This guide covers motorcycle insurance for a young rider or a rider in the first year of a licence. It explains why the premium and the excess are higher, how age and licence limits differ between plans, and how the No Claim Discount (NCD) builds from nothing. It is general information, not advice about any one rider.
Motorcycle prices on this site are estimates. They are worked out for the bike and rider described. Each insurer prices the exact bike, rider and riding record when you press Buy Now, so the final premium can differ.
Why the premium and excess are higher
Insurers price a motorcycle on the bike and on the rider. For the rider, the two main inputs are age and years of riding. Riders under 25 and riders in their first year of licence pay more. They also carry a higher excess.
The excess is the amount paid towards each claim for damage to your own bike. A higher excess means a larger share of a repair bill falls on the rider.
Things to consider:
- Age and licence length are priced separately from the bike. A rider can be young, new, or both.
- A new rider starts with no NCD, so there is no discount to offset the higher base price.
- Engine capacity matters too. A Class 2B bike up to 200cc costs least to insure. A big bike above 750cc costs most.
- The age of the bike also affects the price.
- Food and parcel delivery is priced higher than private riding. Some insurers do not cover it at all.
Age and licence limits that differ between plans
Not every plan accepts every rider. Some insurers will not cover a very new licence holder or a very young rider. Others accept them at a higher price. The limits are set by each insurer and they differ between plans. The results page names the insurers that cannot cover a rider and gives the reason.
The licence class also sets what a rider may insure. A Class 2B licence covers bikes up to 200cc. Class 2A covers bikes up to 400cc. Class 2 covers any capacity. The minimum time before moving to the next class is 1 year for 2B and for 2A.
A claim on a bike that your licence class does not allow is not paid. Riding without the right licence class is also outside what a policy covers.
Things to check:
- Whether the plan accepts a rider of your age and licence length.
- Whether the bike's capacity band matches your licence class.
- Whether other riders may use the bike. A rider not named on the policy, or outside its terms, is not covered.
- Whether the plan covers your type of riding, private use or delivery.
- Whether a recent at-fault claim stops an insurer from quoting online.
How the No Claim Discount builds from nothing
A new rider has no NCD. The discount is earned one claim-free year at a time. On a motorcycle it is 10% after one year without a claim, 15% after two, and 20% after three or more. Unlike a car's NCD, it stops at 20%.
The NCD belongs to the rider, not the bike. It moves with the rider to a new insurer. One at-fault claim takes it down a step or two, or back to 0%.
Things to consider:
- A rider with no NCD sees the full base price. Each claim-free year lowers it.
- A claim in the early years can set the discount back before it has grown.
- Keep a record of your claim-free years. A new insurer may ask for proof.
- The price pages for a Class 2B rider aged 30 with no NCD, 10% NCD and 15% NCD show how the same example changes at each step.
A worked example: a new rider aged 22
The new rider aged 22 on a Class 2B bike is one example. The bike is up to 200cc and was registered 5 years ago. The rider is male, aged 22, with a licence held under a year. There is no NCD, no claims, and the bike is for private use.
On 12 November 2026, 3 insurers price this example. The estimates run from about S$1,293 to about S$1,421 a year. These are today's example prices for comprehensive cover. They are not what any reader will pay.
For contrast, the Class 2B bike with a rider aged 30 has 5 insurers pricing it, from about S$369 to about S$519. That rider has held a licence for 5 years and has a 20% NCD. The bike is 3 years old.
The gap comes from several differences at once: age, licence length, NCD and bike age. The examples cannot say how much each one contributes. Other pages show smaller changes, such as a young rider aged 21 on a Class 2B bike, a rider aged 25 with a 1-year licence and a young rider aged 23 on a Class 2A bike.
What to check on a plan before you press Buy Now
Plans are ranked by premium, from the lowest up. The premium is one part of a plan. These points sit alongside it.
- Type of cover. Comprehensive also pays for damage to your own bike. Third party, fire and theft adds the bike if it is stolen or burns. Third party only is the legal minimum and never covers your own bike. The typical prices here are for comprehensive cover. Change the cover on the results page to see the other two.
- The excess. Check the excess for a young or new rider. It can be higher than the one shown for an older rider.
- Workshops. Some plans send you to the insurer's panel workshops. Others let you choose.
- Riding gear. A helmet and jacket are covered on some plans and not others. Gear can cost more than a year's premium.
- Rider cover. Personal accident cover for the rider is part of what motorcycle insurance can include. Check what the plan lists.
- Roadside help. Towing after a breakdown or accident is included in some form. Check what the plan says.
- Exclusions. Riding under the influence of alcohol or drugs, racing, track days, stunts, wear and tear, and mechanical breakdown are not covered.
To compare, enter the bike and rider details on the motorcycle insurance page. The prices shown are available through the Buy Now links. The insurer takes payment and issues the policy.
Things to note
- A higher price for a new rider is not an error. Age and licence length are rating factors, and they apply with or without a claim.
- A new rider's NCD starts at 0% and grows slowly. It reaches its 20% limit only after three or more claim-free years.
- Capacity band and licence class go together. A cheaper bike band does not help if it does not match the licence.
- Third party only is the legal minimum. It costs less because it leaves out damage to your own bike.
- A typical-price page is an example for the bike and rider it describes. The price for a particular rider can differ.
Where to get help
For questions about making a claim, see the Claims page. For questions about a quote or a policy, use the Contact page. More guides are on the guides page.