Does an imported motorbike cost more to insure?

What do insurers charge for an imported motorbike?

It depends on the bike, and one published average does not settle it. Confused.com, a comparison site, says on a page updated on 29 May 2026 that imported bikes "aren't always more expensive to insure". It gives its own Q1 2026 data: £475 on average for comprehensive cover on all bikes, £456 for imported bikes that are not official UK models.

Read that carefully. The same page says one reason the imported average may look lower is that many imported bikes are smaller mopeds and scooters, which are often cheaper to insure. So the figure does not tell you a Japanese 600 will cost less than a UK-market 600. What it does show is that "imported" is not an automatic surcharge.

Your own price comes from your age, address, history and storage as much as from the bike. Get quotes on the actual machine.

What makes one imported bike dearer to insure than another?

None of this is an official rule: no body publishes insurance ratings for imports. These are the points insurers and comparison sites themselves give.

• Where it came from. Confused.com separates parallel imports, bikes brought in from the EU, from grey imports, bikes brought in from outside it. It says parallel imports are usually easier to insure because they tend to meet environmental and safety standards and parts are easier to source, while grey imports can be harder because parts may be less available and repairs more complicated.
• Value and power. The same page says more expensive or higher-powered bikes can cost more to insure, because repair and replacement costs are usually higher.
• Paperwork. It says bikes with incomplete paperwork or a Q plate may have fewer insurers willing to cover them, which can affect the price. DVLA may issue a Q plate when the age or identity of a bike cannot be confirmed.
• Theft risk. It says rare or collectable imports can be more attractive to thieves, which can push prices up.
• Declaring the import. The Bike Insurer says that once the bike is registered you may need to tell the insurer it is an import, because in some cases it can influence the price.

If an insurer is happy with a bike's specification and papers, an import can be priced like any other bike. The risk to price is the unknown, not the sticker.

Can you insure an imported motorbike before it is registered?

Nobody has written down a clear answer, and the sources disagree. The official part is short. gov.uk lists "insure your vehicle before you drive it on UK roads" as one of the import steps. DVLA's leaflet INF106 says: "For GB and NI vehicles you'll need to insure the vehicle using the vehicle identification number (VIN) or chassis number", and points to the British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) for more information. For a Northern Ireland address, DVLA also asks for a certificate of insurance or cover note with the registration application.

The insurers' side is different. Swinton, a broker, says it has arranged insurance for a range of imported bikes "subject to the bike being registered in the UK". Confused.com says you cannot get import motorbike insurance until the bike has been registered in the UK, and The Bike Insurer says the same.

So DVLA tells you what number to use, and several insurers say they quote after registration. No official source lists any insurer that will cover an unregistered bike, and we will not promise one will. Ask your insurer, or a broker, before you book a test or a shipment, and get the answer in writing. After registration, DVLA says the V5C can take up to 6 weeks to arrive (see our guide to registering with DVLA).

Insurance is also not permission to ride. Before any of that, HMRC has to hear about the bike through NOVA within 14 days. DVLA will not register it until NOVA is processed and VAT and duty are paid. The rules on riding before registration are in our guide to riding an imported motorbike before it is registered.

What should you have ready when you ask for a quote?

Have the facts in front of you, so the insurer prices the bike you actually have:

• the make, model, year and engine size;
• the frame number (the VIN), copied from the papers and checked against the bike;
• where it was built and where it came from, and whether it was approved for another market;
• the registration number and the V5C once DVLA has issued them;
• anything changed from standard, as an insurer will want to know.

Say plainly that it is an import. An insurer can only price what it knows, and The Bike Insurer says the import status can affect the price.

Who can help if the first quotes say no?

Not every insurer covers imports, so the number of quotes varies by model and import type, according to Confused.com. gov.uk says "you may want to use an insurance broker", with a link to BIBA. A broker can compare a panel of insurers: Swinton describes comparing quotes from a panel of motorcycle insurers. Confused.com also says owners' clubs can often point you to insurers more likely to quote.

Third party is the legal minimum, says gov.uk. Whether you want more is your decision with the insurer, not ours.

For a documented value of the bike, for example for an agreed-value policy, Bassett Valuations' guide to valuing a motorcycle explains what an independent valuation report contains.

What we do for you

We make the customs import declaration for the bike, work out and pay the import VAT and duty, submit the NOVA to HMRC, and prepare the DVLA first registration pack: we fill in every form, you just sign and post. Insurance is between you and your insurer or broker, and we cannot arrange it. If the paperwork is complete and correct, you give the insurer fewer reasons to hesitate.

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