| Motorbike insurance premiums are calculated | | | | As the severity of the endorsement increases, |
| on a huge number of different factors and one | | | | a driving ban would be awarded and this |
| of which that can have a great impact is | | | | usually applies to careless driving offences, |
| driving licence endorsements. | | | | dangerous driving offences, disqualified |
| | | | driver offences and theft or unauthorised |
| A motoring conviction might influence a | | | | taking offences. |
| motorbike insurance underwriter in his or her | | | | |
| assessment of the risk and calculation of the | | | | Drink driving convictions are taken very |
| final bike insurance premium. Taking penalty | | | | seriously by insurers. Convicted riders |
| points or driving bans into consideration | | | | returning to the roads may face difficulty in |
| depends on when the conviction occurred, the | | | | obtaining bike insurance and will certainly |
| frequency with which they occurred, if there | | | | have to pay far higher premiums than before |
| is more than once offence and the severity of | | | | their conviction. These higher premiums can |
| the offence. | | | | well last for a number of years. |
| | | | |
| Insurers know that there is a connection | | | | Apart from the one off major convictions that |
| between the number of speeding convictions a | | | | will result in an immediate ban, there is |
| person may have and their likelihood of | | | | also a totting up provision where a rider can |
| making an insurance claim, so riders with | | | | be disqualified if he/she accumulates twelve |
| speeding convictions are likely to face | | | | penalty points within a three year period. |
| higher premiums until their driving record | | | | Ultimately, a rider who accumulates four |
| improves. | | | | minor speeding offences over three years will |
| | | | face a similar increased motorbike insurance |
| Generally insurers categorise motoring | | | | premium as that of a convicted dangerous or |
| convictions into four sections and a speeding | | | | drink driver. |
| endorsement would be seen as a minor | | | | |
| conviction. Other such minor convictions can | | | | With increasing use of speed cameras and |
| range from not ensuring good maintenance of | | | | stricter penalties enforced by the courts |
| your motorcycle - a CU30 endorsement would be | | | | even careful drivers risk totting up points |
| incurred for using a vehicle with defective | | | | Under the New Driver Act, if a person has |
| tyres, to gaining points for driving without | | | | passed their motorcycle or car test on or |
| wearing spectacles - a MS70 endorsement would | | | | after 1st June 1997 and incur six or more |
| be incurred for driving with uncorrected | | | | penalty points within the first two years of |
| defective eyesight. Even though these | | | | passing the first test, their driving licence |
| offences are of the minor nature, your | | | | is automatically revoked. This includes any |
| motorcycle insurance would still generally | | | | penalty points you had prior to the test |
| increase. | | | | which are still valid. To obtain a new |
| | | | licence, you would have to re sit a test as a |
| Motoring convictions are material facts that | | | | learner driver. This type of driving |
| must always be disclosed at the time of a | | | | disqualification would also have an impact on |
| motorbike insurance quotation and relate to a | | | | your bike insurance premium. |
| moral hazard. A moral hazard applies to | | | | |
| insurance as they relate either to the | | | | In summary, more than two million motorists' |
| insurance history of the policyholder or to | | | | driving licences will be endorsed with |
| his personal history or attitude. | | | | penalty points over the next twelve months. |
| | | | Should it be their first minor offence, |
| Failing to stop and give particulars after an | | | | Insurers will probably be quite lenient, |
| accident, an AC10, driving without due care | | | | however as they increase in numbers and |
| and attention, a CD10, or using a vehicle | | | | severity, the insurers will definitely apply |
| which is uninsured, an IN10, are all deemed | | | | a loading thus ensuring higher motorbike |
| to be highly rated as a moral hazard but | | | | insurance premiums for you. |
| generally would only incur points on a | | | | |
| singular basis rather than a ban. | | | | Avoid all motoring convictions and get |
| | | | cheaper bike insurance. |