Motorcycle insurance gaps riders don't expect
What a motorcycle policy may leave out and how to check yours before you ride
Imagine a rider in Albany who has carried full car insurance for 20 years. She buys a used cruiser in April, adds the cheapest motorcycle policy she can find, and figures her car coverage will handle any medical bills. In July, a driver turns left in front of her.
At the hospital, she learns that in New York, the personal injury protection (PIP) on her car policy leaves out people riding motorcycles [1]. With PIP, your own insurer covers your medical care and some of the pay you lose, regardless of who was to blame.
Her story is made up, but the rule is real. Other states have versions of it [1, 2, 3, 4]. This guide gives a short summary of each common gap and names the longer guide in this series that covers it. It ends with a policy review checklist and a guide to reading your declarations page. Rules vary by state and insurer, so check your own state’s rules and your own policy.
Why the gaps matter more on a motorcycle
Riders face a much higher risk of dying in a crash than people in cars. In 2024, 6,228 motorcyclists died in U.S. crashes, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports [11]. That was 16 percent of all motor vehicle crash deaths that year [11]. For each mile traveled, deaths on motorcycles were almost 27 times the number in cars, based on a federal estimate [11].
A serious crash often brings large medical bills and time off work, so it matters which policy pays first.
What the basic policy does
The core of a motorcycle policy is liability coverage. It covers harm you cause to others, such as their injuries or a damaged car. It does not pay for your own injuries or for damage to your own bike [8, 7].
Nevada’s insurance regulator, as one example, says riders there must carry the same liability insurance the state requires for cars [7]. The Insurance Information Institute (Triple I) notes that most states require some liability coverage, while other types are usually optional [8]. Coverage for your own bills, your passenger, your custom parts and the bike itself depends on what you buy and what your state requires.
Comparison compiled by Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
Common gaps and where to look on your policy
| Gap | Where to look | Series guide |
|---|---|---|
| Your own injuries | PIP and medical payments sections | No fault states guide |
| Passenger injuries | Liability section and endorsements | Passenger coverage guide |
| Uninsured drivers | UM and UIM on the bike policy | UM and UIM guide |
| Custom parts and gear | Accessory limit and gear coverage | Custom parts and gear guide |
| A totaled bike | How the policy values a loss | Totaled motorcycles guide |
| Winter storage | Lay up or suspension terms | Storage season guide |
| A borrowed bike | Who may ride under the policy | Borrowing and lending guide |
General guide as of October 2026. Policy wording varies by insurer and state. Sources: Triple I [8]; Progressive as one insurer example [9]; NAIC [12].
PIP and no fault rules: the biggest surprise
In a no fault state, your own insurer pays you directly for some injury losses after a crash, up to your limits [12]. Motorcycles often sit outside that system.
States where car PIP generally leaves riders out
New York’s required car PIP endorsement, part of a rule called Regulation 68, does not apply to injuries to anyone occupying a motorcycle [1]. That includes getting on or off [1]. On a car, that endorsement pays up to $50,000 per person in what New York calls basic economic loss [1].
In Florida, a state insurance rule defines a “motor vehicle” under the PIP law as a four wheel vehicle of a type that state law requires to be registered [2]. A motorcycle does not fit that definition.
In a 1996 New Jersey case, a rider was hurt when a driver backed out of a parking space at a mall and hit his motorcycle [3]. The appeals court ruled that PIP did not cover those injuries [3]. He also owned a car insured with a lawsuit limit, then called the verbal threshold. The court held that limit still applied to his claim [3]. Because this is a 1996 decision, check current New Jersey law.
Minnesota’s no fault law treats injuries on a motorcycle, or while getting on or off one, as outside the use of a motor vehicle [4]. That holds even when a car is part of the crash [4]. The state Commerce Department warns that a basic motorcycle policy has no PIP. It adds that your car policy’s PIP will not cover you on your bike [13].
Michigan works differently
Michigan’s no fault law also leaves motorcycles out of its definition of a motor vehicle [5, 14]. Even so, a rider hurt in a crash involving an insured car or truck may collect PIP through the company that insures that vehicle [5]. Benefits run up to that policy’s limit, says DIFS, the state Department of Insurance and Financial Services [5]. If no PIP is available, a rider may get up to $250,000 through the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan [5].
