Bennetts FAQs

Our contact centre is open 7 days a week and our opening hours are as follows;

• Monday - Friday from 8am until 8pm

• Saturday from 9am until 5pm

• Sunday from 10am until 4pm. 

 We may have answered your questions already on this FAQ page, but if you have more specific queries please feel free to call in to speak to one of our experienced agents, who will be happy to help you.

If you have an advanced riding qualification, you could get a reduction off your motorbike insurance premium, but this will vary depending on the insurer.

Discounts are provided for the following training schemes:

• Advanced Police Motorcycle
• Bike Safe Certificate
• BMF Blue Riband
• BMF Certificate of proficiency
• California Superbike School Levels 1, 2, 3 & 4
• DSA Examiners Motorcycle Test
• Enhanced Riders Bonus
• IAM Motorcycle Test 
• MAC Rider Training
• Moto Scotland Levels 1, 2 & 3
• Post Test Training Register
• Rapid Trainin
• RSPOA Motorcycle Gold
• The Edge

There is certain information we have to capture in order to provide the most competitive quote possible from our panel of insurers. Some questions might seem pointless, however we can obtain better rates for you by obtaining the answers to them. It should be noted that we do make certain assumptions to make the quote journey shorter so please check these to make sure they are applicable. 

It helps to have the following information to hand:

• Full details of the make and model of your motorcycle(s)
• The year your motorcycle was made (not just the registration letter)
• The approximate value of the motorcycle and the date you bought it
• Details of any claims, convictions or accidents
• Details of any additional riders
• Details of any security devices on the bike(s)

Our online quotation service has been developed to cater for most motorcyclists from mopeds to sports bikes. At the present time we can provide online quotes for the following:

• Insurance cover for you and up to 3 additional riders
• Insurance cover for up to 4 bikes

We cannot quote for multiple bikes and multiple riders together.

We quote for the vast majority of bikes from 49cc upwards from mopeds to sports bikes.

We can quote for bikes with some modifications online but if you have any doubts or can't find your modification, please contact us.

In addition, we don’t currently offer insurance for quad bikes, trikes, electric pedal cycles and we don’t do specialist insurance for track days. We currently offer annual insurance only.

If your motorcycle is unusual or simply not listed on our quotes system then please contact us as we may still be able to provide you with cover.

Yes. We have a list of modifications that Bennetts accept as standard. These can be found below:

• Disability Adapted
• Air Filter Changes
• Bar Ends
• Braided Hoses
• Decals / Stickers (Unless Race Replica)
• Grippers
• Heated Grips
• Huggers
• Lights / Indicators / Mirrors
• Scott Oilers
• Screen Changes
• Seat Replacement / Changes
• Seat Cowl / Single Seat Units
• Sissy Bars (Long Backrest)
• Tail Tidy
• Tank Pads

Even if your modification is not listed as standard we can still quote for certain modifications by internet and by phone. If you have any trouble finding your modification online or have any doubts, please contact us for help. 

You need to tell us about any modifications to the bike that are not on our accepted as standard list when you take out the policy. It is important to declare them because if you do have an accident or the bike is stolen, you need to ensure your modifications are covered under the policy or you could lose out.

No, we can only provide you with a quote up to 30 days in advance of the cover start date.

If you just want an indication of price you can input any start date within 30 days, save your quote and come back and update it later.

To retrieve your quote you will need the reference, your date of birth and postcode. You can then change the start policy date and update any other details on the saved quote. The quote will then be updated with a new price for your motorcycle insurance cover.

Yes but you will need two separate motorcycle insurance policies.

You can insure up to 4 bikes on the same policy, however the cover relates to the policy and not the individual bikes.

There are a few reasons why you may not be able to find your bike. You may need to think about the Bike Make: E.g. The manufacturer name for Piaggio is Vespa-Piaggio. Or Bike cc: In our quote journey, we have used cc ranges to give you a shorter list to search through. Please select "All engine sizes" to see a full list of bikes for the selected manufacturer.

Manufacturers bring out many new model variations each year and they notify these to the ABI (Association of British Insurers) so that a standard list can be used by all brokers and insurers.

