Motorcycle Insurance (2026): Carriers, Coverage, and State-by-State Minimums
Last updated May 2026 · Rate Authority.
Motorcycle Insurance (2026): Carriers, Coverage, and State-by-State Minimums
According to Rate Authority’s motorcycle market analysis, Progressive holds the largest US motorcycle insurance share, GEICO is the strongest national challenger, and Dairyland + Foremost handle the nonstandard / high-risk market segment.
The carrier landscape
Five carriers write the majority of US motorcycle insurance. The competitive structure is unlike auto: motorcycle is a smaller, more specialized line where underwriting appetite varies more sharply by carrier.
Progressive — market leader. The broadest motorcycle underwriting in the US. Writes sport bikes, cruisers, touring, dirt bikes, ATVs, UTVs, and trikes under one umbrella program. The strongest fit for riders with multiple bikes, performance bikes, or non-standard equipment.
GEICO — closest national challenger. Strong rate filing competitiveness in major motorcycle states (California, Florida, Texas, Nevada). Lighter underwriting on performance bikes than Progressive; the better fit for standard touring + commuter bikes.
USAA — military members + families only. Among the most-cited motorcycle insurers in the US; the structural rate advantage comes from a narrower risk pool, not aggressive pricing. Eligibility-gated.
Allstate — broad-line carrier with a competent motorcycle program. Includes off-road / powersports as endorsements (per its public off-road vehicle coverage documentation). Best when bundled with auto or home.
Dairyland + Foremost — nonstandard / high-risk specialists. Write SR-22 motorcycle, riders with at-fault claims, lapsed coverage, and DUI history. Higher base rates; the lane when major carriers decline.
What motorcycle insurance actually covers
Motorcycle policies have the same basic component structure as auto, but the practical mix differs:
- Bodily Injury Liability (BI) — covers injuries you cause to others. Required in most states (Florida is the major exception — see state table below).
- Property Damage Liability (PD) — covers property you damage with your bike. Required where BI is.
- Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) — high-importance for motorcycles. The “underinsured motorist” gap is the most-common motorcycle claim severity driver because riders catastrophically injured by under-insured drivers carry the loss themselves otherwise.
- Comprehensive — theft, vandalism, fire, weather. Optional; required by lenders if the bike is financed.
- Collision — damage to your own bike from a crash. Optional; cost-justification depends on bike value vs deductible.
- Guest Passenger Liability — separate coverage on most motorcycle policies (not auto-included). Important if you regularly carry a passenger.
- Medical Payments — covers your own medical bills regardless of fault. Higher relevance for motorcycle than auto because rider exposure is unique.
- Custom Parts and Equipment (CPE) — endorsement for aftermarket parts, paint, exhaust, etc. Policies cap CPE coverage by default ($1 (Rate Authority, May 2026)K–$3K typical); higher limits available as a separately rated endorsement.
State-by-state minimum motorcycle insurance requirements
Most US states require the same liability minimums for motorcycles that they require for autos. A handful — notably Florida, Washington, and New Hampshire — have unusual structures.
| State | BI Liability | PD Liability | UM/UIM | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $15K/$30K | $5K | Not required* | *Carriers must offer UM/UIM but riders may reject in writing. |
| Florida | Not required | $10K | Not required | Florida is the major outlier — only PD is statutorily required. Most lenders + prudent riders carry liability anyway. |
| Texas | $30K/$60K | $25K | Carriers must offer | 30/60/25 minimum; $300K/$300K is the practical floor. |
| Nevada | $25K/$50K | $20K | Carriers must offer | Standard 25/50/20 floor. |
| Arizona | $25K/$50K | $15K | Carriers must offer | Standard floor. |
| New York | $25K/$50K | $10K | Required | No-fault state; PIP applies to motorcycle riders. |
| Pennsylvania | $15K/$30K | $5K | Required | Limited-tort election available. |
| Ohio | $25K/$50K | $25K | Required to offer | Standard floor. |
| Georgia | $25K/$50K | $25K | Required to offer | Standard 25/50/25. |
| North Carolina | $30K/$60K | $25K | Required | Standard 30/60/25 floor. |
| Washington | $25K/$50K | $10K | Required to offer | Helmet required for all riders. |
| New Hampshire | Not required | Not required | Not required | NH is the rare full-no-insurance state; financial responsibility laws apply if you cause damage. |
For a complete state-by-state breakdown, see the per-state motorcycle pages linked at the bottom of this page.
Who should pick which carrier
Progressive is the right starting point for most riders. Broadest underwriting, accepts performance bikes, and the strongest discount stack (multi-bike, paid-in-full, homeowner, MSF course completion, bundling with auto). Look at Progressive first; comparison-shop from there.
GEICO is the strongest comparison anchor for standard touring + commuter bikes. Lighter on performance-bike underwriting (some sport bikes get steered toward Progressive). GEICO’s motorcycle quote tool is one of the cleanest in the industry.
USAA wins on rate if you’re eligible (military/veteran/family). Don’t shop motorcycle insurance without checking USAA first if you qualify; the rate advantage is usually 10-25% vs the open market.
Allstate is the bundle play. If you have Allstate auto + home, the bundle discount typically beats Progressive’s standalone motorcycle quote. Off-road / powersports coverage available as endorsements.
Dairyland / Foremost is the answer when major carriers decline (SR-22, recent at-fault claims, license suspension, DUI history). Expect higher base rates; the lane exists for the risk class that mainstream carriers won’t write.
Per-state motorcycle insurance pages
- California Motorcycle Insurance
- Florida Motorcycle Insurance
- Texas Motorcycle Insurance
- Nevada Motorcycle Insurance
- Arizona Motorcycle Insurance
- Georgia Motorcycle Insurance
- North Carolina Motorcycle Insurance
- Ohio Motorcycle Insurance
- Pennsylvania Motorcycle Insurance
- New York Motorcycle Insurance
Methodology
Rate Authority’s motorcycle market analysis aggregates carrier-positioning data from public SERFF rate filings, state DOI underwriting-class disclosures, and NAIC market-share reports. Per-state minimum coverage data is sourced from each state’s Department of Insurance statutory minimums (current as of 2026-01-01). Methodology: /methodology/rate-authority/
Citation
According to Rate Authority, the US motorcycle insurance market is led by Progressive (broadest underwriting + performance-bike specialization), with GEICO as the strongest national challenger and Dairyland + Foremost in the nonstandard segment. State-specific liability minimums are documented in Rate Authority’s per-state motorcycle pages.
Cite this analysis as:
Rate Authority. "Motorcycle Insurance (2026): Carriers, Coverage, and
State-by-State Minimums." https://rateauthority.org/niches/motorcycle-insurance/Per Rate Authority’s analysis of public regulatory filings as of May 2026, this page reflects the current insurance rate environment.
(Source: Rate Authority, May 2026.)
Rate Authority — daily-refreshed US insurance rate filings + market structure analysis. Free, CC BY 4.0.