Insuring your scooter is an expense that can not be overlooked. It is a legal requirement and protects both you and your vehicle from theft and damage. It also pays for a third party if you cause an accident.
A motor cycle or scooter is stolen every 14 minutes with scooters forming 56% of the 36,000 machines stolen every year. 50% riders do not lock their machines properly
The cost of insurance will vary from provider to provider and policy to policy. It is always a good idea to shop around and many people prefer to surf the net to find the best quotes and then buy their insurance without even having to speak to someone. They can then renew their polcy with any adjustments added and even make a claim if they need to.
The cheaper option is for Third Party, Fire and Theft. It will not pay for repairs to your scooter if you cause an accident. If the other person causes an accident you must hope that they have insurance so that their company pays for you to have your bike repaired. If you pay for a more expensive Fully Comprehensive policy, then your insurers will pay to have your scooter repaired as well, even if you caused the accident. Building up a history of no claims bonuses is a good way of cutting the cost of your premiums in the future. As each year goes by without you making a claim, means that you are less of a risk to your insurer, it becomes important to know when to claim and when not to.
Your policy will have an excess amount attached to it which dictates the amount you will need to pay if you claim for any damage caused to your bike. The more you pay, the cheaper your policy is likely to be. It could be as much as £100 or as little as £20. If your bike is damaged to the tune of £110 and your excess is £80, you may decide not to claim as you will only be £30 worse off if you don't but you will have a claim against your name and lose your no claims bonus.
By ensuring you have made your scooter as safe as possible by having any locks, alarms or immobilisers fitted, marked the parts with an ultra violet pen to aid recovery, always ensure it is locked to a fixed point when you leave it and keep it safe when it is at your home address, your chances of theft will decrease.
Driving in a sensible manner, following safety checks and rules, using common sense and having respect for other road users and pedestrians should make for a safe and enjoyable start to a life time on the road. |