Sometimes your bike can be difficult to spot in the list and we have provided a facility to allow you to order the list either alphabetically or by cc.

Sometimes if the bike is a brand new model the manufacturer may not have registered your new model with the ABI and it will not be on the list yet. However Bennetts have a manual system to add these bikes so we are better placed than most to be able to offer you a quote for any bike.

If on checking the list during the quote journey you cannot find your bike or have any queries please contact one of our trained service staff.

We can only offer motorbike insurance if you live in the UK and Northern Ireland.

Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) is a form of finance based on a Hire Purchase (HP) agreement. However, unlike an HP agreement where you pay off the entire value of the bike, you are effectively only paying off the depreciation via your monthly instalments. At the end of the term, you still have a large amount outstanding which is often referred to as the balloon payment. At this point you have a several options;

1.        Settle the remaining balance and take complete ownership of the bike
2.        Refinance the remaining balance via a personal loan or HP agreement
3.        Return the bike and your PCP agreement concludes with no balance outstanding
4.        Return the bike and use the value as deposit against a new bike under another PCP
agreement 

NCD is an earned discount that is applied for every year that a rider has insurance on a motorcycle without making a claim.

If you’ve purchased your Insurance with Bennetts, please send us your No Claims Discount (NCD) within 21 days of your policy start date to ensure your cover is set up correctly.

We may ask you to provide proof of your No Claim Discount entitlement. Originals or photocopies are acceptable in the following forms:

• Previous insurer/broker’s Renewal Notice
• Cancellation letter from your previous insurer/broker
• No Claim Discount letter or card

Please check that your No Claims Discount (NCD) proof from your previous insurer/broker:

• is less than 2 years old
• shows your name as the policyholder and is earned by you
• shows in years the No Claims Discount you are entitled to
• shows your discount was earned on a private motorcycle (and not a private or company car or a van)

You can send your proof to us in one of the three ways listed below.  Just remember to include your Bennetts Policy Number when you send it to us.

• Post: 

  You can send us your NCD proof by post to: Bennetts, PO Box 757, Folkestone, CT20 9HS

• Email:

  You can simply scan or forward your NCD document to us by email to: ncd@bennetts.co.uk 
  Make sure that if you scan your document, that the image clearly shows the information we need to see which we’ve outlined in the section above.

• WebChat: 

  Attach a copy of your NCD and send it directly to one of our Customer Service team via WebChat . You’ll need to make sure the photo clearly shows the information we need to see which we’ve outlined above.

If you passed your car driving test before 1st February 2001 you may use your full UK car licence as a provisional licence to ride a moped (50cc max, max speed 50 mph). In the quote journey you should insert your licence as provisional.

If you passed your car driving test after 1st February 2001 you will need at least a provisional licence to ride any type of bike even with L Plates.

You can take a CBT and there are also two types of full motorcycle licence. See next questions for more details.

CBT means Compulsory basic training. CBT must be completed before a learner moped or motorcycle rider is allowed to ride on the road with L-plates or D-plates in Wales.

You will need to complete CBT if:

• you want to ride a moped (a moped has an engine not over 50 cc with maximum design speed not exceeding 50 kilometres per hour (km/h) which is approximately 31 miles per hour)

• you want to ride a scooter or motorcycle up to 125cc

If you obtained your car licence before 1 February 2001 you do not need to complete CBT to ride a moped.

There are two types of full motorcycle licence:

A light motorcycle licence (A1), which restricts riders to any bike up to 125 cc and a power output of 11 kW. The practical test must be taken on a bike of between 75 cc and 125 cc

A standard motorcycle licence (A), is obtained if the practical test is taken on a bike of over 120 cc but not more than 125 cc and capable of at least 100 km/h per hour. After passing the standard motorcycle practical test, you will be restricted for two years to riding a bike of up to 25 kW and a power/weight ratio not exceeding 0.16 kW/kg. After this you may ride any size of bike.

If you’ve purchased your Insurance with Bennetts it may be the case that your Insurer will ask us to obtain documentation as part of their validation process.

