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Motorbike Insurance Singapore | Why You Need One

DirectAsia Insurance_A red car and a motorcycle placed together in a warehouse, like in a photoshoot

Can I Ride My Motorcycle with A Car Insurance Policy in Singapore?

Reading time: 5 mins

Do you own a car and a motorcycle? If yes, this question may have crossed your mind: Can my car insurance cover my motorcycle? It may seem plausible that there is a way to extend your car insurance policy to cover your motorcycle. After all, your car insurance covers someone else driving your car (if included in your policy), so why can’t it cover your motorcycle usage? 

Well, we don’t have to tell you how riding a motorcycle is different from driving a car, so insurance for both vehicles is very different too. Just because you have car insurance, don’t assume that it will cover you if you get into an accident when riding your motorcycle.

Below, we’ve highlighted why you need motorcycle insurance. And we get it — in the same way you want affordable car insurance, you probably also want to be assured that you get the right coverage for your motorcycle. So we’ll explore that too.

Does my car insurance cover my motorcycle?

The short answer is No. Your car insurance will not cover your motorcycle.

Here’s the deal: you need a separate policy for your motorcycle, one that lists it and any riders who might use it. This is of paramount importance, because according to Singapore road law, you cannot ride a motorbike without it. 

Simply put, if you cause an accident and you don’t have the proper coverage, you could be solely responsible for all damages. Speaking of coverage, let’s take a closer look at what you’ll want included in your motorcycle insurance policy.

Types of Motorcycle Insurance

What does motorcycle insurance cover? Since we know your car insurance won’t cover your motorcycle, it’s important to take a closer look at what options you have. It’s also important to note that statistics show that, in an accident between a car and motorcycle, the motorcycle rider is almost sure to take the brunt of the damage. 

In addition to purchasing a policy that includes liability, you’ll also want to consider one that includes coverage for medical expenses, repairs to your bike, and a No Claim Discount (NCD) on your policy (depending on your past claims history). However, do take note that NCD does not apply to new riders.

So, having established that you need a separate motorcycle insurance policy, here are some motorcycle insurance cover types to consider:

Third Party Only Coverage 

When it comes to what your motorcycle insurance covers, liability should be top of the list. In the same way that liability is an important consideration for cars, it’s also true for motorcycles.

Third Party Only (TPO) insurance comes in two forms: bodily injury and coverage for someone else’s damaged property. These coverages kick in to cover costs should you cause other road users to suffer injuries in an accident or if the other vehicle involved has physical damage. 

Your liability limits with motorcycle insurance may be a bit lower compared to your car insurance, as motorcycles do not often cause severe damage that cars can, but what if you hit a pedestrian or a cyclist? In this case, you’ll need minimum liability coverage in amounts similar to that of your car insurance in order to cover any injury or damages caused to the other party. 

If that’s the case, do you really need coverage beyond liability insurance? Although you may pay less monthly, it may not be your best option in the long run.

Third-party Fire & Theft Coverage 

If you’d like to extend your coverage beyond the basic coverage to include losses due to fire and theft, then the third party fire and theft (TPFT) coverage will be a better option for you. Besides covering third party liabilities, this cover type ensures that you’ll be covered if your motorcycle gets damaged by fire or gets stolen in Singapore.  

On top of that, if you choose the optional benefit —  ‘new for old’  — DirectAsia offers to replace your stolen vehicle with a brand new one of the same or similar make and model. Take note that this only applies if you lose your motorbike in Singapore or if it's beyond repair within the insurable period of your TPFT coverage. 

Comprehensive Coverage 

A comprehensive insurance coverage is when you combine liability, fire and theft, as well as protection from crashes that you cause, or accidents due to unexpected events all in one policy.

This includes losses when your bike gets stolen, damaged by water, consumed in a fire, or if your motorcycle crashes into something besides a vehicle. It also covers damages caused by floods and other natural disasters.

Personal Accident Coverage 

Unfortunately, it is an all-too-real fact that many motorcycle riders have a higher risk of fatality and personal injury in an accident. Unless you have health insurance to pay all of your medical bills—and it may not—you’ll need added personal accident coverage to be sure you get the treatment you need after a motorcycle accident. At DirectAsia, you can add on this optional benefit as part of your coverage.

Roadside Assistance and Optional Benefits on Your Motorcycle Insurance 

Depending on which motorcycle insurance coverage you choose, you can opt for 24-hour breakdown assistance, towing and roadside service, any rider coverage, and replacement of personal property, which can be added to your motorcycle policy.

Another thing to consider is discounts that are offered for motorcycle insurance policies. Here’s how you can lower the cost of your motorcycle insurance policy.

How to Save on Motorcycle Insurance

Good news is, savings on your monthly insurance policy rates aren’t exclusive to conventional cars. DirectAsia also offers discounts and promotions on motorcycle insurance coverage.

Before we dig into ways to save on your motorcycle insurance, let’s look at some factors that can impact your premium.

Factors Impacting the Cost of Motorcycle Insurance:

  • General demographic information, such as where you live and how old you are
  • Your driving record, which includes past accidents
  • Type of motorcycle you ride, which includes make, model and year of registration
  • What you use your motorcycle for

It’s important to note that these factors will not only result in different rates but the extent of coverage as well, so it’s best to be truthful in answering all these questions.

Tips for Lowering Motorcycle Insurance Costs

Here are some key money-saving factors you may want to look into:

  • NCD. If you have not claimed insurance for your motorcycle for a minimum of 1 year, you are entitled to a NCD discount. DirectAsia offers customers the opportunity to protect their NCD status through the purchase of NCD Protector Plus for a nominal fee. This way, even if you have one at fault claim – the NCD Protector Plus will allow your NCD to advance to the next level (up to a maximum of NCD30) the following year. Bear in mind that most insurers will only allow you to maintain your NCD status if you do not have any at-fault claims.
  • Bundle Policies. Can you combine your car and motorcycle insurance into one policy? No, but if you have two bikes – there is an added discount available to you. This is a good way to save money, and the coverage is applicable to each vehicle.
  • Organizations. If you’re part of a motorcycle club, it’s possible your insurance company may offer a special rate or a promo rate on your motorcycle insurance policy. We advise you to speak to an agent  to check if this is applicable to you.

And of course, you’ll also want to check if there are any other special promotions offered at the time of signing up. You can check the current promotions offered by DirectAsia on our official website to see where you can take advantage of more savings.

Seek the Right Coverage

We’ve answered the question of whether your car insurance will cover your motorcycle — it won’t. So now, it’s up to you to ensure you have the proper coverage for your motorcycle. Regardless of distance traveled or time of use, you must have at least liability insurance to be allowed to ride on Singapore roads.
You can get a direct quote for your motorcycle insurance on our official website by answering a few important questions like make, model, year of registration and the primary usage of the bike or call us at 6665 5555 if you have other questions.