How does it work with claim-free years in motorbike insurance?
When you take out a motorbike insurance policy, almost every insurer asks: "How many claim-free years have you accumulated? And although this question seems to be answered with a simple number, it is often not that simple. There is a lot of confusion about claim-free years. What exactly are claim-free years? What do these claim-free years do for your motor insurance? How does the system of claim-free years work and what happens when you make a claim?
It is a fact that claims-free years have a direct impact on the amount of premium you pay for a motorbike insurance... So below, we explain you more about the claims-free years for a motorbike insurance!
The system of claim-free years
Claim-free years have a great advantage. You receive a discount on the premium by not claiming any damage. This is also called the bonus/malus system. For the sake of completeness, it is worth mentioning that no claim-free years often apply to old-timer insurances.
How are claim-free years built up for the motorbike? Note: accrual per policy
Accumulating claim-free years is quite simple. From the moment you take out the motorbike insurance, the counter starts running. For each year that you have the insurance, you build up one claim-free year for the motorbike insurance, if you do not claim any damage. And this is deliberately referred to as 'not claiming'. Do you suffer minor damage? Then it is sometimes cheaper to take the damage for your own account.
It is worth noting that you build up claim-free years per policy. People sometimes think that claim-free years are built up in one name. Do you have 5 claim-free years on your car insurance? This means that you do not have any claim-free years when you first take out a motorbike insurance. But there is a solution for this with most insurers:
Can you link claim-free years between different vehicles?
It may be that you still receive a discount when, for example, you have built up 10 claim-free years with the car and take out a new motorbike insurance policy. This depends on the policy of the insurer. Therefore, always check the insurance conditions in advance.
Who exactly accrues the claim-free years for the motorbike?
In most cases, the policyholder builds up the claim-free years for the motorbike insurance. In those cases, the policyholder is often also a regular driver. Sometimes it is the case that someone else builds up claim-free years as a regular driver. Here, transparency towards the insurer is important.
What if you claim damage through the motor insurance?
If you claim damage, this is immediately at the expense of building up claim-free years. It differs per insurer, but often you lose 5 claim-free years when you claim damage. This is another indicator that a private solution is often a good idea in case of minimal damage. Claiming damage is claiming damage.
How long are claim-free years valid and what are negative claim-free years for the motorbike?
In general, claim-free years are valid for 3 years after which they expire. However, this also differs per insurer. Sometimes exceptions are made to the current rules.
And do you have negative claim-free years? Although this will affect your premium (it will be higher for motorbike insurance), it is wise to be honest about it. In the end, you will automatically build up claim-free years again, which may lead to lower premiums in the future.
Get your motorcycle insurance from Alpina
Do you want to take out motorcycle insurance? At Alpina, we have good conditions for taking out motorcycle insurance. By the way, you can always contact us if you have questions about the claim-free years scheme.
We can be reached via Chat, Whatsapp, phone or email
Please feel free to contact us if you would like to know more.
We are here Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 18:00.