Whether a vehicle was involved can be disputed. In one case, a Michigan rider swerved to avoid a van drifting toward his lane. The van corrected course before fully entering it [14]. The state Court of Appeals reversed his PIP award. The Michigan Supreme Court declined to review the case in January 2024, over a dissent [14].
Comparison compiled by Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
Car PIP and motorcycle riders in states we checked
| State | What we found | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New York | Car PIP endorsement excludes anyone on a motorcycle | Regulation 68 [1] |
| Florida | PIP rule defines a motor vehicle as four wheeled | State rule [2] |
| New Jersey | Rider got no PIP; his car’s lawsuit limit still applied | 1996 court case [3] |
| Minnesota | Motorcycle injuries fall outside no fault benefits | Statute and Commerce Department [4, 13] |
| Michigan | Rider may claim PIP from the insurer of a vehicle involved | DIFS [5] |
Checked October 2026. This table lists only the states cited in this guide; other no fault states have their own rules, and our no fault states guide covers more of them. The Minnesota statute was checked in its 2021 published version.
Our no fault states guide covers these and other states in more detail.
Medical payments and other backups for your own injuries
If car PIP will not pay, many riders lean on medical payments coverage, often called MedPay. One large insurer, Progressive, says its version pays medical costs for you and your passengers after a crash, whoever was at fault [6]. Nevada’s regulator describes this coverage as paying right away for treating you and your passenger [7]. Other insurers set their own terms and limits.
How states shape your medical coverage
Michigan requires insurers that sell motorcycle policies to offer optional medical benefits, sold in steps of $5,000 [5]. DIFS also says a Michigan rider may skip a helmet only with at least $20,000 in medical benefits coverage [5]. In Minnesota, the Commerce Department mentions an endorsement that adds medical coverage similar to PIP [13].
Other places money can come from
When someone else is to blame, the at fault driver’s liability insurance is the coverage meant for the injuries that driver caused [8]. If that driver has no insurance or too little, your uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may help, up to your limits [6]. In Michigan, DIFS points riders to their health plan when no motor vehicle was part of the crash [5].
Each of these has its own limits and timing. Our guide to health insurance and medical payments after a motorcycle crash explains which coverage usually pays first.
Passengers and borrowed bikes
Riders often assume a passenger is covered the way a car passenger would be. On a motorcycle, that depends on your state and your insurer.
Your passenger
Triple I describes guest passenger liability as coverage that protects you if your passenger is hurt on your bike [8]. It says this may be available depending on state law and the company that writes your policy [8]. Minnesota’s Commerce Department tells riders to check whether their liability coverage includes it [13].
Progressive, as one example, says this coverage is part of bodily injury liability in some states and sold on its own in others [9]. Its guest passenger coverage applies when the passenger is not a relative [9]. Other companies write this in their own way, so read your policy’s definitions.
Maine’s law shows how one state limits passenger exclusions. An insurer there may not sell or renew a motorcycle liability policy that leaves out injuries to passengers unless it meets three conditions [15]. It must tell the state insurance bureau in writing, tell its licensed agents, and put the exclusion in a separate endorsement [15]. An exclusion that skips those steps has no effect [15]. Our guide on whether motorcycle insurance covers your passenger names other state rules and court cases we verified.
Riding someone else’s bike
For cars, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) says nearly every liability policy covers a licensed person you let drive your car [12]. It also warns that some policies say plainly that no one else is covered [12]. A motorcycle policy sets its own terms, so the owner’s policy decides who may ride. Our guide to borrowing or lending a motorcycle covers named rider and excluded rider clauses.
Uninsured drivers and the owned vehicle exclusion
Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage pays for your injuries if the driver who caused the crash had no insurance or fled the scene. Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage helps when the at fault driver’s limits are too low to cover your losses. Triple I says these coverages typically pay for medical care and lost wages [8]. A Triple I consumer page estimates that about one in eight drivers has no auto insurance, and about one in five in some states [16]. That page gives no year for its figures.
