you may be able to add coverage for the customized parts to your policy, depending on your motorcycle insurance company. Coverage for customized motorcycle parts would protect your after-market purchases.
- Motorcycle trailer coverage in Texas: If you have a trailer for your motorcycle, make sure to ask your motorcycle insurance company about coverage for your transport trailer. Many companies offer coverage for your trailer for up to $7,500.
- Roadside assistance in Texas: Roadside assistance provides you with service in the event that you experience a bike mechanical or electrical malfunction. It may even include towing in some cases. With roadside assistance for motorcycles, you could get help for various issues including if your bike ran out of gas, has a dead battery, has a flat tire and so on.
- Rental reimbursement in Texas: While your bike is getting fixed, you may need a rental in order to get around. Rental reimbursement coverage will allow you to get money back from your motorcycle insurance company for a rental.
How do insurance companies value your claims after an accident?
You have the option to choose replacement cost coverage or actual cash value coverage for your motorcycle if it's a total loss when you're signing up for a policy. If you're looking at online motorcycle insurance quotes, some companies lay this out upfront. If you don't know and you'd like replacement cost coverage, make sure to ask.
- **Actual cash value (ACV)**: ACV would give you a payout of the value of your bike at the time of its loss. Actual cash value takes into consideration the depreciation of your motorcycle.
- **Replacement cost coverage**: If you want more coverage, you could choose to have replacement cost coverage which may pay out enough for you to get a new bike. Talk with your motorcycle insurance company when you purchase a policy to find out which option is best for your bike.
- Lay-up motorcycle insurance (not necessary in Texas): Most Texas motorcyclists will not need lay-up insurance, which is handy if you live in seasonally snowy or rainy parts of the United States and only drive your motorcycle seasonally while storing it away in the winter months. Lay-up motorcycle insurance allows you to keep your comprehensive insurance coverage active while pausing your other coverages.
How can you find the best and cheapest motorcycle insurance in Texas?
When shopping for motorcycle insurance in Texas, you have a range of options. Some car insurance companies allow policyholders to add motorcycle insurance to their car insurance policy as an endorsement or rider. You can choose to do this or purchase a separate motorcycle insurance policy.
Be aware that if you add your motorcycle to your car insurance policy as an endorsement or rider, you may be restricted in the coverage options you have. Standalone Texas motorcycle insurance policies are typically more flexible and customizable and may even be more affordable in some cases. Determining which type of coverage is best for you is like choosing the type of vehicle you want. It depends on the protections you're looking for.
In order to find the best and cheapest motorcycle insurance in Texas, you'll want to shop around. You should get at least three motorcycle insurance quotes from multiple companies so that you can compare motorcycle insurance costs and coverage options. Motorcycle insurance rates in Texas vary greatly by company. You can enter your zip code whether you're in San Antonio, Austin, or somewhere else to get started. Then generate insurance quotes from companies that operate in Texas.
You can sort through companies and find the ones from which you want to get insurance quotes. If you have more questions once you have basic insurance quotes, you can also reach out to the individual companies. When you choose the right policy for you, you can get on the road without worry.
If you want to read customer reviews of a specific Texas insurance carrier, click the company name in the table and you will be directed to the company's profile page containing information about the company and reviews.
What kind of discounts are available for motorcycle insurance in Texas?
Many companies offer motorcycle insurance discounts to Texas residents to help you save money on coverage for your bike. You can receive discounts based on you and your motorcycle. Discounts vary by company and eligibility. The following motorcycle insurance discounts are commonly offered in Texas.
- Multi-policy discount in Texas: If you insure your motorcycle with a company with which you already have a policy for another line of insurance, you may qualify for a bundling discount. This discount may apply if you insure your motorcycle along with your car, home, apartment, condo, boat or RV with the same company.
- Multiple motorcycles discount in Texas: Some motorcycle insurance companies offer a discount if you insure more than one motorcycle with the same insurance company.
- Biker group discount in Texas: Many motorcycle insurance companies offer biker group discounts or riding association discounts if you’re a member of certain motorcycle organizations. Some examples of motorcycle organizations include the American Motorcycle Association and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.
- Mature riders discount in Texas: If you’ve had your motorcycle insurance for a high number of years, your motorcycle insurance company may offer you this discount.
- Safe driver discount in Texas: You may qualify for a safe driver motorcycle insurance discount if you’ve been motorcycle insurance claim free for a particular number of years.
- Safety and security discounts in Texas: If your motorcycle has certain safety and security features, such as anti-lock brakes or an anti-theft device, you may be eligible for a discount.
- Motorcycle safety course discount in Texas: If you take a motorcycle safety course to educate yourself, your motorcycle insurance company may offer you a discount on your insurance.
- Renewal discount in Texas: If you renew your motorcycle insurance policy, you may be rewarded with a discount.
- Transfer discount in Texas: Some motorcycle insurance companies offer a discount to bikers who switch or transfer their motorcycle insurance to them.
What requirements do motorcyclists have to meet in Texas?
In Texas, all motorcycle riders are required to have a registration, titling, and insurance.
Texas requires all motorcyclists to have a Class M license, which can be separate from a Class C motor vehicle license or can be a motorcycle endorsement on a motor vehicle license. All motorcyclists must take a motorcycle safety course approved by the Texas Department of Public Safety, although that requirement can be waived if you have a valid motorcycle license from another state. If you do not already have a Class C motor vehicle license in Texas, you will need to take the classroom portion of a driver’s education course.
Texas law states that drivers can get their learner's license when they are 15 years old and must hold this for six months before getting a provisional license. Drivers must be 16 years old to get the provisional license, which they would hold until 18 years of age. Once drivers reach 18 years of age, they can receive a standard Texas Class C or Class M license.
Motorcyclists are also required to wear a helmet, but they offer exemptions to this law. If you are over 21 years of age and can show proof that you have $10,000 in medical insurance and that you have passed an approved motorcycle safety course, you can apply for an exemption.
Texas has age limits on motorcycle passengers. No one under the age of five is allowed on a motorcycle. Passengers under the age of 21 are required to wear a helmet. Passengers over 21 years of age may apply for the helmet exemption if they meet the requirements.
Texas motorcycle laws prohibit lane splitting, the practice of driving between lanes of slowed or stopped automobile traffic.
What's Texas weather like for motorcyclists?
Because Texas is so vast, it stands to reason that its climate is varied. Interesting fact: If it were its own country, Texas would be the 39th largest country in the world, out of 195 countries. Areas in northern Texas receive regular snow in the winter and are known for experiencing tornadoes in the spring. Western Texas is known for being warm and dry, while Eastern Texas can be humid and stormy.
Even with all of this variety, the Texas climate is still favorable to motorcyclists. Most of the state has mild winters and hot and humid summers, making it a great place for biking year-round.
How does Clearsurance rate and rank the best motorcycle insurance companies in Texas?
Consistent with its mission towards greater transparency, Clearsurance does not keep its rating and ranking formulas in a black box. Our algorithm analyzes a range of inputs from our independent community of insurance customers, including:
- Price
- Customer Service
- Claim service
- Likelihood to renew
The algorithm also takes into account the percentage of what customers say the company does well vs. the percentage of what customers say the company could do better.
The Clearsurance customer ratings and rankings of the best motorcycle insurance in Texas are derived entirely from customer reviews and ratings.
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