"It's worth considering accidental damage and personal accident cover. Due to the high risk nature of motocross or using a dirt bike in general, make sure you're properly covered for any accidents."
What does off-road motorbike insurance cover?
Off-road insurance acts as added cover on top of a standard motorbike insurance policy. So you enjoy all the benefits of motorbike insurance with added protection for your off-road ride. When comparing quotes, you should look for policies that include:
- Personal accident cover
- Accidental damage cover
- Legal expenses
- Breakdown cover
- Transit cover
- Limited mileage cover
Personal accident cover is designed to provide a pay out if you’re seriously injured or die in an accident
Accidental damage cover protects you against injury or damage to someone else or their property where you're deemed at fault
Legal expenses helps you with legal costs and compensation if you're sued
Breakdown cover means you're covered if your off-road bike breaks down and you're unable to get home
Transit cover protects your motorbike if it gets damaged while being transported in a truck or trailer.
Limited mileage cover, as off-road bikers tend to cover fewer miles than traditional bikers. A limited mileage policy reflects this, reducing your insurance costs.
What are the different levels of cover?
A standard motorbike insurance policy comes in 3 levels of cover:
Third-party covers damage to other people, their vehicles and property after an accident. According to our data, the average cost for this policy is £572*.
Third-party, fire and theft offers the same benefits as third-party but also covers your motorbike if it's stolen or damaged by fire.
Comprehensive insurance offers the highest level of protection. It covers the costs to repair or replace your motorbike if it’s damaged in an accident. On average, a comprehensive policy costs £320*.
*Confused.com data June 2023
What our motorbike insurance expert says
Where can I ride my dirt bike legally?
If you don't have any kind of insurance, you can only ride your dirt bike on:
- Private land that you own
- Land where you have the owner's permission
- Dedicated off-road tracks
Not having any kind of insurance means you can't ride your off-road motorbike on:
- Any kind of public road
- Unclassified country roads (UCRs)
- Byways open to all traffic (BOATs)
How can I lower the cost of off-road motorbike insurance?
Looking to save some money on your insurance? Here are some tips:
- Shop around
- Limited mileage cover
- Increase security
- Consider a less powerful motorbike
- Increasing your voluntary excess
- Improve your riding skills
Shop around. Comparing quotes could save you money in just a few minutes. If you've compared motorcycle insurance with us before, it's even quicker.
Limited mileage cover is something some insurers offer with a cheaper policy as off-road bikers tend to rack up less miles than standard ones.
Increase security for your motorbike. Using extra security measures like an alarm or immobiliser could help you save money.
Consider a less powerful motorbike. Bigger engines tend to cause more expensive claims so changing to a different type of motorbike could help.
Increasing your voluntary excess could help reduce insurance costs. Just make sure you can afford to pay the amount if you made a claim.
Improve your riding skills by taking advanced training courses. This shows you're a safer rider and should be at a lower risk of getting into an accident.
What do I need to get a quote?
We'll need to know a few things about your motorbike such as:
- Your motorcycle's registration or it's make, model and year of manufacture
- Your motorbike’s value
- The date you bought the motorbike (you can still get a quote for a motorbike you haven’t bought yet)
- Where you keep your motorbike when not in use
-
What security measures you've taken to secure it
-
Any modifications you’ve made to your motorbike
We’ll also need the following details about you:
-
The category of your motorbike licence
- How long you've had your motorbike
- Any optional extras you want to add on
- How you plan on using your motorbike
- Any convictions or claims you’ve had in the last 5 years
- How many miles you expect to ride in a year
- Details of any other riders who use your motorbike
Why choose Confused.com?
- We were the first insurance comparison site, founded back in 2002. Since then we've helped million of people find better deals for their car, home, motorbike and van insurance.
- We're fully regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as are all the insurance partners we work with. This means you can trust us to always put the cutomer first.
- We aren't owned by any insurance companies which means we're 100% independant. When you look through our prices, we'll show you the best ones we can offer you.
- We have a UK based customer support team to help you with anything you might need. Get in contact with us if you need any help.
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Page last reviewed: 07 September 2023
Reviewed by: Louise Thomas
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