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Motorcycle Insurance in Thailand: A Complete Buying Guide

Everything you need to know about motorbike insurance in Thailand like its importance and the coverages that it offers.

Why Is Motorbike Insurance Important?

Motorbike riders are highly vulnerable and face a high risk of being hit. You want to make sure that if anything bad happens to you or anyone else when riding your bike, you’ll be fully covered. This is particularly important in Thailand, where traffic laws are not strictly enforced as they are in most other countries.

There are several insurance companies to choose from. Depending on the age, make, or model of your motorbike, the insurance company will provide you with a wide range of policies to meet your needs and budget.

Key Points

  • There are two options for motorbike insurance in Thailand. These are compulsory motorbike insurance and private motorbike insurance.
  • The exclusions can vary from one insurer to the next. Some of these exclusions are Unauthorized driver, valid license, incorrect purpose, war, leaving the scene of an accident, and drunk driving.
  • Motorbike insurance provides basic coverage such as fire and flood, theft, collision, one-party accident, medical expenses, 3rd party personal damage, and 3rd party property damage.

Compulsory Motorbike Insurance vs Private Motorbike Insurance

There are two options for motorbike insurance in Thailand. These are compulsory motorbike insurance and private motorbike insurance.

Compulsory motorbike insurance
Every year, you must purchase compulsory motorbike insurance. It’s a legal requirement by the law. Depending on the cubic centimeters, the premium ranges from 160 to 645 baht. It is inexpensive and only includes medical coverage. Whether or not you are at fault for the accident dictates the coverage limit. If you ride a motorbike without compulsory motorbike insurance, you could face a fine of up to 10,000 baht.

Private motorbike insurance
Since Thailand’s compulsory motorbike insurance only includes medical coverage, the majority of motorbike riders opt for private insurance as an extra layer of safety. In comparison to car insurance, motorbike insurance has fewer choices. Only a few companies are available as well but enough to provide the coverage you need.

Five Types of Private Motorbike Insurance in Thailand

For your motorbike, you can choose from a variety of insurance options.

1. Type 1 motorbike insurance – It is specifically for big bikes or motorbikes with engines greater than 250cc. It has the most comprehensive coverage and is also the most costly. It should protect you from all types of accidents and problems. It’s also the only type of insurance that covers an accident that doesn’t involve a third party.

A motorbike that is less than seven years old is usually eligible for this type of insurance. However, an older car will still be allowed if it has a clean driving record and no significant incidents.

2. Type 2+ motorbike insurance – Its coverage is identical to Type 1 insurance, but it excludes incidents with no third parties. Type 2+ motorbike insurance in Thailand is the second most expensive choice. Furthermore, Type 1 insurance sends the bike to official garages for repairs, while Type 2+ insurance sends it to independent garages.

3. Type 2 motorbike insurance – Type 2 insurance is similar to Type 2+ insurance in terms of cost, but it does not cover accidents. As a result, most people prefer Type 2+ insurance to Type 2. However, this is not currently available.

4. Type 3+ motorbike insurance – Type 3+ insurance includes the requisite compensation for traffic accidents, collisions, and third-party property damage. The key difference between Types 2+ and 3+ is that Type 3+ is not covered against theft, fire, flood, or terrorism.

5. Type 3 motorbike insurance – This is a simple private insurance policy that only covers medical costs and liabilities to third parties. Many Thais use it to sell their old or low-value vehicles. However, Type 3 insurance is not currently available for motorbikes.

Make sure to pick the insurance that best matches your needs and how often you ride your motorbike.”

Basic Coverage for Motorbike Insurance

These are the basic coverage that motorbike insurance mostly offers.

Fire and Flood – Flood damage can only be reported when it is not your fault. You are safe if you park your car in an area that is unexpectedly flooded. Insurers, on the other hand, can refuse your claim if you intentionally drive through flooded areas. This form of protection is only available with Type 1 and Type 2 or 2+ insurance.

Theft – If your car is stolen as a result of your own mistake, such as failing to lock it, parking it in an unsafe location, or embezzling it, you might not be covered by theft insurance coverage.

Collision – this coverage is usually included with Type 1, 2+, and 3+ insurance. It would bear the cost of fixing your car as long as the damage was caused by colliding with another vehicle.

One-party Accidents – Accidents that occur without the involvement of a third party are only covered by Type 1 insurance. You will, however, be required to pay an additional fee of at least 1,000 baht. The premium varies depending on your insurance plan. Hitting a wall or a dog, scratching a structure, falling into a tree, and so on are examples of this.

Medical Expenses – incurred as a result of traffic accidents are covered by all types of insurance. Regardless of the type of insurance you use, the coverage amount is likely to be identical. It’s even lower if you’re the one that caused the accident. Unless you go to a partner hospital, insurance providers need a medical receipt for reimbursement.

3rd Party Personal Injury – As long as the injury is caused by a car accident, all types of insurance, including compulsory motorbike insurance, or CTPL, require 3rd Party Personal Injury coverage. It means that if you are hit by a car while walking down the street, you will claim compensation from CTPL in addition to receiving compensation from the driver.

3rd Party Property Damage – The concept is similar to collision coverage, but it only applies to the other party’s vehicle. You will just have to think about repairing your own motorbike after an accident, rather than thinking about the other party.

Compare different types of motorbike insurance from different companies to get the best rates.

Documents Required for Motorbike Insurance Application

When buying motorbike insurance, the following documents are required.

  • Copy of motorbike registration
  • Copy of your passport’s first page
  • Copy of your driver’s license
  • Copy of your previous insurance policy
  • Pictures of a motorbike from all sides (for type 1 motorbike insurance).

Motorbike Insurance Exclusions

The exclusions can vary from one insurer to the next so make sure you read the insurance policy. Take a look at some of the common exclusions for motorbike insurance.

Unauthorized driver – depending on the insurance policy, this may or may not be an issue. Some packages may cover all drivers as long as they have a valid driver’s license and are not inebriated, whereas others may only cover one driver.

Valid license – Insurance providers may not compensate drivers who do not have a valid driver’s license.

Incorrect purpose – If you drive a car in an unsafe manner, some insurance companies will refuse to cover you. This includes moving more passengers than the car is capable of, using a personal vehicle to transport goods or travel, and installing NGV or LPG gas systems without advance notice.

War and protest – Motorbike insurance companies can deny claims resulting from war and protest, whether or not you live in a high-risk region. You are not covered if the damage is caused by these cases.

Leaving the scene of an accident – If you cause an accident and then leave the scene, your insurance will not cover your expenses. This is a felony in Thailand, and you will be punished.

Drunk driving – A person with a blood alcohol concentration of more than 50mg is considered drunk under Thai law. It not only results in insurance requests being denied, but it also carries the risk of being fined and imprisoned.

Other Types of Motorbike Insurance

Motorbike Insurance Guides