Scooter Insurance Costs – With Actual Quotes!

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Insurance isn’t exactly a fun conversation, but most states require a minimum amount of liability insurance for you to operate a scooter. I’m a huge fan of protecting your assets as I imagine you are, and this is where insurance comes in.

The quoted premiums averaged $156 for scooters at or below the 150cc motor size, and the higher cc quotes for the Suzuki Burgman 650 averaged $315. The quotes were based on a 40-year-old Texas driver. Texas premiums are slightly above average across the country.

There is a lot of variation in insurance premiums because there are a lot of variables they layer in to determine your risk level. Your risk level and the scooter itself will determine how much you pay.

Do I Even NEED Insurance on Your Scooter?

Scooters get confused quite easily. Check out this article on the different types of scooters if you need to know more, but for this conversation – a scooter is a type of motorcycle.

Motorcycles are a standard form of transportation, and while each state has their own laws on insurances, it’s a safe bet that you will need to carry insurance.

Motor scooters and mopeds should be insured.

Even if you do have a state with some gray area that doesn’t require insurance, it’s a good idea to protect yourself by carrying liability insurance at a minimum.

Check with your insurance carrier or agent of choice, but there are options to limit your risk and cost.

Read more: Scooters are Cheaper Than Cars

Sample Premiums

Check these 3 engine sizes across 3 popular scooter insurers, and you don’t find a lot of variation until you go up to a higher engine, much more expensive option (the Suzuki Burgman 650).

Below you will find the details of what went into the quotes I received to help you understand differences, but please know that personal information plays into the quotes, as well. The motor scooter, as well as, the scooter driver’s experience, age, location, and driving history come into play. Often credit is a consideration, as well.

For the quotes here, they are based on a driver just a touch over 40, located in Texas with a clean driving record. She has had a valid driver’s license since 16 but a motorcycle license for only 1 year. Long story short – these are ballpark figures to help you budget for when you are ready to get your own proof of insurance rolling!

Chat with your agent to know the right levels of coverage for you (including umbrella policy impacts), but for the purpose of this exercise, the coverages were 30,000/60,000 for bodily injury and 25,000 for personal damage for the basic coverage components.

In addition, these same coverage limits were included for the un/underinsured motorist coverage. All quotes also included comprehensive insurance coverage with a $500 deductible.

I backed out all discounts as this would be very individualized based on your age, experience, and other policies & within my control to help understand the cost.

I was surprised that each of the companies in this comparison gave quotes almost identical for the 50cc, 125cc, and 150cc option. I expected a cheaper quote for the 50cc at least, but they were all within $3 of each other in each of the quotes. The Suzuki Burgman is larger, goes faster, and is more expensive, and it was quoted higher as expected.

No surprises here, but the engine size translates to higher cost as likely the scooter cost more, as well. Price of the scooter & insurance price will go hand in hand!

Also, please note that insuring a scooter will mean you have a motorcycle policy. This is separate from an automobile policy if you have one, but motorcycle insurance policies operate just like automotive insurance. Just for your two-wheeled vehicle, instead!

List of What You Need to Have for a Quote

  • Scooter Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or at least the year, make, and model
  • The driver’s name, age, license information, and a social security number are sometimes requested.
  • Do you Rent or Own your home? Marital Status? They ask a lot of questions like your occupation, too.
  • Expected weekly or annual mileage estimates
  • Information about the scooter such as the engine size or features such as an Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) or anti-theft enhancements.
  • Either know the coverage and limits you would like, be prepared to chat, or do additional research to get the coverage you need. The licensed agents with an independent agent or the insurance company will help in this regard if you are not quite sure of the coverages you need for your specific situation and risk tolerance.

Factors That Can Influence Your Rate

The location you are in has a significant impact on the premium you can expect to pay. The average prices of insurance bounce around each year, but if you are a resident of California or Louisiana you rank in the highest premiums in the country.

