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Arizona Motorcycle Insurance Requirements

The State of Arizona has many places where it is fun to drive a motorcycle. Before driving a motorcycle in Arizona on the road, it must be registered and insured. Arizona will only accept insurance from a company registered to do business in the state if the vehicle is registered in the state. It will not accept out of state insurance on the motorcycle — or any other vehicle.

While some other states do not require motorcycle insurance or they require you to provide another method of insurance, the State of Arizona does not allow this. You must have motorcycle insurance in Arizona. If the insurance company notifies the motor vehicle department that you let your insurance lapse, the motor vehicle department will suspend your registration.

Reinstating Your Registration

Once your registration has been suspended because of not having insurance, you must get it reinstated. The only way to get the registration reinstated is to provide proof of insurance. If your registration has been suspended for not having insurance, but you do have proof of insurance, provide the proof to the motor vehicle department, and it will reinstate your registration. If you do not have insurance, you must get insurance plus pay a $50 fee (as of 2012) to have the registration reinstated.

Minimum Insurance Requirements

The minimum bodily injury liability insurance you must carry on your motorcycle is $15,000 for one person and $30,000 for two or more people. You must also carry $10,000 minimum property damage liability insurance. This is known as compulsory insurance and is written as 15/30/10. Each insurance company has its own rates for Arizona motorcycle insurance. Call around to get the best rate. Some insurance companies will require a down payment, some may want the premium up front, and some will allow payments.

De-Insurance

If you are restoring your bike, you will need to file a de-insurance certificate with the motor vehicle department. The de-insurance certificate states that you are not driving your bike on the road. According to the motor vehicle department, you should save the receipts for parts, as that will show proof that the bike was off the road. This isn’t always necessary if you file the de-insurance form first, but if you don’t file it, then the motor vehicle department suspends your registration, you will need to prove that the bike wasn’t on the road to get your registration reinstated.

Rules That May Affect Insurance Coverage

Arizona also has other rules for motorcycles drivers and riders that may affect your insurance. While it’s a good idea to wear a helmet no matter how old you are, Arizona only requires helmets for those under 18 years of age. You must also wear eye protection, no matter what your age, unless you have a windscreen.

If you want to carry passengers, you must have a passenger seat and a passenger footrest. If you are found carrying a passenger on a bike equipped for only one person, and are in an accident, depending on your insurance company, it may drop you, which would then cause your registration to be rescinded.

Another thing that may cause a problem with insurance is handlebar height. Again, this depends on your insurance company. Arizona does not allow handlebars to be higher than your shoulders — thus, no ape hangers.

Arizona also requires that you get a rider-education waiver or a skill and knowledge test. If you have a motorcycle endorsement from another state, Arizona will accept that, or a RiderEd completion card from other states. If you have the endorsement or RiderEd completion card, you may save money on your motorcycle insurance. Call around for rates, and ask if the insurance company offers a discount for having the endorsement.

If you have an off-road motorcycle, Arizona requires the bike to be registered and insured. Those under 18 years of age are required to wear a helmet, but there is no minimum operator age for off-road motorcycles. You do not have to have a license as long as the bike is not driven on the road.