Does motorcycle insurance cover your passenger?
How liability, MedPay and other coverage apply to the person riding behind you
Imagine a rider near Rochester, New York, who takes his adult sister to the lake on a Sunday. A deer jumps into the road, he brakes hard, and the bike goes down. He walks away bruised. His sister breaks her wrist and needs surgery.
No other vehicle was involved, so the bills fall to his insurance, hers or both. Whether his policy pays depends on details most riders never read. Does his liability coverage include passengers, and does it treat a relative differently? Did he buy medical payments coverage? Her car policy’s no fault coverage will not help, because New York’s required version leaves out anyone on a motorcycle [4].
This guide shows how passenger coverage generally works, where the gaps tend to be, and what to check before anyone climbs on behind you. Rules differ by state and insurer, so use it as a list of questions and confirm the answers for your own state and policy.
Why passenger coverage deserves a close look
Most people who die on motorcycles are the ones steering, but passengers are hurt and killed too. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) counted 6,228 motorcyclists killed in crashes in 2024, and 276 of them were passengers [8]. Among women who died on motorcycles that year, 52 percent were passengers. Women made up 88 percent of all passenger deaths [8].
Passengers who died were also less likely to have worn a helmet. Of the people killed while driving a motorcycle, 66 percent were helmeted, compared with 47 percent of those killed as passengers [8].
How liability coverage fits in
Liability coverage handles harm you do to others, including their injuries and their property, and leaves your own injuries out [1]. If you cause a crash and your passenger is hurt, your passenger may have a claim against you. Your liability coverage is the part of your policy that would answer that claim.
In the Rochester example, the sister’s claim would go to her brother’s liability coverage, if his policy covers passengers. Most states require at least some liability coverage, Triple I notes, but other coverages are usually optional [1]. So the protection a passenger most needs may be something you had to choose and pay for, such as passenger liability or medical payments.
A motorcycle policy may treat passengers as their own category. The Insurance Information Institute (Triple I) defines guest passenger liability as protection for you when someone riding on your bike gets hurt [1]. Triple I says availability turns on your state’s law and on your insurer [1].
Guest passenger liability and passenger exclusions
How insurers handle it
Progressive is one large insurer. It says that in some states, guest passenger liability is part of bodily injury liability. In others it is sold on its own [2]. Progressive’s version covers only passengers who are not related to you [2]. Other companies set their own terms, so the wording in your own policy is what counts.
Minnesota’s Commerce Department urges riders to find out if their liability policy has guest passenger liability [9]. Riders in other states can do the same check. Look for a passenger line on your declarations page, a passenger endorsement, or an exclusion that mentions passengers.
Maine’s rule on passenger exclusions
Maine has a law aimed at this gap. Since 1986, it has let insurers sell or renew a motorcycle liability policy with a passenger exclusion only if they take three steps [3]:
- Tell the state insurance bureau in writing that they use the exclusion.
- Tell each of their licensed agents in Maine.
- Put the exclusion in a separate endorsement added to the policy.
If an insurer skips those steps, the exclusion is invalid [3]. So in Maine, a passenger exclusion should show up as its own endorsement, apart from the main policy form.
What courts have said
Court decisions show how much the policy wording and the rider’s own choices matter. The cases below come from specific states and years. Later laws or decisions may have changed the picture.
In a 1984 Washington case, a rider’s agent explained his policy’s passenger exclusion and offered guest passenger coverage for an extra $23 [10]. He turned it down. Later he crashed while carrying a passenger, who was seriously hurt [10]. Washington’s Supreme Court held that the exclusion did not break public policy, because the rider had refused the coverage when it was offered [10]. Four of the nine justices dissented [10]. The majority noted that the state legislature had not required liability insurance at that time [10].
That has since changed. Washington’s insurance commissioner says a 2019 state law requires all motorcycle riders to carry liability coverage [11]. So the 1984 reasoning may not hold today. We did not confirm how current Washington law treats passenger exclusions.
