A motorcycle policy is not a car policy with two fewer wheels. The coverages that matter most to a rider — medical, uninsured motorist, gear, custom parts — are the ones most often left thin.
Coverage is subject to eligibility and carrier underwriting.
The most common misunderstanding we see: a rider assumes the protection on their car policy carries over to the bike. It mostly does not.
In New Jersey, Personal Injury Protection — the no-fault medical coverage built into every car policy — does not cover you while you are operating a motorcycle. If you are hurt in a crash, your medical bills fall to your health insurance and whatever medical payments coverage you chose on the motorcycle policy. If your health plan carries a high deductible, that gap can be large.
In Pennsylvania, too, how your medical bills get paid after a crash depends heavily on what you selected on the bike policy and on your health coverage.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage pays for your injuries when the driver who hit you has no insurance or not enough of it. Riders are far more likely than drivers to be seriously hurt in a collision, which makes this the coverage on a motorcycle policy we are least willing to see cut to the minimum.
Liability is required. Almost everything else is a choice, and the choices are where policies differ.
Injury and damage you cause to others. Required by law in both states; the state minimum is rarely enough.
Covers your injuries when the at-fault driver cannot. Worth carrying at the same limits as your liability.
Pays your medical bills after a crash regardless of fault, subject to the limit you choose.
Damage to the bike from a crash, or from theft, fire, vandalism, weather, or hitting a deer.
Aftermarket exhausts, seats, paint, and chrome are often covered only up to a small limit unless you add more.
Helmets, jackets, and boots damaged in a covered loss. Not every policy includes it.
The two states take very different approaches.
| New Jersey | Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|---|
| Who must wear a helmet | Every operator and passenger, at any age | Riders under 21, and anyone on a learner’s permit |
| Exemption | None | Riders 21 and older with two years of licensed riding experience, or who have completed an approved safety course |
| Eye protection | Required unless the bike has a windscreen | Required for all riders |
Summary for general information only. Confirm current requirements with NJ MVC or PennDOT before riding.
Many carriers offer a lay-up or seasonal option that drops coverage for road risks while the bike is stored, and keeps comprehensive in place for theft, fire, and damage in the garage. It can reduce the premium, but it means you are not covered if you take the bike out on a warm January day. Ask before you ride.
Generally, no. Homeowners policies typically exclude motor vehicles, including motorcycles, from their personal property coverage. Theft or fire damage to a motorcycle should be insured on the motorcycle policy.
Liability coverage generally protects you if your passenger sues you. Whether your passenger’s own medical bills are covered depends on the coverages and limits you selected. Some policies exclude or limit passenger injuries — worth confirming if you regularly ride two-up.
Lenders almost always require collision and comprehensive, often with a maximum deductible. Gap coverage, where available, covers the difference between what the bike is worth and what you still owe if it is totaled.
Your liability coverage generally follows you throughout the United States and Canada and is adjusted to meet the other state’s minimums. Physical damage coverage follows the bike.
Most motorcycle quotes compete on price for the minimum. We start with what happens to you after a crash and build from there.
Cadabra Asset Protection LLC is a licensed independent insurance agency serving New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Michael Lindner Jr., licensed insurance producer.
Coverage descriptions on this page are general summaries provided for informational purposes only. Coverage, limits, endorsements, and exclusions vary by carrier and by state, and actual coverage is governed solely by the terms of the issued policy. This page is not an offer of insurance and is not a guarantee that coverage will be issued. All coverage is subject to eligibility and carrier underwriting approval.
Nothing on this page is legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by its use or by contacting this agency for insurance services.