Scooter riders in North Dakota and Maine have the lowest costs in the United States. It turns out North Dakota and Maine are also in the top 3 coldest states, so I’m betting the assumed lower mileage from winter conditions is driving your rate relief. The quotes shared here are based on Texas which is #20 in the country which is slightly above the nation’s average.

Also, the more expensive your scooter is, the higher it will cost. Generally, this translates into larger engines being more expensive to cover. This makes sense when you think about the higher value that would need to be paid out in the event of a claim.

The coverage you need or want also influences the rate. While liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage is generally the minimum.

Some states also require uninsured motorist coverage for your own bodily injury or property damage if someone else is at fault. Beyond that, you also have additional coverages to consider and chat with an insurance agent about for your specific circumstances.

  • Collision: If you’re in an accident, this covers the repairs or replacement of your scooter.
  • Comprehensive: This covers incidents like jerks that steal your scooter or a fire. These are events not related to a driving accident.
  • Medical payments: Your medical bills along the way.
  • Emergency road service: Need a little help for a broken-down scooter?

You may be able to save some money through credits just as you can with traditional auto insurance. Below are some credits that I ran across that can help you lower your rate. Chat with your agent to see if any of these can apply to you.

  • Motorcycle Safety Foundation course
  • Multiple Policies with 1 insurer
  • Multiple Scooters/Motorcycles on a single insurance policy
  • Mature Rider
  • Anti-theft Device
  • Renewal Credit
  • Membership with a cycle/rider organization such as the American Motorcyclist Association
  • Home Ownership
  • Having a Motorcycle Policy Already
  • AutoPay
  • Obtaining a policy more than 7 days before you want it to be effective
white liberty scooter parked with 2 helmets on the seat

Quoted Premium Sources and Feedback

I was successfully able to complete the quotes online through Geico and Allstate. Both Progressive and Nationwide gave me problems when going through the quotes online. All of the online options had toll-free numbers to connect with, but I prefer shopping for insurance online.

I have professional experience in insurance, and I really like to see the quotes in front of me to understand the different coverages, options, and features. If I did not have the insurance background, I would definitely call.

The options can be overwhelming, and you walk a fine line in having enough coverage without being excessive for your situation.

I also reached out to the local independent agent that I worked with recently for my homeowner’s insurance. The best rates she found was coincidentally through Progressive. I am currently a Geico customer, and the Geico policy is cheaper for us. Their claim experience and phone app are the best I have used, so it looks like Geico stays the winner for us.

How These Rates Compare to Auto Insurance

In 2020, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners published information on the average cost of insurance. In 2017, the average spent on car insurance was $1,004.58. In this number, about 75% are full coverage with comprehensive and collision coverage.

Interesting find: Standard auto policies specifically exclude liability coverage for vehicles with fewer than 4 wheels.

A national average for motorcycles is approximately $250 annually which is in line with the quotes here for the larger engine sized versions at least.

Generally, you will find significant savings when you compare motorcycle insurance versus car insurance. This is even more likely for a 50cc or 150cc scooter comparatively!

Is Moped Insurance Cheap?

Generally, moped insurance is the cheapest insurance available. Quotes in this case came back around $150 annually. Twelve months of coverage for $150!!

Mopeds are the cheapest in part because of their cost. The cheaper an item is, the cheaper it will be to insure. Also, their speed is generally capped at 30 miles per hour (mph).

However, the max speed may not be asked with the carrier as there is an option to de-restrict a 50cc, and there are some versions of Vespa in particular that come unrestricted.

Read more: Scooters are Cheaper Than Cars

Wrap It Up

Insurance is highly specific to individual situations and scooters. Different locations, driving and motorcycle experience, coverages… there is a lot that goes into insurance quotes. T

hat said, this was intended to be a guideline for you to have a general idea of what to expect when you start shopping, so I hope you walk away with a general idea.

At the end of the day, you just want to make sure you have the coverage you need, and it’s always a good idea to make sure you’re getting all of the discounts you can.

That said, it is very refreshing for motorcycle insurance to be as cheap as it is when I compare it to what we pay for our auto policies. Yikes!

Be Seen. Be Safe!