Glossary

Aggregator
This is a company that gathers information supplied by a customer or consumer in order to supply a range of insurance quotes or premiums. Alarm

A devise installed on a motorbike to discourage theft. Some insurers will offer a discount if the vehicle is alarmed.

Alpha-Dot
The Alpha-Dot property marking system is an innovative way to protect motorbikes. Hundreds of 1mm diameter microdots, carrying a unique code, are suspended in a clear adhesive. Their transparency means they are hard to spot, making it hard for a thief to be sure they have removed all of them from a stolen item -- making them an effective deterrent to theft.

Annual mileage and annual business mileage
An insurer or broker will typically want to know how many miles your motorbike covers in a year. The more miles spent on the highways, the greater the risk of an accident. Annual mileage is the total mileage you do in a year. Business mileage is the amount of miles you do for your employment or business.

Broker
A broker is an independent intermediary who sells one or a range of policies from different insurance companies.

Certificate of insurance
A document or certificate issued by insurance companies as proof that insurance is in force, to meet the requirements of the law.

Crash Bobbins
Crash Bobbins are there to reduce the amount of damage to your motorbike bodywork if it is dropped.

Conviction code
Conviction codes are shown on the relevant vehicle licence. Typically they read as a 4 digit code of letters then numbers.

Cover note
A document that shows temporary proof of cover while your certificate is being prepared by the insurer.

DVLA
Driver and Vehicle Licence Agency

Endorsement
An amendment made to an insurance policy which forms part of the policy.

Excess
This is your contribution towards any claim which you (not your insurer) must pay. There are two different types of excess:

Fairings
Bodywork and/or windshield at the front of the motorcycle designed to deflect the wind. Can be attached to the frame and not move or be attached to the fork and move as the handlebars are turned.

Fault or non-fault claim
The difference between fault & non-fault claims depends on whether or not the insurance company were able to recover all their costs from the third party involved.

G
Green card

You may need or want at some point to use your motorbike abroad. Most policies will offer some level of cover as standard, namely RTA (Road Traffic Act) or Third Party Cover whilst driving in Europe. It is vital that you confirm this cover exists on the policy before you drive abroad. Claims can be costly and could lead to possible driving convictions.

H
Hardtail

Hardtail refers to motorbikes with no rear suspension. Harley-Davidson motorcycles were all Hardtails until 1958 when the Duo-Glide was introduced.

Hugger

A panel or guard that prevents dirt or crud from forming on the rear wheel and grease from the chain making the motorcycle dirty. Immobiliser

An electronic immobiliser disables the engine of your motorbike. Typically, motorbikes have these put in by the manufacturer and the details of the immobiliser should be shown in your motorbike brochure. You can also have an immobiliser fitted by a garage or specialist who would supply a certificate of installation detailing the exact model of immobiliser.

Import or imported vehicle

UK-specification

Motorbikes brought in from abroad that match UK specifications.

Non-UK specification

Motorbikes that are brought into the UK from abroad but differ from current UK specifications.

Indemnity
Indemnity means protection or security against damage or loss by compensation, or something by the way of compensation. In insurance terms this would generally equate to being put back in the same state or financial position you were in prior to a loss.

Insurable interest
An example of insurable interest would be in order: to insure a motorbike it would need to be your own possession. You couldn't insure your neighbour’s motorbike, as if it is damaged or stolen, you incur no financial loss.

Kickstarter
A kickstarter is a pedal that is swiftly kicked downward to turn over the engine to start the motorbike.

Knock-for-Knock
An agreement whereby each motor insurer pays for damage to its policyholder's motorbike, regardless of which driver is to blame, providing the policy covers damage to the policyholder's own motorbike.

Leathers
Motorcyclists wear lots of leather to protect them from the elements and the ground, should they fall.

Legal expenses cover
Legal expenses cover is protection for certain criteria that would not usually be dealt with on motor insurance policies, including costs & expenses to further pursue claims, legal advice, personal injury or death due to an accident while insured.

Main Rider/Driver This is the person who predominantly rides the motorbike.

Material fact
Any fact or circumstance that would affect the judgement of an insurer in considering whether or not to accept the risk. And if willing to accept the risk, at what rate of premium and on what terms and conditions.

Modifications
Any changes made to the motorbike that are not considered factory standard are modifications.

No Claims Bonus (NCB)
For every year you hold an insurance policy, without a fault claim, you receive no claims bonus. This is a discount applied to premiums by an insurer which reflects a cheaper premium for a potentially lower risk. So the more continuous years riding without a fault claim, the greater the discount applied.

Pillion
The backseat on a motorcycle for its passenger. Also, a passenger is said to ride pillion.

Points
Offences like speeding or dangerous driving will add points to your license and affect your future premiums.

Proposer
This is the person who takes out the insurance policy. Another term used for proposer is policyholder.

Protected No Claims Bonus
Once you have accumulated a certain number of years NCB (Please refer to No Claims Bonus) insurers will allow you to protect your NCB. This means that should you have a fault claim then the number of years NCB will remain the same. However, this may not prevent your premium from rising as most companies rate on claims history as a separate factor.

Redline
The maximum number of revolutions per minute an engine can run before damage occurs. The name is derived from the actual red line manufacturers typically put on the tachometer.

Risk
Insurers will first evaluate risk before offering you a price. They typically look at the customers quote details and assess hem by their claims history, the cost or type of motorbike they ride and location.

Road Traffic Act (RTA)
In 1930 the Road Traffic Act came into force to guarantee that cover would compensate the innocent victims of accidents.

Sum Insured
The amount that is paid out by the insurer when an insured event occurs

Third party
Someone involved in a claim who is neither the policyholder nor the insurer.

Tracker
Vehicle Tracking Systems are electronic devices installed in vehicles to enable vehicle owners or third parties to track the location of a vehicle. Most modern vehicle tracking systems now use GPS modules to allow for easy and accurate location of the vehicle. Many systems also combine a communications component such as cellular or satellite transmitters to communicate the vehicle's location to a remote user. Some insurers will offer a discount if the vehicle has a tracker.

Underwriter
The person who decides whether to accept a risk and calculates the premium to be charged.

Write-off
A damaged vehicle which is not repairable, or costs more to repair than the value of the motorbike before damage occurred.