Is motorcycle liability insurance required?

Yes, in 48 states. Florida and New Hampshire are the only states that don't require it. But in both states, you still need to be able to prove financial responsibility if you cause an accident.

What happens if I get caught without motorcycle liability insurance?

In most states, you could be looking at fines, a suspended license and registration, and an SR-22 filing requirement to get your riding privileges back. The penalties get more severe if it's your second offense, or if you cause a crash while uninsured. Florida and New Hampshire are the only states that don't require base liability coverage for motorcycles, but even there, riders still face consequences if they can't show they're able to cover the damage after a crash that injures someone.

What does 25/50/25 mean?

This represents your policy's liability limits. The first number, $25,000, is the most your policy will pay for one person's injuries if you cause an accident. The second, $50,000, is the most it will pay for everyone's injuries combined. The third, $25,000, is the most it will pay for property damage you cause.

Is liability enough if I just want cheap coverage?

For an older, low-value bike that's fully paid off, liability only might be all you need. For a newer or financed bike, it won't be enough. Lenders almost always require collision and comprehensive coverage until you've paid off the loan. And even on a paid-off bike, liability alone leaves you completely on the hook if your own motorcycle is stolen, damaged in a crash, or hit by bad weather.

Motorcycle Liability Insurance Explained

Key Takeaways

Motorcycle liability insurance pays for injuries and property damage you cause to other people, not damage to your own bike. It works similarly to liability insurance for cars.

It is required by law in 48 states. Florida and New Hampshire are the only exceptions, and even there, riders must prove financial responsibility after a crash with injuries.

State minimum limits represent the lowest liability insurance you can legally have. But they are often too low to cover all costs after a serious accident.

Even though a motorcycle usually causes less property damage than a car, it can still seriously injure others, so Jerry recommends riders consider limits of 100/300/100 or higher.

Motorcycle liability insurance is the part of your policy that pays for the harm you cause to other people and their property, but it does not pay for damage to your own bike. It is required by law in 48 states, with Florida and New Hampshire being the only exceptions, but the legal minimum is rarely enough to fully protect a rider’s finances if they cause a serious crash.

Jerry has helped 6,017 riders get liability motorcycle insurance in the past year. Here is what motorcycle liability insurance covers, what every state requires, how much it costs and what limits are recommended for full financial protection.

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What does motorcycle liability insurance cover?

Liability has two parts that work together to pay for the harm you cause to others in an at-fault accident. You will usually see liability written as three numbers, like 100/300/100. The first two are bodily injury limits per person and per accident, while the third is the property damage limit.

Bodily injury liability

Bodily injury liability pays the medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and legal defense for people you injure in a motorcycle crash that is your fault. Limits are usually expressed as the first two numbers in your policy, like 100/300/100, meaning that it covers up to $100,000 per person and up to $300,000 per accident.

Learn more: How bodily injury liability insurance works

Property damage liability

Property damage liability is the third number in your liability policy (for example 100/300/100). It pays to repair or replace the property you damage. That typically means the other person’s vehicle, plus things like fences, guardrails, mailboxes or buildings.

Learn more: How property damage liability insurance works

Key takeaway: Liability insurance covers costs for other people’s losses in an at-fault accident. To pay for your own injuries and your bike’s damages, you need other types of coverage, like medical payments and comprehensive and collision coverage.

What motorcycle liability does not cover

Liability insurance pays for the damage and injuries you cause to others, but it still leaves coverage gaps.

Liability insurance won’t pay for:

Liability won't cover

Your own medical bills.
Damage to your motorcycle.
Damage to your gear or accessories.
Theft, vandalism, fire or weather damage.
Roadside breakdowns.
Crashes during track days or competitive racing.

Learn more: Liability-only vs. full coverage insurance

Why it matters: If you only have liability insurance and your bike is stolen, totaled in an at-fault accident or damaged in a storm, you’ll need comprehensive and collision coverage added to your policy to be fully covered.

State minimum motorcycle liability requirements

Every state except Florida and New Hampshire requires motorcycle liability insurance.