Wording matters too. In a 1987 case, a Washington policy excluded liability coverage for anyone on the bike, except the policyholder [12]. The state Supreme Court found that wording unclear. It read the policy in the rider’s favor, held that it covered the injured passenger’s claim, and found the insurer broke its contract by refusing to defend him [12]. The court pointed to the policy in the 1984 case as one that plainly left out passenger claims [12].
Comparison compiled by Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
Passenger rules and court decisions we verified
| State | Rule or decision | What it shows | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | Statute, since 1986 | Passenger exclusion needs notice and a separate endorsement | [3] |
| Washington | Supreme Court, 1984 | Exclusion upheld after rider refused coverage; law changed in 2019 | [10, 11] |
| Washington | Supreme Court, 1987 | Unclear passenger exclusion read in favor of coverage | [12] |
| West Virginia | Supreme Court, 1992 | Car policy exclusion of owner and spouse invalid up to state minimums | [13] |
| New York | Appeals court, 2015 | No fault exclusion applied to a motorcycle passenger | [5] |
| Pennsylvania | Superior Court, 2001 | Passenger allowed to seek UIM under her father’s car policy | [14] |
| Michigan | Statute, amended 2019 | Motorcycle passengers claim PIP from a set list of insurers | [15] |
As of October 2026. These are the rules and cases we confirmed; other states have their own laws and decisions. Cases more than a few years old may have been changed by later laws or rulings, so check current law. Sources are listed in each row.
When your passenger is family
Many riders carry a spouse, partner, grown child or sibling. That is when relative and household limits in a policy can matter most.
Progressive’s guest passenger coverage, as noted above, is for a passenger who is not a relative [2]. Other insurers may word this differently. Read how your policy defines who is covered, and look for any clause that leaves out relatives or people who live with you.
What car cases show
Courts have weighed family and household exclusions in car policies for decades. In the 1984 Washington case, the court described an earlier ruling from that state [10]. That ruling found that family or household exclusions in auto policies went against the state’s goal of paying people hurt by careless drivers [10].
West Virginia’s top court looked at a car policy that left out injuries to the named policyholder and a spouse living in the same household [13]. The owner had been riding as a passenger in her own car while her husband drove [13]. In 1992, the court held that the exclusion was invalid up to the minimum coverage state law required [13]. Above those minimums, the exclusion stood [13].
These are car cases from two states, decided in 1984 and 1992, so check whether later laws or rulings changed them. They show that a few words in a policy’s definitions or exclusions can decide a claim. Motorcycle policies have their own wording. If you plan to carry a relative, ask your agent in plain terms whether that person is covered under your liability and medical payments coverage. Our guide on who counts as an insured household member explains common policy terms.
Medical payments, PIP and your passenger
Medical payments coverage
Medical payments coverage, often called MedPay, pays medical bills after a crash whoever caused it. Progressive says its version covers you and your passengers [6]. Nevada’s insurance regulator says this coverage pays right away to treat you and your passenger [7].
Because MedPay does not turn on fault, it can help in a crash like the deer example, where no other driver is to blame. Limits and terms vary, so check the amount per person on your declarations page.
Why car PIP often stops at the bike
Personal injury protection (PIP) is no fault coverage. Through your own insurer, it covers medical bills and part of your lost wages, regardless of fault. In some no fault states, it does not reach people on motorcycles. Passengers are included in that gap.
New York’s required car PIP endorsement excludes injuries to any person occupying a motorcycle [4]. A 2015 appeals case shows how firmly that rule applies. A woman was riding behind her husband when he veered and dropped the bike [5]. It struck a pickup truck, flew up and came down on her [5]. The court said that being separated from the bike did not make her a pedestrian, so she was still an occupant and had no right to no fault benefits [5].
Minnesota’s statute reaches any person. It says injuries to someone on a motorcycle, or getting on or off one, are not treated as coming from the use of a motor vehicle for no fault purposes [16]. That is true even when a car is involved [16].
