Insurance

[Tusayan]

As above, National General (GMAC) charges me $378 per year TOTAL price for basic liability coverage on NINE motorcycles (that price covers all of them).  If you need high liability coverage limits they may not be your choice, plus I’ve been using them claim free since 1988 which may affect my cost.  Might still be worth checking out.

https://nationalgeneral.com/other-products/motorcycle-insurance/coverages.asp

[Lannis]

As above, National General (GMAC) charges me $378 per year TOTAL price for basic liability coverage on NINE motorcycles (that price covers all of them).  If you need high liability coverage limits they may not be your choice, plus I’ve been using them claim free since 1988 which may affect my cost.  Might still be worth checking out.

https://nationalgeneral.com/other-products/motorcycle-insurance/coverages.asp

I'll check it out.   I've never gone for "high liability limits", because I figure that even if I'm liable for a road crash  (and I've never even been in a road crash for which I wasn't liable, much less one where I was), how much damage can I be liable for with a motorcycle?    I'm not the guy on a Ducati who put it through the side of a van at 140 MPH.

I'll get a quote and report back!

Lannis

[sickora]

I'll quickly summarize what I've read on this thread.  First,  my background is 15+ years in product management for Personal Lines insurance, including 3 years of running the pricing area of Motorcycle insurance for a very well known insurer. 

In general, most of the sentiments here are correct.  Insurance companies do typically slowly raise rates (1-3% per year) on long term customers. The theory being that these are small enough that the insurer won't switch,  and are needed for inflation and loss trends.  To offset this, there are loyalty rewards, etc..   That is without there being a general rate increase across the entire book of business for the state.

I am also a shopper, but stick to well known companies.  You can get quotes from 3-5 large companies in well under 1/2 hour.  There are enough large companies that by cycling through them (Geico, Progressive, Allstate, State Farm, Liberty Mutual, Farmers, Nationwide, Hartford, Travelers, to name a few) you should find a good price.  For MC specifically, add on Dairyland, Merkel, and apparently Haggarty.

Lastly, your liability limits are your choice. but I've seen multiple MC claims payout hit their limits and then our insured by sued for more money. One at fault accident resulting in grievous injury or death of the other person is not only tragic, but could ruin you financially. Just my two cents.

[rjamesohio]

Since I added the Breva to my frequently ridden bikes (as opposed to projects) I was quoted an $80 per year increase by Farmers Group just because I substituted the Breva for my old Cali.

My agent did me a solid - he wrote me a policy for BOTH with Progressive for $172 if I paid in advance. That's LESS that what I paid for the Cali and BMW last year with Allstate.

So it pays to shop around or have an agent that is looking out for you.

Regarding Hagerty - I have Hagerty insurance on three vehicles and love dealing with them; their Driver's Club has towing service and you get a really GREAT magazine 6 times a year. That said - I don't include the bikes with Hagerty as they are a little pricey, even though it would have been awesome to have everything in one place...

[Lexiyntax]

Biggest 'gotcha' I have seen with Progressive insurance is when shopping around they tend to have a lower 'first year' price as they know people are shopping around, it goes up after that for a year or two, but then it starts dropping. Well for all my bikes but the Harley anyway, that is my only bike now that the insurance actually goes up every year.

As someone who keeps bikes long term, I've found Progressive best for me as after those first few years they become the lowest price and with the vanishing deductible it pays to stay with them longer term. In my case I have a local agent who caries it, any time I have an issue I just stop in and they take care of it. Makes a huge difference when one doesn't have to deal directly with a megacorp, I definitely recommend preference to a local agent and whatever they carry for a reasonable rate, may limit your options depending on where you live but I find it makes my insurance life less stressful especially when I have a claim or issue.

Insurance is so wildly variable by state, where one lives, etc. it is hard to get any reasonable feel for which company is best for you on the internet. Almost every posting you read will be a different scenario than you, insurance companies are big on metrics and customization for specific areas.