Custom Motorcycle Accessories – Does your insurance cover them?

Last updated Thursday, October 6th, 2022

If you have a custom motorcycle, and you get into an accident, your standard motorcycle insurance policy may not cover custom accessories fitted to it.

Any of these items are usually considered separate individual items (accessories) to your bike:

• custom motorbike helmet
• custom motorcycle seats
• custom motorcycle paint jobs
• custom motorcycle parts
• custom motorcycle wheels

Essentially, motorcycle insurance companies view custom motorcycles and motorcycle accessories as separate entities from the original motorcycle itself.

What this means is that the basic motorcycle insurance policy only covers your motorcycle in the condition it was in when it was manufactured. Most motorcycle insurance companies cover custom motorcycles and accessories as optional coverage.

Thus, if you want your insurance company to cover your customized motorcycle and accessories, you’ll have to add extra insurance coverage on top of the basic cover.  However, this will only apply if the modifications do not affect the safety of a motorcycle.

Identify The Items That Were Stock On Your Bike

Insurance companies want to know what was stock on your bike when you purchased it. The features and parts that were originally on the motorcycle are the ones that they will take into consideration when providing insurance cover.

So, if you need to make sure that your customized motorcycle and accessories are covered in the event of an accident, you need to find out which parts and features of your motorcycle were stock standard when you purchased it.

The reason for doing this is so that you know exactly what accessories and modifications were on your bike when you got it from the dealership. You may find it surprising that your dealership added parts and features.  Your insurance policy might well consider these as accessories and modifications.

In this case, the best thing to do is to find out more about the exact specifications of your motorbike at the point of manufacture. You can consider visiting your manufacturer’s website to get that information to be sure.

Compare Your Motorbike To The Manufacturer’s Specifications

Now that you have the specifications from your manufacturer, you need to evaluate your motorcycle against them. Get to know whether there’s any part or feature on it that does not form part of the original specifications.

You can use your already customized motorcycle and accessory list to find out whether there’s anything that’s on your bike that was not when it left the factory. Your motorcycle insurance quote needs to take this into consideration when you are looking to insure your bike.

Some of the accessory items and customizations that you might have to include are saddlebags, fairings, light bars, custom paint, and cruise control. If you find that there are items that were not on your bike when it left the factory, then that’s an accessory you should be aware of.

You should take that into consideration so that you don’t fail to have it covered by your accessory insurance policy. Also, don’t forget to include your riding gear as part of your inventory.

This includes helmets, gloves, boots, pants, jackets, and goggles. You should also have insurance for these items, given their cost and significance in your riding. The evaluation process above is vital. It will allow you to find out the magnitude of your motorcycle’s modifications and the number of accessories you have.

Establish The Value Of The Accessories And Modifications On Your Bike

At this point, you need to be sure of the value you assign to each accessory. This will determine how much compensation you’ll get in the event of an accident. You can check websites or stores that sell the accessories to determine their value. Better still, check the purchase receipts to be sure of the correct value.

After you’ve established the value of each accessory and customization, it’s important to note them down. This will allow you to refer to them in the future whenever a need arises.

More importantly, make sure that you factor in depreciation when ascertaining the value of each accessory. This way, you can ensure that your customized motorcycle and accessories are covered by your insurance agency.

Establish The Total Value Of Your Bike’s Accessories

After assigning values to your bike’s customizations and accessories, it’s imperative to determine their total value. Make sure that you include all your accessories in the total value. This will play a vital role in knowing how much premium you pay. Plus, you’ll determine how much compensation you’ll receive in the event of an accident or incident like theft or vandalism.

If you find that the total value of your customization and accessories is more than 50% of your motorbike’s value, you should consider consulting your insurance company. Talk to them about an agreed value policy to ensure that your assets get the best protection possible.

Evaluate The Existing Motorcycle Accessory Coverage

The need to evaluate the existing motorcycle accessory coverage on your motorcycle insurance policy is paramount. This should help you understand whether you’ll be able to have all your motorcycle customizations and accessories covered in case of any necessary compensation for repairs or replacement.

Therefore, you need to compare the total value of your accessories to the amount of accessory coverage listed on your motorcycle insurance policy. If the amount of accessory coverage is not equal to or higher than the total value of your customizations and accessories, you need to increase the amount of accessory coverage.

The accessory coverage should be equal to or higher than the total value of your accessories. This will ensure that you have sufficient insurance coverage for your assets.

Motorcycle Insurance Quote | Consider Accessory Coverage To Provide Protection