Common sense says that motorcycles are more dangerous than cars. Statistics back that up; according to national statistics, motorcyclists in a crash are 27-30 times more likely to die than car drivers, and passengers are six times more likely to die in a crash than an auto passenger. However, motorcycle insurance rates are significantly lower than car insurance rates.
There are many reasons for this. One is that while motorcyclists are more likely to be injured in an accident, their vehicles are less likely to cause major bodily and property damage in an accident. The cost of replacing or repairing a motorcycle is often less than for a car. And motorcyclists are not covered by no-fault insurance.
There are a number of factors that can affect how much your motorcycle insurance costs:
- The make and model of your motorcycle
- If the primary use is for pleasure, commuting or off-roading
- If the motorcycle has an anti-theft device
- Driver age
- If the driver has taken an operator’s safety course recently
- If the driver has taken an accident prevention course recently
- Years of road riding experience
- Any accidents, claims or violations in the last three years
- Driver address
Last year, we explored how insurance companies evaluate risk based on where car drivers live. A driver living in Newburgh, NY, could expect a 40% higher rate than a driver living in Rosendale, NY or Woodstock, NY.
An analysis of motorcycle insurance rates across New York State did not yield such dramatic results.
Here are annual rates* for basic motorcycle insurance according to Dairyland Insurance, an online insurance comparison tool:
Hudson Valley
Kingston 12401 – $123.60
Newburgh 12550 – $131.52
New Paltz 12561 – $128.16
Poughkeepsie 12601 – $128.16
Woodstock 12498 – $123.72
Rest of New York
Albany 12207 – $128.16
Buffalo 14201 – $123.72
Manhattan 10001 – $218.67
Rochester 14602 – $123.60
Yonkers 10470 – $215.31
If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle crash or accident due to the fault of another party, give us a call at 845-600-0000. We offer free personal injury consultations in our offices in Kingston, NY and Poughkeepsie, NY.
* The rates were obtained in July 2022 for a 2022 Honda Super Cub C125 ABS, considered one of the most popular motorcycle makes and models. The motorcycle is owned, not kept in a garage or locked storage, not used for commuting, has no anti theft device, is not modified, no operator safety course in last five years, no accident prevention course, 5 years riding experience, valid motorcycle endorsement, no accidents in last 3 years.