Michigan’s different approach
Michigan’s insurance department (DIFS) says that when a crash involves an insured car or truck, the injured motorcyclist can claim PIP through that vehicle’s insurance company [17]. If no PIP is available, it says up to $250,000 may come from the state’s assigned claims plan [17].
Michigan’s no fault law spells out that this order covers passengers too. It names both the operator and the passenger of a motorcycle when a motor vehicle was involved in the crash [15]. The first stop is the insurer of the vehicle’s owner, then the insurer of its driver [15]. Next come the car insurer of the person operating the motorcycle, then the car insurer of the bike’s owner [15]. Ask your insurer how this order applies to the policies in your household.
DIFS also says a motorcyclist must carry at least $20,000 in medical benefits for each rider who chooses to go without a helmet [17]. The exception is a rider who has at least $20,000 in medical benefits of their own [17].
For other no fault states, see the no fault states guide in this series.
Who pays when another driver is at fault
If a car driver causes the crash, your passenger can usually look first to that driver’s liability insurance. Progressive points out that when the other motorist is at fault, that driver’s insurance may pay for your passenger’s injuries [2]. That is the job of liability coverage: paying for injuries a driver causes to others [1].
Uninsured and underinsured drivers
The harder case is an at fault driver with no insurance or too little. Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage is meant for a crash caused by a driver with no insurance. Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage helps when that driver’s limits are too low to cover the harm.
Nevada’s regulator says this coverage pays your medical costs when a driver with no insurance or too little causes the crash [7]. It says the coverage on a motorcycle policy also protects your passenger, up to the liability amount you buy [7]. Other states and insurers set their own terms, so ask your agent whether your UM and UIM reach a passenger.
The passenger’s own coverage
Your passenger may also have UM or UIM through their own car policy or a relative’s policy. Whether it reaches a motorcycle crash turns on state law and on how that policy is written.
A 2001 Pennsylvania case shows one result. A woman hurt as a passenger on a motorcycle collected the at fault rider’s liability limits [14]. She then sought UIM benefits under her father’s car policy, since she lived with him [14]. The insurer relied on a policy definition of “car” that did not include motorcycles. Pennsylvania’s Superior Court called the exclusion void as against public policy, though one judge dissented [14]. That was a 2001 ruling. Later Pennsylvania laws or decisions may have changed the result. Courts in other states may decide differently.
Your passenger’s health insurance is another possible payer. In Michigan, DIFS says that when no motor vehicle is involved, an injured motorcyclist would turn to a health plan or the medical benefits bought with the bike policy [17]. Our guide to medical bills and health insurance after a motorcycle crash explains how the different payers fit together.
Before you carry a passenger
The best time to check passenger coverage is before the first ride, while you can still change your policy.
Gear and the first ride
Passengers killed in 2024 were less likely than drivers to have been wearing helmets [8]. Give your passenger a helmet that fits and the same kind of protective gear you wear. Nevada’s regulator encourages riders to take an approved safety course [7].
Talk through the ride before you start. Agree on how to get on and off, where to hold on, and a simple signal for slowing down or stopping. Keep a new passenger’s first ride short and on familiar roads. Our guide to motorcycle passengers, cargo and group riding covers the riding skills involved.
Questions to ask your insurance agent
Question checklist from Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
- Does my policy cover injuries to a passenger, and is that part of my liability coverage or separate?
- Does that coverage apply if my passenger is my spouse, my child or another relative?
- Is there a passenger exclusion or passenger endorsement on my policy?
- How much medical payments coverage do I have, and does it pay for passengers?
- Does my UM and UIM coverage protect a passenger, and at what limits?
- How does this state’s no fault law treat someone riding on the back of a motorcycle?
- If my passenger rides without a helmet, does that change anything in my policy?
- If my passenger is hurt, what should they do first to start a claim?
