Best Michigan Motorcycle Insurance:
The PIP & Coverage Guide

Most Michigan riders learn how No-Fault treats motorcycles at the worst possible moment. They add a bike to the household insurance, assume the PIP on their car follows them onto it, and find out after a crash that it does not work that way. Michigan law does not treat a motorcycle as a "motor vehicle" for No-Fault purposes, so PIP reaches a rider only when a car or truck is involved. This guide walks through the legal requirements, how the PIP priority rules actually work for motorcyclists, the medical coverage that fills the gap, the helmet law, carrier choice, and winter storage. I'm Terry Smith, a licensed Michigan agent in Battle Creek, and this is the conversation I have with every new motorcycle client.

By Terry Smith · Licensed Michigan Insurance Agent · Smith Agency Of Marshall LLC · Updated October 2026

Is Motorcycle Insurance Required by Law in Michigan?

Yes: MCL 500.3103 requires every motorcycle owner or registrant to carry liability insurance meeting the same limits Michigan sets for auto liability under MCL 500.3009(1). Under MCL 500.3103(1), "an owner or registrant of a motorcycle shall provide security against loss resulting from liability imposed by law" for bodily injury, death, and property damage, and that security must meet MCL 500.3009(1). Since July 2, 2020, those limits are:

• Bodily injury liability: $250,000 per person / $500,000 per accident
• Property damage liability: $10,000 per accident
• Lower-limit option: with the director-approved election form under MCL 500.3009(5), bodily injury limits can go as low as $50,000 / $100,000, never lower
• PIP for the rider: not part of the motorcycle requirement (see the next section)

If you see older guides quoting $20,000/$40,000 minimums, those figures predate the 2019 No-Fault reform. The penalties for riding uninsured are steep. MCL 500.3102(2) makes it a misdemeanor for an owner or registrant to operate, or let someone operate, a motorcycle on a public highway without the required security: a $200 to $500 fine, up to one year in jail, or both. Worse, MCL 500.3113(b) bars PIP benefits for a person who owned or registered a motorcycle involved in the accident without the security required by MCL 500.3101 or 500.3103. An uninsured rider hit by a car can lose the very No-Fault benefits the next section describes.

Does Michigan No-Fault PIP Cover Motorcyclists?

Only when a motor vehicle is involved: MCL 500.3114(5) routes an injured rider's PIP claim through a fixed priority order, and crashes with no car or truck involved fall outside it. The starting point is the definitions section. MCL 500.3101(3)(i) says a "motor vehicle" does not include a motorcycle. A bike is not a motor vehicle for No-Fault purposes, so the PIP on your car does not simply ride along with you.

What the law does provide is a priority order. Under MCL 500.3114(5), a person injured in an accident "that shows evidence of the involvement of a motor vehicle while an operator or passenger of a motorcycle" claims PIP from insurers in this order:

1. The insurer of the owner or registrant of the motor vehicle involved in the accident.
2. The insurer of the operator of the motor vehicle involved in the accident.
3. The motor vehicle insurer of the operator of the motorcycle.
4. The motor vehicle insurer of the owner or registrant of the motorcycle.

Three practical points follow from the statute text:

A car or truck has to be involved. The priority order applies only when the crash shows evidence of a motor vehicle's involvement. A rider who lays the bike down on gravel, hits a deer, or collides with another motorcycle and no car has nothing in §3114(5) to claim against.

Your own auto policy is in line, but third and fourth. Steps 3 and 4 are the motor vehicle insurers of the motorcycle's operator and owner, which usually means the policy on your car. So your auto PIP choice still matters to you as a rider, just not first. That is a good reason to review the PIP level on your Michigan auto policy with the motorcycle in mind; our Michigan No-Fault guide explains the PIP levels.

Opt-outs and ties change the path. Under MCL 500.3114(6), if a policy in the order has opted out of PIP or is subject to an exclusion, you claim under other policies at the same level, then the next level, and finally the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan. Under §3114(7), when two or more policies sit at the same level, benefits are capped at the highest single-policy limit among them. They do not stack within a level.

The fix for the gap is first-party medical coverage on the motorcycle policy. MCL 500.3103(2) requires insurers that write motorcycle coverage to offer the owner or registrant first-party medical benefits, in $5,000 increments, payable when they are in a motorcycle accident. That coverage is not No-Fault PIP. It has a limit you choose and can carry deductibles or coordination terms. But it responds to the single-bike crash that §3114(5) never reaches. Most riders I work with carry well above the $20,000 the helmet law requires.

What Does a Michigan Motorcycle Policy Cover?

A Michigan motorcycle policy combines required liability with optional medical, collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorist, and accessory coverage, and the optional pieces decide whether a crash is an inconvenience or a financial hit. Here is what each piece does:

Two add-ons worth asking about: agreed-value coverage for vintage and custom bikes (covered in the storage section below), and roadside assistance that dispatches motorcycle-capable towing, since a standard hook-and-chain tow can damage a bike.

How Much Does Motorcycle Insurance Cost in Michigan?

ValuePenguin's 2026 Michigan study reports an average of $37 a month for full motorcycle coverage, but your price depends mostly on the bike, your riding record, and the medical limit you choose. ValuePenguin (updated September 29, 2026) based its Michigan average on 204 quotes from 5 companies across 34 Michigan cities. In that sample, Progressive averaged $22 a month for full coverage. These are market-study averages, not quotes, and they do not tell you what medical limit was included, which is the line that matters most in Michigan.

Three factors drive most of the difference between riders:

Bike type. Sport bikes generally price highest because of theft rates, crash frequency, and replacement cost. Cruisers and standards sit in the middle. Touring bikes are expensive to replace but are often ridden by experienced riders, which helps. Vintage bikes on agreed-value policies are often ridden less and kept indoors.

