Insurers should offer pandemic discount

Insurers should be offering a discount or extension on premiums because people are not able to use their motorcycles and cars as much.

We already suggested registration, warranty, roadside assistance and servicing offers should be extended and that met with approval among many readers.

So far, the only Australian motorcycle company coming to the party is Ural Australia who have extended warranties by three months.

Now QBE insurers have made a token gesture with a $50 gift card for private car owners and only $25 for motorcycle owners. They will contact customers soon with details of how to access the benefit.

They tell us gift cards will be able to be used for a “wide variety of goods and services including supermarket shopping, petrol, and at a host of other retail outlets”.

QBE Australia Pacific CEO Vivek Bhatia says the gift card represents about 25% of the average private-use motor insurance policy from April to June.

However, motorcycle insurance is often more expensive, so it may be a smaller percentage.

Still, it’s better than nothing.

We have heard that some other insurers are offering discounts for private cars, but we have not yet been able to confirm any discounts for riders.

For example, Youi offers three months extended cover on cars, but not motorcycles. However, they tell us they are considering it.

Some people can still ride to work, to get grocers, visit the doctor or for a few other valid reasons.

For all other riders, their bike is just up on the stand in the garage on the trickle charger, burning registration money, wasting insurance premium and running down the warranty period.

Insurance should surely be extended or discounted because there is little risk of a crash while it is in the garage up on its stand.

The only risks are that it could be stolen or destroyed in a house fire.

Extended warranty

We notice that in India, KTM, Royal Enfield and Benelli are extending warranties and free service offers for all models, while Benelli is also extending its roadside assistance program.

Royal Enfield is matching the offer in the UK so we asked Royal Enfield Australia if they would offer it here, but they have not replied.

Ural Australia has extended warranties by three months for all new motorcycles sold up to 30 June 2020 on top of the standard two-year manufacturer warranty.

What a great move to ensure the loyalty of customers.

Be aware that just because your bike may be idle and not racking up the kilometres to the next scheduled service, it may still need a service. Check your bike’s manual for the maximum time interval between services.

If you don’t rack up the distance, it probably still advises an annual service.

Click here for more details on how to hibernate your motorcycle.

Extend rego

As for registration, it is made up of an insurance component and a payment to help maintain our roads.

If you are not riding, you are not an insurance risk and you are not doing any damage to the roads (not that motorcycles do much road damage anyway!).

So state governments should offer an extension of registration periods for these mandatory lay-offs they have enforced.

In New Zealand, they are extending vehicle registrations and warrants of fitness (annual roadworthy certificate) for six months.