Travel insurance with motorcycle, scooter and moped cover

A motorbike cover add-on to overseas travel insurance can provide cover when you’re riding a motorbike or any other 2-wheeled vehicle overseas. If you’re involved in a motorcycle accident while travelling, this type of insurance may help cover the resulting medical costs. Depending on the policy, you may be covered for overseas medical expenses arising from a motorbike accident, emergency repatriation or medical evacuation costs, trip cancellation due to an accident and personal accident benefits, though sub-limits may apply.

To get overseas travel insurance cover for motorbikes, you may need to hold the appropriate domestic licence and you should only ride a vehicle that matches the cover you select. It’s important to ensure that you meet any eligibility criteria from the insurer before you apply for cover. Once you have chosen your travel insurance policy and relevant motorbike riding add-on, you will be covered for the vehicle you are planning on riding overseas. It is crucial to review the Product Disclosure Statement before you purchase a policy to check what’s covered, and what is excluded from cover, especially if you plan on riding a motorcycle on your travels. You should also consider reading the Target Market Determination to check your suitability for a policy.

Not always as travel insurance policies will often exclude motorcycles, scooters and mopeds from their standard policies. However, you may be able to purchase motorcycle cover for an additional premium.

Motorbike, scooter or moped travel insurance typically includes emergency medical costs or hospital costs if you are injured in an accident involving that vehicle overseas. Depending on your level of cover, you can also be covered for emergency evacuation and repatriation back to Australia; just make sure you understand the exclusions on your policy relating to wearing helmets and obeying road rules. You may also receive 24-hour emergency assistance through your insurer via phone, email or a chatroom. Without motorcycle cover, you will typically need to cover these costs yourself, which could put you back thousands of dollars.

Common exclusions in travel insurance claims related to motorbike riding include being unlicensed or breaking the law. Policy exclusions differ between insurers, but some common travel insurance exclusions relating to 2-wheeled vehicles include:

• riding a motorcycle, moped or scooter that’s more powerful than what’s covered by your policy
• racing, speeding, disobeying a country’s road laws or driving recklessly
• being intoxicated by an illegal substance or alcohol
• not wearing a helmet
• driving without a motorcycle licence that’s valid in your destination country
• driving in a professional capacity, such as participating in a competitive or professional event.

Furthermore, your travel insurance policy may cover personal liability in some situations, however this cover is not extended to liability that may arise if you’re riding a motorcycle or driving other vehicles. This means that you will not be covered if you damage another vehicle or injure a person while riding or driving.

Check the Product Disclosure Statement to know exactly what’s included and what’s excluded. Knowing to what extent an insurer covers these instances can help provide peace of mind when motorcycle touring or exploring an international destination from the seat of a motorbike.

Yes, travel insurance with a motorbike add-on could cover you as the passenger on a motorcycle, provided you meet the eligibility requirements of your insurer – which may include things such as complying with local road rules and laws or riding with a helmet. You could be covered as a passenger so long as the driver:

• has appropriate insurance (that states pillion passengers are covered)
• has a licence to ride motorcycles in that country
• is in control of a motorcycle, moped or scooter with an engine that falls within the insurance policy’s bounds.

Having this cover in your travel insurance can be handy for couples who plan on travelling together on one hired bike. However, coverage for passengers may vary among insurers, so you should always thoroughly check your policy details to see how much a policy provides for a passenger on a motorbike.

Most policies will require you to wear a helmet, whether you are in control of the bike or riding as a passenger.

No, learner riders are typically not covered for riding a motorbike overseas under a travel insurance policy, as the policy will likely require you to hold the relevant provisional or higher domestic motorbike licence. Requirements will vary between insurers, so make sure to check the details of your policy before you plan to ride a motorbike overseas so you can be covered.

Yes, you can still get motorbike or scooter cover if you have a pre-existing condition, but you’ll typically need to declare it with your insurer first. Not all conditions are covered, however, and depending on the nature of your condition, you may have to pay an additional premium for it to be covered. It’s possible that cover may be automatically included, covered for an additional premium, or excluded entirely. It’s worth comparing different travel insurance providers so you can be confident that you are covered if you have a pre-existing medical condition.

Check out our full guide on pre-existing medical conditions here.

Yes, you can still be covered for a motorbike on an annual multi-trip policy. Once included in your travel insurance policy, it can help provide the eligible cover you’re after for motorbike or scooter-related incidents on covered trips, subject to your policy’s terms and conditions.

An IDP, or International Driving Permit, is an official document that is a translation of your Australian licence into multiple languages. It allows authorities overseas to verify your credentials to operate a vehicle. Essentially, it looks like a little A6 book that contains multiple translations of your licence. It must be purchased in Australia before you depart internationally. It is typically valid for 12-month periods and is not a substitute for your licence, just an official translation of it.

Depending on which country you’re heading to, you might need an International Driving Permit, as some countries may not accept an Australian licence on its own. China, Brazil, Uruguay, Ethiopia and several other countries do not recognise it as an official document.

When riding overseas, it’s important to understand road conditions, licensing requirements and what happens if you damage a vehicle. In many Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, road safety is not as high a priority as in Australia. Motorcyclists and car drivers alike often speed, ignore road rules and grapple for space on the road. Accidents are common, so driving with care and caution is extremely important for your safety.

When visiting places such as Bali, Indonesia, tourists often drive scooters and motorbikes without a valid licence. Not only can this get you into legal trouble, but also, without a valid driver’s licence, you cannot claim on any injuries if you have an accident on your 2-wheeled vehicle. Penalties for disobeying local driving laws can range from fines to jail time or even deportation.

Unlike with renting a car, when renting a motorcycle, scooter or moped, your travel insurance policy won’t cover the rental vehicle excess if you have an accident. This means any damages to your vehicle are paid directly out of pocket. Your motorcycle cover may cover medical treatment or hospital expenses if you’re injured while riding, as long as no exclusions apply to your loss.

Common reasons for a motorbike insurance claim being rejected include riding without a correct licence, not purchasing motorcycle cover and not riding with a helmet or safety gear. Keep in mind before you get on the bike:

• Licence: Policies will require you to hold a valid Australian motorbike licence, as claims arising for unlicensed driving are often rejected.
• Being uncovered by insurance: Standard travel insurance policies will frequently exclude motorbike riding, unless you specifically add it. It may be labelled ‘motorbike cover’ but could also be under an ‘adventure insurance’ add-on.
• Safety first: Coverage will typically depend on you following local laws – including helmet requirements.
• Drugs or alcohol: Claims where any kind of intoxication was involved are often excluded.
• Professional rider: Travel insurance policies will exclude any sort of ‘professional’ event – where you are riding in a competition, racing, motocross, or off-road riding.
• Dangerous riding: Claims will likely be denied if you are riding unlawfully or breaking safety rules.