Common minimum limits in the U.S. include:

25/50/25: $25,000 per person bodily injury, $50,000 per accident bodily injury, $25,000 property damage.
25/50/10: $25,000 per person bodily injury, $50,000 per accident bodily injury, $10,000 property damage.
Higher in a handful of states such as Alaska and Maine, which require 50/100/25.

Why it matters: Many state minimums were set a long time ago and have barely changed since, so they have not kept up with how expensive medical care and vehicle repairs have become. That’s a big reason the lowest amount your state lets you buy often is not enough to cover what you would actually owe if you caused a serious accident.

How much motorcycle liability insurance you need

Most riders should aim for higher coverage than the bare minimum their state requires, since a single serious crash can easily cost more than those low limits will pay, leaving you to cover the rest out of your own pocket.

A good target for most is 100/300/100, or $100,000 per injured person, $300,000 per accident, and $100,000 for property damage, which is enough to handle the majority of at-fault crashes without putting your savings at risk.

Liability limits at a glance

Liability limits	Average cost	Who it might fit
State minimum	$13 – $49	Older bikes, very tight budgets, low personal asset risk.

These limits are examples of how coverage tends to scale based on assets like your savings, home and investments, but they are not personalized recommendations. The right limits depend on your personal situation.

If the cost of a crash ends up being more than your insurance will pay, you’ll be left having to pay out of pocket for any remaining costs. If you need even higher limits, one alternative is to add umbrella insurance on top of your motorcycle policy, which can bump your total protection up to $1 million or more.

Jerry recommends: Pick liability limits that protect your net worth, not just your bike. The price difference between 25/50/25 and 100/300/100 is typically not that big and worth it for the extra protection it buys.

How much does motorcycle liability insurance cost?

Liability-only policies are the cheapest motorcycle coverage. According to Jerry’s own data, riders pay between $13 and $49 per month for state-minimum liability coverage, with the lowest rates going to riders who have clean records and well-established riding histories.

There are several factors that impact how much you’ll pay. Here are some of the most common.

📍 State and ZIP code.

Where you live sets the starting point. Busy city areas with more traffic and theft usually cost more than quiet rural ones.

🏍️ Bike type and engine size.

Sport bikes usually cost more to insure than cruisers worth the same amount.

👤 Age, riding experience and licensing history.

Younger riders or those who just got licensed tend to pay more, while experienced riders pay less.

📜 Driving and motorcycle violations.

Things like speeding tickets, DUIs and crashes that were your fault can keep your rate higher for several years.

💵 The coverage amounts you pick.

Price scales with the amount of protection you get.

🏠 Where you park your bike.

Keeping your bike in a locked garage in a safe neighborhood can lower what you pay.

Key takeaway: Liability is usually the most affordable part of a motorcycle policy, but your bike type, riding history and limits will affect what you pay.

Compare and buy motorcycle liability insurance with Jerry

Once you know what limits you want, the next step is finding the best price on them. Jerry is the only digital insurance service for motorcycle insurance that also lets you buy your policy right in the app, so you can go from shopping to covered without ever leaving your phone.

With Jerry, you can:

🔍 Compare multiple insurers at once. See prices and coverage options from top carriers in one place. Instead of spending hours collecting quotes one by one, Jerry gathers them in minutes.
💻 Buy entirely online. Get covered without unwanted phone calls or spam. Jerry never sells or shares your data for marketing purposes, and we use bank-level security to protect it.
💬 Get help when you need it. Have questions? Jerry’s licensed agents are just a chat or phone call away, 7 days a week.
🛡️ Stay protected over time. We watch your rate, alert you when it is time to reshop and remind you about renewals. Jerry is your insurance assistant, not just a one-time tool.

Get covered and ride confident with Jerry.

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Liability only vs. full coverage motorcycle insurance

Liability-only insurance protects other people if a crash is your fault, while full coverage protects other people plus your own bike. While a liability-only policy is the cheapest way to insure your bike, full coverage offers more financial protection. If you’ve financed your motorcycle, your lender will require you to have full coverage until it’s paid off.

Here’s a breakdown of what each one covers.