Frequently asked questions
Is my passenger covered if I crash and no one else is involved?
It depends on your policy. Triple I says guest passenger liability depends on state law and the insurer. Progressive limits its version to passengers who are not relatives [1, 2]. MedPay, if you bought it, pays regardless of fault [6].
Does my car insurance cover me as a passenger on a motorcycle?
For no fault benefits, often not. New York’s car PIP endorsement excludes anyone occupying a motorcycle. Minnesota’s law treats injuries on a motorcycle as outside its no fault system [4, 16]. UM or UIM may apply in some cases, as a 2001 Pennsylvania decision shows, so ask your insurer [14].
Can a state limit passenger exclusions?
Some do. Maine allows a passenger exclusion only with notice to the state and to agents and a separate endorsement [3]. In 1984, Washington’s Supreme Court upheld an exclusion because the rider had turned down passenger coverage [10]. Washington now requires riders to carry liability coverage, so check whether that ruling still applies [11].
The bottom line
Recommendation from Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
Carrying a passenger adds a person your policy may or may not cover. Guest passenger liability, relative limits, MedPay and no fault rules all vary [1, 2]. In New York and Minnesota, car no fault coverage leaves out people on motorcycles [4, 16].
Before you carry anyone, read your declarations page and policy, ask your agent the questions above, and confirm your state’s rules with its insurance department. Laws and policies change. For help with a particular claim, you can ask a licensed agent or a lawyer, or call your state insurance department.
Sources and further reading
- 1Insurance Information Institute. Motorcycle insurance. Accessed October 2026. iii.org/article/motorcycle-insurance
- 2Progressive. Motorcycle insurance. Accessed October 2026. progressive.com/motorcycle
- 3Maine Revised Statutes, Title 24-A, section 2902-B. Motorcycle passenger exclusion. Accessed October 2026. legislature.maine.gov/…/title24-Asec2902-B.html
- 4New 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
- 5Boyson v. Kwasowsky, 129 A.D.3d 151 (N.Y. App. Div. 4th Dept. 2015). nycourts.gov/…/2015_03964.htm
- 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 Institute for Highway Safety. Fatality Facts 2024: Motorcycles and ATVs. Posted June 2026. iihs.org/…/motorcycles-and-atvs
- 9Minnesota Department of Commerce. ATVs, boats, motorcycles. Modified June 2025. mn.gov/…/atvs-boats-motorcycles
- 10Progressive Casualty Insurance Co. v. Jester, 102 Wn.2d 78, 683 P.2d 180 (Wash. 1984). law.justia.com/…/50007-0-1.html
- 11Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Washington state’s mandatory auto/motorcycle insurance law. Accessed October 2026. insurance.wa.gov/…/washington-states-mandatory…
- 12Greer v. Northwestern National Insurance Co., 109 Wn.2d 191, 743 P.2d 1244 (Wash. October 8, 1987). cetient.com/…/greer-v-northwestern-nation…
- 13Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. Dairyland Insurance Co. v. East, No. 21171. December 18, 1992. courtswv.gov/…/21171.pdf
- 14Richmond v. Prudential Property and Casualty Insurance Co., Pennsylvania Superior Court. December 27, 2001. caselaw.findlaw.com/…/1137430.html
- 15Michigan Compiled Laws section 500.3114 (amended 2019; compiled through Public Act 12 of 2025). Personal protection insurance; order of priority, including subsection (5) on motorcycle operators and passengers. zeus-milenia.legislature.mi.gov/…/MCL-500-3114.pdf
- 16Minnesota Statutes section 65B.46, subdivision 3 (2021). Limitation; motorcycle injuries. revisor.mn.gov/statutes/2021/cite/65B.46/pdf
- 17Michigan 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
- 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 is meant as general education and is not legal, insurance or financial advice. Coverage for passengers depends on state law and on each insurer’s policy wording, both of which change over time. Check with your state insurance department and read your own policy. Reviewed October 2026.
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