California Motorcycle Insurance (2024)

What are the minimum requirements for motorcycle insurance in California?

California motorcycle laws require all riders to carry motorcycle liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage. Liability coverage may pay for injuries and damage you cause to others while riding, up to your policy's limits. You can increase the amount of liability coverage, if necessary, to more fully protect your assets. These coverages, however, don't cover damage to your own bike.

California also mandates uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage, but you may reject or lower these coverages with the submission of a signed form.

Do you need comprehensive and collision coverage?

Comprehensive motorcycle coverage and collision motorcycle coverage are both optional unless you're financing or leasing your motorcycle. In those cases, your lender may require comprehensive and collision coverage. If your bike is paid in full, you may consider comprehensive and collision coverages as a safeguard against physical damage to your prized possession. Comprehensive may cover damage to your bike from events out of your control: motorcycle theft, vandalism, hitting an animal, fire, and weather-related issues. Collision can cover your motorcycle if it collides with another object or vehicle, regardless of who's at fault.

How much is motorcycle insurance in California?

In 2023, the annual cost for a Progressive motorcycle insurance policy in California with liability coverage only was $195.70.^* Many factors influence your price for motorcycle insurance, such as your age, driving history, location, type of bike, and coverage selection. Learn more about the cost of motorcycle insurance.

What's the best motorcycle insurance in California?

One in three insured motorcycle riders choose Progressive^**. Whether you ride in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, or anywhere else in California, the best motorcycle insurance features reliable and personalized coverage at an affordable cost. Progressive offers cheap motorcycle insurance in California for bikers without eliminating the valuable protection you need for peace of mind while riding.

You can decrease the cost of motorcycle insurance in California with motorcycle insurance discounts, such as:

• Good driver discount

• Multi-vehicle discount

• Harley-Davidson Owner Group (HOG) discount

• Safety course discount

• Association membership discount

Find out more ways to lower the cost of motorcycle insurance.

Additional motorcycle insurance coverages available in California

For increased protection, the following optional coverages may be added to your Progressive motorcycle policy:

• Motorcycle accessory coverage: Can pay for damage to the upgrades you've made to your bike and your equipment, such as chrome pieces, electronics, handlebars, and custom paint and wheels

• Medical payments: Can pay for injuries you or your passenger suffer, regardless of fault

• Total loss coverage: May pay for the full value of your bike in the event of a total loss, protecting against depreciation (available only for bikes no more than one model year old on a new policy)

• Carried contents and personal belongings: Can pay to replace any personal effects you're carrying when a covered loss occurs, including theft

• Enhanced injury protection: May pay as much as $250 a week for two years if you can't work due to injuries sustained during a crash

• Roadside assistance: Covers the cost of towing your bike to the nearest repair shop

Learn more about motorcycle insurance coverages.

Quick facts for riding in California

1. All motorcycle operators and passengers are required to wear a helmet while riding, per California motorcycle laws.

2. In order to get a permit, riders under 21 must complete a motorcycle rider training course approved by the California Motorcyclist Safety Program.

3. With 936,809 on-road motorcycles registered in California in 2023, there are more registered motorcycles in the Golden State than in any other state in the U.S.