If required to do so, you will be asked to provide the following documents for us to pass to your insurer:

• Your V5 vehicle registration document
• A clear copy of the driving licence photo card for you (Front and back)
• Proof of no claims discount earned in the UK
• A recent utility bill or bank statement dated within the last 3 months

Please email a copy of the required documentation to operationssupport@bennetts.co.uk 

You can also post a copy to: Bennetts, PO Box 757, Folkestone, CT20 9HS

This is a mandatory amount deducted from any claim settlement. It’s taken as your contribution to the overall claim cost and is set by the insurer. You also need to consider the voluntary excess (see below). You need to include both to get your total excess payable if you have a claim.

So if you have a compulsory excess of £50 and a voluntary excess of £150 and your claim is for £500, then your total excess is £200 you will receive £300 back from your Insurer. If the accident was not your fault, you may be able to recover your excess from the person to blame (third party) or their Insurers.

You may be able to lower your insurance premium by choosing to add a voluntary excess The voluntary excess is your own choice of level of excess payment that is added to the compulsory excess and makes up your total excess amount payable if you make a claim.

Bennetts will let you choose which level of excess you want to add to the compulsory excess. You may be able to choose £0. However, as a rule the higher the voluntary excess you are willing to pay, the lower the insurance premium, so you need to make a judgement as to what is right for you.

So if you have a compulsory excess of £50 and a voluntary excess of £150 and your claim is for £500, then your total excess is £200 you will receive £300 back from your Insurer. If the accident was not your fault, you may be able to recover your excess from the person to blame (third party) or their Insurers.

Your motorcycle insurance policy will automatically allow you to ride within the European Union and any other country which has agreed to follow the EU Motor Insurance Directive (number 2009/103/EC), for up to 90 days in any period of insurance. If you want to ride abroad for more than 90 days in a year, then give us a call on 0344 412 2171 so we can look to arrange this for you.

Countries covered:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Channel Islands, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

Member countries of the EU include the Balearics, Canary Isles, Corsica, Gibraltar, Sardinia, Sicily, Andorra, Iceland, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.

If you select business use you will be covered to use the bike to travel to or from work. However Business Use will be restricted to the Proposer only (main policy holder)

Please be aware though that most insurers will have restrictions. For example you can not use your bike to hire it out or be a courier, a dispatch rider or for food delivery. You will need specialist insurance for this type of occupation.

Bennetts offer the most extensive range of extra cover including:

• Helmet and Leathers cover (which also includes protective clothing),
• No claims discount (NCD) protection,
• RAC breakdown cover, (3 levels of cover)
• Legal Expenses cover,
• Personal Accident cover (in case of accidental death)

Helmet and leather cover actually covers you for a lot more than you think!

Helmet, leathers, protective clothing, boots and gloves will all be protected against damage caused by a motorcycle accident.

If you add up the cost of all the gear you are using and wearing, you may well find that it is worth insuring for a little extra.

You will be able to claim up to the value of £1,500 against this policy.

You can add Helmet and Leathers cover to your main policy when taking out insurance with Bennetts either over the phone or online. Alternatively, if you are an existing customer, then you can contact our customer services team and they will be able to assist.

On certain schemes and for a small additional fee, Bennetts can help you keep your no claims bonus. So you'll still get a great discount on your insurance even if you have to make a claim.

It is definitely worth considering if you have built up a few year’s no claims bonus since only one small claim and you could lose it which is quite annoying for anybody trying to get a good price for their bike insurance.

Bennetts offer three levels of Breakdown service, all supplied by RAC, a name you can trust.

With all 3 levels you get 24 hour service, fast call out times and a highly trained patrol force.

For Breakdown you get free call out and labour for roadside repairs - you only pay for any necessary parts. If your bike cannot be fixed within a reasonable time, you will be taken to the nearest garage or destination of your choice within 10 miles.

We also offer Breakdown Plus, if your bike cannot be fixed within a reasonable time, we'll take you and a pillion passenger home or to a destination of your choice within the UK. This service also includes At Home assistance.

Finally for those who enjoy travelling abroad on their bike we offer Breakdown EU. This includes all the benefits of the above but in the case that you breakdown within the European Union you will be covered for roadside repairs, recovery to the nearest garage, alternative travel arrangements and accommodation if required, and if your bike cannot be fixed repatriation to the United Kingdom.