What’s covered	Liability only	Full coverage
Other people’s injuries if you’re at fault	✓	✓
Damage to other people’s property	✓	✓
Your own bike after a crash	✗	✓
Your bike if it’s stolen	✗	✓
Your bike after fire or weather damage	✗	✓

You may not need full coverage if your bike is paid off and it’s an older bike with a low market value that you’d be able to easily replace out of pocket if it’s totaled in a crash.

Why it matters: If you owe money on your bike, your lender will require full coverage. But if you put full coverage on an older bike that’s only worth $1,200 and already paid off, you could end up spending more on insurance than the bike is even worth.

How to save on motorcycle liability insurance

There are several practical ways to lower your liability premium without giving up the protection you need.

Compare at least three quotes. Rates for the same coverage can vary by hundreds of dollars between carriers, so a quick comparison is one of the highest-impact moves you can make. The Jerry app can help you compare motorcycle insurance quotes in minutes.
Bundle with car or home. Many carriers offer a discount if you stack motorcycle with another policy.
Maintain a clean record. Speeding tickets and at-fault crashes raise rates for three to five years on most policies.
Take a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation lists training providers, and many carriers offer a discount after completing a course.
Garage the bike. Insurers cut premiums for motorcycles stored in a locked garage at a known address.
Pay your term in full when you can. Six-month or twelve-month payments usually cost less than monthly billing.

Jerry recommends: Make it a habit to shop around for liability coverage once a year. Even if you have not had a single claim, you might find a better price after 12 months. If you buy a motorcycle policy with Jerry, we’ll monitor the market and alert you when it’s time to reshop.

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FAQ

Is motorcycle liability insurance required?

Yes, in 48 states. Florida and New Hampshire are the only states that don’t require it. But in both states, you still need to be able to prove financial responsibility if you cause an accident.
What does motorcycle liability insurance cover?

It pays for other people’s injuries and property damage when a crash is your fault. That includes things like their medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, your legal defense and repairs to whatever you damaged. It won’t pay for your own bike, your own injuries, theft, vandalism or weather damage. To cover those, you’ll need to add comprehensive and collision coverage to your policy.
How much is liability-only motorcycle insurance?

Jerry’s data shows a liability-only motorcycle policy typically runs between $13 and $49 per month, though your own price depends on where you live and your personal situation. Riders on sport bikes, younger riders, and anyone with violations on their record usually pay more. The quickest way to find out what you’d actually pay is to compare quotes with Jerry and see what policies cost side by side.
What happens if I get caught without motorcycle liability insurance?

In most states, you could be looking at fines, a suspended license and registration, and an SR-22 filing requirement to get your riding privileges back. The penalties get more severe if it’s your second offense, or if you cause a crash while uninsured. Florida and New Hampshire are the only states that don’t require base liability coverage for motorcycles, but even there, riders still face consequences if they can’t show they’re able to cover the damage after a crash that injures someone.
What does 25/50/25 mean?

This represents your policy’s liability limits. The first number, $25,000, is the most your policy will pay for one person’s injuries if you cause an accident. The second, $50,000, is the most it will pay for everyone’s injuries combined. The third, $25,000, is the most it will pay for property damage you cause.
Is liability enough if I just want cheap coverage?

For an older, low-value bike that’s fully paid off, liability only might be all you need. For a newer or financed bike, it won’t be enough. Lenders almost always require collision and comprehensive coverage until you’ve paid off the loan. And even on a paid-off bike, liability alone leaves you completely on the hook if your own motorcycle is stolen, damaged in a crash, or hit by bad weather.

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Ben Moore

Ben Moore is a writer and editor at Jerry and an auto insurance expert. He previously worked as a writer, editor and content strategist on NerdWallet’s auto insurance team for five years. His work has been published in The Associated Press, Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, MarketWatch, Nasdaq and Yahoo News. He also served as a NerdWallet spokesperson, with appearances on local broadcast television and quotes in Martha Stewart and Real Simple magazine.

Ben has an extensive background in digital marketing, working on affiliate and programmatic advertising campaigns for brands like Cabela’s, H&R Block and Sears. He holds a bachelors degree in marketing from Olivet Nazarene University.