Quad bike insurance

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  • Choose from 3 levels of cover

  • Quickly compare our best quotes

  • Get road legal cover for your quad

When do quads need insurance?

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Quad bikes do need insurance if:

  • They’re ridden on public roads
  • They’re parked on public roads
  • They’re used as farm quads and are driven on public roads for more than 1.5km at a time
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Quad bikes do not need to be insured if:

  • They’re only ever driven off road
  • They’re parked on private land, or kept it in a garage, when not in use
  • They’re registered as light agricultural vehicles, and are driven for 1.5km or less on public roads

What does quad inurance cover?

Quad insurance is a type of motorbike insurance. It covers everything standard motorbike insurance does.

Unlike standard bike policies, some quad policies may also cover off-roading, though not all do. Check with your insurer whether you’re covered for off-roading to make sure.

You don’t actually need insurance to ride a quad off-road, but having it in place allows you to claim for off-road accidents.

Exactly what your policy covers depends on the level of insurance you take out. 

We compare 3 levels of quad cover:

  • Third-party only covers other people, their vehicles and property if you damage them in an accident that’s your fault. It won’t cover your own quad though.
  • Third-party, fire and theft offers the same protection as third-party only, but also covers fire damage and theft of your own quad bike.
  • Comprehensive gives you all of the above, and adds in cover for your own quad if it's damaged in an accident.

How can I get quad bike insurance?

If your quad bike is a standard build ‘type approved’ model, finding cover is simple.

What does ‘type approved’ mean?

‘Type approved’ quads are those that meet minimum UK safety and environmental standards. They’re road legal and have a Certificate of Conformity to prove this. Most factory-bought quads will be type approved, but custom built ones may not be. If you have a custom built quad, you may need to get it approved through the Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval (MSVA) scheme. Once it’s approved, you’ll then be able to insure it.

Simply select the model of quad you have when you’re getting a quote, and our partner Vast Visibility will do the rest. They work with a panel of trusted motorbike insurers, and can help you find a great policy at a great price.

If your quad is non-standard, heavily modded or custom built and isn’t ‘type approved’ you may need specialist insurance. Give Vast Visibility a call on 03300 228 195 for help finding the right insurance.

Learn more about modified bike insurance

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How to get the best quad insurance quote

Many of the factors that go into calculating what you pay for your quad insurance are out of your control, like your age, driving history and location. But there are some steps you can take to get a cheaper quad insurance quote, like:

Trying multi-bike insurance: If you have more than one quad or motorbike, multi-bike policies often work out cheaper than taking out a single policy for each one you own. You'll have less paperwork to deal with too.

Limiting extras: Some insurers let you add extras to your policy for a fee. They can be worth the money - if you use them. Make sure you definitely need the extras you opt for otherwise you could be paying more for your cover than you need to.

Getting a car licence first: Getting a car licence just to save on your quad insurance may not be the most cost effective idea. But if you’re already in the process of getting one, waiting until you have it to insure your quad could help you save. Insurers often give those with both a car and bike licence a better deal than those with a bike licence only.

Adding pillion cover: Pillion cover insures you to carry passengers on your quad. Although it's technically an extra, some insurers actually offer cheaper cover for those opting for pillion cover.

Picking the right cover level: Although third party policies give you a lower level of cover, they tend to be more expensive than fully comprehensive ones.

Why choose Confused.com?

In 2002, we founded the first insurance comparison site. Since then, we’ve helped tens of millions of customers beat their renewal price and find great insurance at a great price.

But if that isn't enough reason to trust us, here're a few more:

  • We’re 100% independent, so the prices we show you are only ever the best ones we can find for you. They aren’t influenced by anything else.
  • We're regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, which ensures we always live up to our promise of putting the customer first.
  • We've given out over £20m in rewards so far. Take out a car, home, van or life insurance policy through us and pick 1 of 4 rewards.

What our motorbike insurance expert says

"Even if you only ride your quad off-road, insurance can still be a good idea. It means you’ll be able to claim If your quad is stolen or vandalised while in storage. And, as long as it’s taxed, road legal and you have the right licence for it, having insurance will let you ride your quad on the road too. This can make it easier to get to and from any off-road spots you ride at."
Louise Thomas, Motor Insurance Expert at Confused.com
Motor Insurance Expert Confused.com logo

What else do I need to ride a quad on the road?

As well as valid insurance, you'll need:

DVLA registration

You’ll need to register your quad with the DVLA once you’ve bought, built, rebuilt, altered or imported it. If you’re buying brand new from a dealer, the dealer should register the quad for you. If you’ve built the quad yourself, things are different and you’ll have to register it yourself.

The right licence

To ride a quad on the road, you’ll need either a full UK car or motorbike driving licence, or, if you passed your test before 1997, a Category B1 licence. You can't ride a quad on a provisional licence. Unlike some other types of motorbike, you don’t need a CBT to ride a quad.

Road tax

If you’re riding, or even parking, your quad on a public road, you’ll need motorbike tax. This ranges from £24 to £111 for the year, if paying in one lump sum. Farm quads are exempt from tax, if registered as light agricultural vehicles and if only driven 1.5km or less on public roads.

A valid MOT

Just like with a car, you’ll need a valid MOT to ride a quad on the road. Also like a car, you don’t need to MOT your quad until it reaches 3 years old. Before you get an insurance quote, remember that you’ll need to have a valid MOT in place before you can insure your quad.

Compare insurance and get the best cover for you and your quad

Need more help with your quad insurance?

Do I need insurance for an agricultural quad?

As with any quad bike, it depends on where you plan on riding:

  • If the bike never leaves the farm, you don’t have to get insurance for it as it’s classed as being off-road
  • If you spend any amount of time on a public road, you must have at least third-party cover for it

Even if you don’t have to get cover for your farm quad, insurance could be worth thinking about. Quad bikes can be a tempting target for thieves, and you could find yourself out of pocket if you damage your quad while working.

It’s worth remembering that if you’re using your quad bike for farm work, you need to register it as a light agricultural vehicle.

Do I need to wear a helmet on a quad bike?

In England, Scotland and Wales there’s no legal requirement to wear a helmet if you’re riding a quad bike. However, while you aren’t obliged by law to wear a helmet it’s still a sensible bit of safety kit - especially if you’re riding on public roads.

In Northern Ireland the law is different and you could be fined £500 if you’re caught riding a quad bike without a crash helmet.

Can I carry passengers on a quad bike?

Yes, but only if it is designed to carry passengers and has the correct amount of seats. It’s important to ask the manufacturer if you aren’t sure.

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Page last reviewed: 11 September 2023

Reviewed by: Louise Thomas

Confused.com Quad Bike Insurance is administered by Vast Visibility Ltd who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under firm reference number 566973. Vast Visibility Ltd is registered in England & Wales No. 05866769 at office: 8 Princes Parade, Liverpool, L3 1DL. Our service is free and compares a wide range of trusted household names. Confused.com is an intermediary and receives commission from Vast Visibility Ltd which is a percentage of the total commission if you decide to buy through our website. We pride ourselves on impartiality and independence – therefore we don't promote any one insurance provider over another.