Insurance policy excluding pillion use

[Az]

When looking at insurance quotes, if i select exclude pillion use my insurance drops by £200 a year. (£300 without pillion, £500 with)

What would happen if the police pulled me over and I had a pillion?

Would they really go through the headache of checking my insurance to ensure i'm insured to have a pillion or is it really unlikely that would happen?

[suburban myth]

[Codemonkey]

The issue isn't when the police stop you, its if you have an accident that causes injury to your pillion, that's when your insurers will reclaim every penny they pay out to others from you since they will consider you to be uninsured.

So, as said above, your call but I wouldn't risk it.
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Test Passed 10/05/2011 Current bike: XJ6-N

[-Matt-]

Have you tryed wickedquotes.com. IIRC as well as being ride-other-bikes inclusive normally its also pillion cover friendly. I'd be more concerned about what it would potentially mean if you had an off with a pillion/someone claimed against you etc personally, no idea if theyd check on a general tug though.

[arry]

Unless you got a traffic copper (that actually had a fireblade) it would be unlikely at best they would check - the MID doesn't record pillion cover (or certainly didn't 2 years ago) and nor does your certificate of insurance, it only goes on the schedule

Insurers are getting much stronger at recovering or at least pursuing their losses when they're stuck on for RTA or A75 insurer by non-disclosure though, so personally I'd not risk the bankruptcy for the sake of all of 20 quid usually

[TomReilly]

Pretty stupid if you ask me, I can see where they are coming from but come on, most are designed for an extra person and to not have that extra option..

That really grinds my gears
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Motorcycle riding can be really cozy. If you want to be a little closer to your passenger, brake a little quicker for the next stop.

[arry]

[TomReilly]

True, I can see the benefits of it, but I would like to be able to take my girlfriend on my motorbike, friends etc..

Will be a good option for me, planning doing my A1 this year for that exact reason
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Motorcycle riding can be really cozy. If you want to be a little closer to your passenger, brake a little quicker for the next stop.

[P.addy]

I don't pay for it as I don't pay for passenger cover in my car.

I rarely take pillion anyway, everyone is too scared due to the past accidents.

[Rogerborg]

Definitely shop around, pillion cover for me adds pennies or nothing.

I do get where they're coming from though - carrying around a 3rd party must put them at significant risk of having to make a potato-care-for-life payout.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[P.addy]

[arry]

[wr6133]

[dydey90]

I can see where the insurers are coming from here, I've never had a pillion on the back so I'd be pretty nervous trying it. The bike handles differently due to the extra weight up high, whereas it doesn't make any difference in a car.
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This post is probably not serious and shouldn't be taken literally.
Past: CBR125,ER6f NINJA 650, ZZR600 Current: VFR750

[Bendy]

[wr6133]

[P.addy]

[J.M.]

I don't see much reason for cover with a pillion to be much more expensive. As far as I know, all of the bikers I know will ride a lot more safely and sensibly when with a pillion!

This year is my first year with no pillion cover, although I've still taken a couple of pillions. I didn't intend to when I took the policy out and I don't 99% of the time.
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2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[Ste]

Being charged less for not taking pillions is entirely logical. If you've got a pillion and you crash then your insurance company is then liable for what could be a multi million pound claim.

When you insure a car they ask about how many seats the vehicle has got. That's pretty much the same as pillion cover.

[Baffler186]

seems understandable to me. In their eyes, pillion = twice as many people to get potentially injured, and affecting the handling and stopping of the bike therefore more chance of dropping/crashing. Car passengers have seat belts and a cage to protect them so much less risk. Not saying I agree with it, but I definitely see single use as a discount rather than pillion use being extra

[Rogerborg]

[GeorgeB.]

[Ste]

[TomReilly]

Just asked a co-worker who is also 17 how much his car insurance is, he said its £1900 a year
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Motorcycle riding can be really cozy. If you want to be a little closer to your passenger, brake a little quicker for the next stop.

[P.addy]

I paid £1400 for my first car, £800 for my second.

I paid £400 for my first bike, £600 for my second.

No one has been a veg