When a car policy does not reach your bike
In a 2014 Indiana case, a man was hurt a week after buying a used motorcycle, in a crash said to be caused by an uninsured driver [10]. He had not insured the bike through the company that wrote his car policy [10].
That policy excluded injuries while using a vehicle he owned that was not a covered auto [10]. The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled that this exclusion did not go against public policy, so his car policy’s UM did not cover the crash [10]. This is one older ruling from one state. The answer where you live depends on current state law and your policy’s wording.
Limits on the bike policy
One way to close the gap is to ask whether UM and UIM can be added to the motorcycle policy itself, and at what limits. In Nevada, the regulator notes that UM coverage is capped at the liability amount you buy, which means a cheap, low liability limit also caps your UM protection [7]. Our guide to uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage for riders covers stacking, hit and run rules and choosing limits.
Custom parts, gear, total loss and storage
Custom parts and riding gear
Comprehensive coverage pays for damage from events other than a crash, such as theft, fire or vandalism. Collision covers crash damage [8]. Triple I says many of these policies cover only factory parts or cap what they pay for add ons [8]. Chrome, custom paint, trailers and sidecars are its examples [8].
Progressive, as one example, adds $3,000 in accessory coverage to policies that carry comprehensive and collision. Riders can raise that to as much as $30,000 [9, 17]. Its custom bike page says the built in amount applies to bikes less than 25 years old [17]. It also sells coverage for riding gear such as helmets, jackets and boots [9]. Other insurers set different defaults. If your upgrades are worth more than your limit, the difference may come out of your pocket. Our guide to custom parts, upgrades and riding gear explains how to prove what you own.
Total loss value
When a bike is totaled, standard coverage usually pays its book value from just before the loss [8]. NAIC explains that for vehicles in general, this means what it was worth as a used vehicle the moment before the crash [12]. That can be far less than you paid or still owe.
Progressive sells total loss coverage that pays full sticker price for a new bike, minus the deductible [9]. To qualify, the bike can be at most one model year old when a new policy starts, or two model years at renewal [9]. Our guide to totaled motorcycles covers actual cash value, agreed value and valuation disputes.
Storage season
Some riders in cold places switch to a lay up policy for winter. Triple I and Minnesota’s Commerce Department describe it as pausing all coverage except comprehensive in the winter months [8, 13]. Comprehensive matters while the bike sits, because theft from a storage unit is the kind of loss it may pay for [9].
A lay up also means no liability or collision coverage if you ride on a warm day. Before you drop coverage, ask your state DMV whether your registration requires insurance all year. Our storage season guide has more.
A policy review before riding season
A yearly review can show gaps before they cost you. Start with your declarations page, then read the endorsements, which are add on pages that change the policy.
How to read your declarations page
Your policy begins with a declarations page, often called the dec page [12]. NAIC says it shows your policy number, the policy term, your coverage limits and the vehicles covered [12]. If you have a loan, the lender is listed as the loss payee [12]. Read yours with these questions in mind:
- Is every bike you own listed, with the right year, make and vehicle identification number (VIN)?
- What are the bodily injury liability limits, and does a passenger line or endorsement appear?
- Are UM and UIM listed for the motorcycle itself, and at what limits?
- Is medical payments coverage listed, and for how much per person?
- What are the comprehensive and collision deductibles?
- What is the custom parts and equipment limit, and is gear coverage listed?
- Do any endorsements exclude passengers or name excluded riders?
NAIC advises reading the whole policy and asking your agent about anything unclear [12]. If you still have questions, your state insurance department is the next stop [12].
Questions to ask your insurance agent
Question checklist from Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
- If I am hurt on my motorcycle, which of my policies pays my medical bills first?
- Does my car policy’s PIP cover me while I ride in this state?
- Can I add medical payments coverage to my bike policy, and what limits do you offer?
- Does my liability coverage include injuries to a passenger, including a family member?
- Do my UM and UIM coverages apply to me on this bike, and at what limits?
- What is my custom parts and equipment limit, and what proof would you need after a loss?
- How would you value my bike if it were totaled?
- If I lay up my bike for the winter, what coverage stops, and how do I restart it?
- Who is covered if a friend rides my motorcycle with my permission?
Frequently asked questions
Does my car insurance cover me on my motorcycle?
