How much does it cost to insure a moped?

Green Piaggio Vespa Moped parked outside home with car in background
Image source: Jack Soley

The cost of moped insurance varies depending on a variety of factors. However, the average amount paid by clients insuring their 50cc moped with Bikesure Insurance is £256. Please note that this figure covers a very wide spectrum of clients, so it’s best to get a quote for your specific circumstances.

Do you need insurance for a 50cc moped?

Yes. You must have moped insurance to legally ride your 50cc moped on UK roads. You also need to:

  • Be at least 16 years old
  • Have a provisional licence
  • Complete compulsory basic training (CBT) unless you already have an A1, A2 or A licence or if you obtained a full driving licence for your car before the 1st Feb 2001
  • Display L-plates (Unless you have an A1, A2 or A Licence or a full car driving licence obtained before Feb 2001)
  • Tax your moped
  • Make sure your moped is road worthy and has a valid MOT if applicable

Thankfully, moped insurance and taxing your moped is generally inexpensive. There are also plenty of cheap mopeds to choose from if you’re a first-time rider. Owning, riding and maintaining a moped is also generally cheaper than having a motorcycle.

What insurance do you need for a moped?

When it comes to moped insurance, there are different levels of cover, which can also affect the price of insurance. Popular policy types include:

  • Third-party only: This is the legal minimum level of cover you can buy. It covers damage or loss to other vehicles, persons or property in the event of an accident. It will not cover damage to you or your moped.
  • Third-party, fire and theft: As above, but it also covers your moped for theft and fire claims. Note it doesn’t cover vandalism.
  • Fully comprehensive: This covers all of the above, plus the cost of any damage to your moped due to accident, fire, theft or vandalism.

You also have the option of upgrading your policy with add-ons, usually for an additional fee. Add-ons can include:

  • Helmet & Leathers Cover
  • Breakdown Cover
  • Keycare
  • Personal Accident Cover
  • Licence Defence (legal assistance).

Factors that affect the cost of moped insurance

There are many factors that can affect the cost of moped insurance, which is why insurance prices tend to vary from person to person. While some of the factors below are not within your control, such as your age, there is still plenty you can do to save money on your insurance.

Age

Young woman riding moped on road into sunset
Image source: Adobe Stock

Young or inexperienced riders are generally seen as a higher risk of being involved in a road accident. This explains why you may see high premiums for 16-year-olds and those under 25.

Where you live

Your postcode also impacts the cost of your insurance. If you live in a city or area with high levels of vehicle theft, for example, your insurance will be higher than it would be if you lived in a rural location where there are fewer vehicle thefts.

Some of the most expensive places to insure your moped or motorbike include London, Manchester, Liverpool and Bristol.

Purpose

In some cases, the purpose of your moped can vary the cost of insurance. For example, if you plan on using your moped to commute to work, you may pay more than if you use it solely for social or leisure purposes. This is because you may be riding during rush hour, when roads are busiest and accidents more often occur. However, it is vital that you get the cover you need to make sure you are correctly covered or you could end up with a much bigger problem than paying a few pounds more for your cover.

Mileage

One of the main factors used to calculate insurance premiums is mileage, specifically, how many miles on average you ride each year. Try to be as accurate as you can when giving an average calculation and in particular, don’t be tempted to underestimate your mileage.

Engine size

Generally the more powerful the engine the higher your insurance premium will be. However, a 50cc moped should be generally cheap to insure due to the small engine size and limited speeds.

Modifications

You must declare any modifications to your insurer, otherwise you could invalidate your policy and leave yourself unprotected in the event of an accident. As long as you’ve disclosed your modifications and they don’t render the bike illegal by exceeding the speed that your licence allows or for another reason, Bikesure will find a policy for you.

Security

Security factors, such as where you store your moped, can also impact your insurance cost. Keeping your moped on a private driveway or in a garage could result in cheaper insurance than if you keep it on a public street.

Having an alarm, bike lock, ground anchor, security markings or a tracking device to keep your moped secure could reduce the overall cost of your insurance. Again, be honest as you may need to provide evidence as to where your bike is kept and the security used in the event of a claim.

No-claims bonus

Moped on a white background

For each consecutive year you ride without making a claim on your insurance, you will earn a year of no-claims bonus. As a general rule, the longer you build up your no-claims bonus, the lower your insurance will be.

Level of cover and excess

Third-party only and third party, fire and theft policies are generally cheaper than fully comprehensive cover, although this can vary from case to case.

All insurance policies come with a compulsory excess amount that you must pay if you make a claim. You are also given a selection of amounts to choose from when you take out cover – this is known as voluntary excess. This could range from £100 to £300 to £500. In general, the higher you set the voluntary excess the cheaper your insurance premium will be.

Payment plan

When taking out moped insurance, you’ll usually be given the option to pay your premium either monthly or annually. While monthly payments can spread the cost over a long period, it can be more expensive than if you were to pay in a one-off annual payment.

Find the best insurance plan for your moped

We understand that ‘one size does not fit all’ when it comes to insurance. At Bikesure, we have access to a wide variety of specialist motorbike insurance schemes to help you find the right moped insurance policy to suit you and your moped.

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August 8, 2023

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