Rider profile. Age, years endorsed, and driving record matter more than almost anything else. The Michigan Department of State notes that completing the Basic RiderCourse may lower your premium through an insurance discount, so ask each carrier whether it offers one.

Coverage choices. Raising liability above the floor, adding meaningful medical coverage, and adding collision and comprehensive all add premium. Medical coverage is the one I would not cut, because it is the only piece that pays your bills after a single-bike crash. Bundling with home and auto can lower the household total even when the motorcycle line alone is not the cheapest.

About the author

Terry Smith · Licensed Michigan Insurance Agent

I run Smith Agency Of Marshall LLC, an independent agency in Battle Creek. We place motorcycle, ATV, RV, auto, and home coverage directly with Farmers, Progressive, Bristol West, and Foremost, and reach additional carriers through our Kraft Lake brokerage. The No-Fault motorcycle gap is the misconception I hear most, and a short conversation about medical coverage is usually the most valuable thing I do for a new rider.

Which Insurance Company Is Best for Michigan Motorcycles?

No carrier is best for every rider; the right choice comes from quoting identical limits, medical coverage included, and comparing the total household cost, not just the motorcycle line. Terry Smith Agency places Michigan motorcycles directly with Foremost and Progressive. Here is how they compare, plus specialty options for bikes that need them:

My decision frame: if your home or car is already with a Farmers company, quote Foremost first, then Progressive on the same limits. If you shop the bike on its own, start with Progressive and run Foremost alongside. For a collector bike or a heavy custom build, ask about agreed value before price. And if you are adding a bike to an existing household, our guide to bundling home and auto in Michigan shows how the multi-policy math usually works.

What Are Michigan's Helmet and Endorsement Rules?

Riders 21 and older may skip the helmet only if they meet MCL 257.658's endorsement-or-course test and carry at least $20,000 of first-party medical benefits; everyone else must wear one. Michigan ended its universal helmet requirement with 2012 PA 98, effective April 13, 2012. Under MCL 257.658(4), anyone operating or riding on a motorcycle must wear a crash helmet except as subsection (5) allows. Subsection (5) applies only to people 21 or older:

• Operator: must have held a motorcycle endorsement for at least 2 years or passed an approved motorcycle safety course, and meet the medical security requirement.
• Medical security: the operator or rider must have first-party medical benefits under MCL 500.3103 of at least $20,000 (operator alone), or $20,000 per person per occurrence with a passenger. If the passenger carries their own $20,000, the operator needs only $20,000.
• Passenger: a rider 21 or older may go without a helmet if the rider or the operator satisfies the medical security requirement.
• Under 21: no exemption. A helmet approved under State Police rules is required.

Eye protection. MCL 257.708a requires the operator of a motorcycle without a windshield to wear goggles, a face shield, or eyeglasses made of shatter-resistant material when traveling over 35 mph, helmet or not.

The CY endorsement. Every Michigan rider needs a motorcycle (CY) endorsement on the driver's license. According to the Michigan Department of State, you can get it by completing an approved Michigan Rider Education Program course or by riding on a Temporary Instruction Permit (valid up to 180 days) and passing a rider skills test. The first-time endorsement fee is $16 plus license transaction fees, public-sponsor course tuition is $50, and riders under 18 must complete a safety course. A course completion also satisfies the helmet exemption's training test right away, without waiting out the 2-year endorsement period.

If you plan to ride helmet-free, treat $20,000 of medical coverage as the legal floor, not the target. It is the same coverage that pays for a single-bike crash, so the helmet decision and the PIP gap point to the same answer.

How Should Michigan Riders Handle Winter Storage and Custom Bikes?

Keep comprehensive in force all winter, ask whether collision can be paused while the bike is stored, and insure vintage or custom bikes on agreed value rather than actual cash value. Most Michigan bikes sit from late fall to spring, and that is when riders are tempted to cancel.

Winter storage. Theft, fire, and a collapsed garage roof do not stop in winter, and comprehensive is the coverage that responds to them. Letting the policy lapse saves a few months of premium and leaves the bike uninsured against the losses most likely to happen in storage. Some carriers let you reduce or suspend collision during storage while keeping comprehensive; ask, because it depends on the carrier and policy form. A storage facility's own insurance generally protects the facility, not your bike.

Vintage bikes. A well-kept older motorcycle can hold or gain value, while actual-cash-value policies apply depreciation. Agreed-value coverage sets the payout amount when the policy is written, so a restored classic is not settled like a used commuter. Ask whether agreed value is available for your bike; Foremost and specialty collector markets are where we look first.

Custom builds. Paint, exhaust, suspension, and bodywork can be worth more than the base bike. A standard accessory sub-limit will not cover them, so list each modification with its replacement cost and endorse to that value, or move the bike to an agreed-value form.

What Do Michigan Riders Ask Most About Motorcycle Insurance?

These five questions come up in nearly every Michigan motorcycle quote, and the answers below track the statutes cited above.

What's the Bottom Line for Michigan Motorcycle Riders?

Carry liability at or above the MCL 500.3009 limits, add first-party medical coverage for crashes No-Fault will not reach, and compare carriers on identical limits. No-Fault reaches a motorcyclist only when a car or truck is involved, and even then your own auto insurer is third in line under MCL 500.3114(5). The coverage that protects you in every crash is the first-party medical benefit MCL 500.3103(2) requires insurers to offer.

The short checklist: confirm your CY endorsement, take the Rider Education course if you have not, set medical coverage well above the $20,000 helmet floor, endorse custom parts and gear, keep comprehensive through the winter, and quote Foremost and Progressive on the same limits. If you also ride off-road, our Michigan ATV and UTV insurance guide covers those machines, which follow different rules.