* Breakdown EU is not available where bike is less than 121 cc.

It's important to make sure that you aren't out of pocket for expenses you might have to pay if you're unlucky enough to be involved in a biking accident which isn't your fault.

Whatever level of insurance cover, Third Party Only, Third Party Fire & Theft or Comprehensive, you may need protection against potential uninsured losses (up to £100,000) that can result from even a minor accident.

Our legal expenses cover helps you to try and claim back your expenses from the insurers of the other party. Whilst we expect and work for a positive outcome in your favour, you might have to pay an excess on your policy and / or incur costs to repair your vehicle if you are insured Third Party.

Please note that we would only pursue a claim under Motor Legal Protection where there is a reasonable prospect of success, which is considered to be a 51% chance or better of making a successful recovery from the third party.

Annual Upfront Payment

Annual payments can be made by credit/debit card online or over the phone. Unfortunately we do not accept American Express.

Please note that payment will be debited on or around the day requested even if you require the cover to start at a later date.

Monthly Payments

This allows you to split the cost of your insurance in instalments over the year. Bennetts can offer you a credit scheme for this operated by Saga Services Limited. Your insurance is still calculated over a year not on a monthly basis.

There is a charge for paying by instalments and the current APR will be indicated on the price display page.

To pay by instalments you will need to pay an initial deposit and then set up a direct debit from your bank account for the remaining months.
There are a few cases where we are unable to offer the monthly payment service:

• If you are under 18 years of age
• If the annual cost of your insurance is less than a certain amount
• We are unable to because of your credit history

Yes we can offer this for most customers. Bennetts can offer you a credit scheme for this operated by Saga Services Limited providing you are over 18 and the annual premium amount is over a certain minimum level. Your insurance is still calculated over a year not on a monthly basis.

There is a charge for paying by instalments and the current APR will be indicated on the price display page.

To pay by instalments you will need to pay an initial deposit and then set up a direct debit from your bank account for the remaining months.

There are a few cases where we are unable to offer the monthly payment service:

• If you are under 18 years of age
• If the annual cost of your insurance is less than a certain amount
• We are unable to because of your credit history

It does take some time to refund if it is following a cancellation. All refunds should be received within 30 days starting from the date of cancellation.

If you are a new customer and you wish to cancel your policy within the first 14 days of receiving your policy documents, unless a total loss claim has occurred, the insurer will refund a percentage of the premium calculated on a pro rata basis equivalent to the period of cover left unused. A cancellation fee of £30 payable to Bennetts will also apply.

Please note that all add-ons are also refunded on a pro-rata basis.  If an arrangement fee is included in your policy, this is non-refundable.

We will write to you about 28 days before your renewal date with your new quoted premium for the following year. Provided you have given us permission, we search again our panel of insurers to get the best price so we may offer you a different insurer.

If you have not opted out, customers will be automatically renewed using the same debit or credit card. This saves time and administration and is clearly stated on your renewal letter. If you don’t wish to renew you can still cancel by calling us before the renewal date on 0330 018 1587.

If you have opted out of automatic renewal, you will still receive your renewal letter with your new insurance premium but you will need to call us to arrange payment and to continue cover.

In either case, if you do not wish to renew you must please let us know.

• Date, Time and Location of Incident
• Other party details – name/address/contact telephone number/vehicle registration/insurance details
• Name and Contact Details of any witnesses
• Police Details/Crime Reference Number if applicable.

We'd like to help you, and there are a number of ways that you can contact us. 

We may have answered your questions already on this FAQ page, but if you have more specific queries please feel free to call in to speak to one of our experienced agents who will be happy to help you.

Useful numbers

• New Customer Sales:  0344 209 0498
• General Enquiries:  0344 209 0498
• Renewals: 0330 018 1587
• Making a Change/Cancelling your Policy:  0344 412 2171
• Referrals: 0330 185 944
• Complaints:   0344 412 2171
• Making a claim:  0330 018 916

• RAC Breakdown:  0330 332 8465

• Calling from Republic of Ireland: 1 800 535 005 (free phone) 
• Calling from the Rest of Europe :  00 33 472 43 52 55