Often not for your own injuries. New York’s required car PIP endorsement excludes people on motorcycles. Minnesota’s Commerce Department says your car PIP will not cover you on your bike [1, 13]. Michigan is different when an insured motor vehicle is involved [5].
Is guest passenger liability required?
It depends on the state and the insurer. Triple I says it may be available depending on state law and the company [8]. Maine limits how insurers can exclude passengers [15].
How much custom parts coverage do I have?
Check your declarations page. Progressive, as one example, builds in $3,000 for bikes under 25 years old when you have comprehensive and collision, and offers up to $30,000 [17]. Other insurers set their own amounts.
The bottom line
Recommendation from Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
A motorcycle policy can have more gaps than riders expect. In the states we checked, car PIP often stops at the bike. Passenger, custom parts and UM coverage may be narrower than you think [1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 10]. A short review of your declarations page before riding season can show the holes.
Laws and policies differ by state and insurer and change over time. Confirm the rules where you live with your state insurance department, ask your DMV about registration, and read your own policy. For a specific claim or dispute, a licensed agent, the insurance department or an attorney can help you understand your options.
Sources and further reading
- 1New York Codes, Rules and Regulations, 11 NYCRR section 65-1.1 (Regulation 68). Requirements for minimum benefit insurance policies for personal injuries. Amended February 2023. law.cornell.edu/…/11-NYCRR-65-1.1
- 2Florida Administrative Code Rule 69O-176.001. Definition of “Motor Vehicle.” Accessed October 2026. law.cornell.edu/…/Fla-Admin-Code-Ann-R-69O-17…
- 3Koff v. Carrubba, 290 N.J. Super. 544 (App. Div. 1996). law.justia.com/…/a396-95-opn.html
- 4Minnesota Statutes section 65B.46, subdivision 3 (2021). Limitation; motorcycle injuries. revisor.mn.gov/statutes/2021/cite/65B.46/pdf
- 5Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services. Quick facts: motorcycle insurance (FIS-PUB 6180A). Undated, accessed October 2026. michigan.gov/…/FIS-PUB_6180a_693735_7.pdf
- 6Progressive. What does motorcycle insurance cover? Updated August 15, 2023. progressive.com/…/what-does-motorcycle-insura…
- 7Nevada Division of Insurance. Motorcycle insurance. Accessed October 2026. doi.nv.gov/…/Motorcycle-Insurance
- 8Insurance Information Institute. Motorcycle insurance. Accessed October 2026. iii.org/article/motorcycle-insurance
- 9Progressive. Motorcycle insurance. Accessed October 2026. progressive.com/motorcycle
- 10Progressive Paloverde Insurance v. Arnold, 16 N.E.3d 993 (Ind. Ct. App. September 4, 2014). hallapproved.com/…/2724349
- 11Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Fatality Facts 2024: Motorcycles and ATVs. Posted June 2026. iihs.org/…/motorcycles-and-atvs
- 12National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Auto insurance. Accessed October 2026. content.naic.org/consumer/auto-insurance.htm
- 13Minnesota Department of Commerce. ATVs, boats, motorcycles. Modified June 2025. mn.gov/…/atvs-boats-motorcycles
- 14Michigan Supreme Court. Stuth v Home-Owners Insurance Company, order denying leave to appeal, Docket No. 165146. January 26, 2024. courts.michigan.gov/…/165146_78_01.pdf
- 15Maine Revised Statutes, Title 24-A, section 2902-B. Motorcycle passenger exclusion. Accessed October 2026. legislature.maine.gov/…/title24-Asec2902-B.html
- 16Insurance Information Institute. Protect yourself against uninsured motorists. Accessed October 2026. iii.org/…/protect-yourself-against-un…
- 17Progressive. Custom motorcycle insurance. Accessed October 2026. progressive.com/…/customized-motorcycle-insur…
- 18National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Insurance departments. Accessed October 2026. content.naic.org/state-insurance-departments
This article reflects the safety priorities of motorcycle safety and crash recovery education. It offers general information, not legal, insurance or financial advice. Insurance laws and policy terms differ by state and insurer and can change. Confirm the rules with your state insurance department and read your own policy before you count on any coverage. Reviewed October 2026.
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