Motorbike insurance: your licence code and the questions you will be asked

A motorbike insurance request asks about the bike, the rider and where the bike is kept at night. To ride legally you need the right licence code: A1 for an engine up to 125 cc, A for anything larger. Answer every question truthfully, because the insurer must tell you what you must disclose.

Which licence do I need for a motorbike?

The National Road Traffic Act licence categories, as published on gov.za, set two motorcycle codes.

• Code A1 is for a motorcycle, with or without a sidecar, with an engine not exceeding 125 cc. The applicant must be at least 17 years old on the date of the test.
• Code A is for a motorcycle, with or without a sidecar, with an engine larger than 125 cc. The applicant must be 18 years or older.

You must hold a learner's licence before you can apply for any driving licence. Check the codes printed on your licence card against these two, because the licence is one of the things an insurer asks about.

What does a motorbike insurance request ask?

Insurers price a motorbike on the bike, the rider and where it is kept. Expect questions in these groups.

The bike. Make, model, year and engine size. Insurers band bikes by engine capacity, and a larger bike is priced as a higher risk than a small commuter regardless of value. The form asks the band so that your request goes to providers who cover that kind of bike. Whether the bike is financed also matters, because a lender may require cover.

The rider. Your age, the date you got your licence, the code on it and your claims history. A recent licence is treated differently from a long-held one. Some providers will not cover a new licence holder on a large bike, so your request is sent to those who accept your profile.

Where it sleeps. The postal code and the way the bike is kept: a garage, a locked yard, a complex, or the street. Theft is the largest risk for a motorbike, so where it is parked at night, and whether a tracker, alarm or other security is fitted, matters a great deal. Our guide on what a tracking condition on a policy means explains the conditions that insurers attach.

How you use it. Commuting, leisure riding, or delivery or courier work. Most personal policies are written for private use, so a use that is not private should be declared.

The cover you want. Comprehensive, third party, fire and theft, or third party only. You can say you are not sure; the licensed provider who calls you is allowed to advise you, and Olvian is not.

Extras. Riding gear is usually an add-on, not part of the base cover. If you want it covered, say so, and ask what limit applies.

Why must the answers be true and complete?

The answers decide whether a provider will cover you and on what terms. A wrong answer means the insurer has priced a risk that is not the real one.

The Policyholder Protection Rules (Short-term Insurance), 2017, do not leave you guessing about this. Rule 11.5.1(k) says the insurer must give you, in writing, information about "any obligation to disclose material facts, including information to ensure that a policyholder knows what must be disclosed as well as the consequences of non-compliance with the obligations". It must do so at the earliest reasonable opportunity after the policy begins, and no later than 30 days after.

Read that part of your documents when it arrives. If an answer was wrong or has changed, tell the insurer in writing and keep a copy.

What are the limits on how an insurer checks?

An insurer may look into a claim, but the Rules set limits.

• It may not deny a claim "without performing a reasonable investigation" (Rule 17.11.1(b)).
• It may only require information or documents from you that are essential to assessing the claim (Rule 17.8.5).
• A provision of a policy is void to the extent that it obliges a claimant to undergo a polygraph, lie detector or truth verification test (Rule 7.1(a)), and a claim may not be denied solely on the outcome of one (Rule 17.11.1(c)).
• If it refuses, it must give plain-language reasons in enough detail for you to dispute them, and at least 90 days for you to make representations (Rule 17.6.3).

The Rules do not say that a wrong answer can never matter. They say the insurer has to explain your duty up front and treat the claim fairly at the back end.

What documents should I have ready?

1. Your driving licence, showing the motorcycle code and the date it was issued.
2. The bike's registration papers, for the make, model, year and engine size.
3. The postal code and details of where the bike is parked at night.
4. Finance paperwork, if the bike is financed.
5. Details and proof of security that is fitted, such as an alarm or tracker.
6. Your claims history, if any, with approximate dates.

Do all providers accept all riders?

No. Providers set their own appetite. Some will not take a very large bike or a new licence holder on a large bike. That is why the form collects detail. It lets your request reach providers who say yes to your profile, and not waste your time with those who would say no.

Olvian does not decide who accepts you and does not set the price. It is a lead-referral service: you ask once, and your request goes to licensed providers who pay Olvian a fee and call you back. It is not an insurer, broker, financial services provider or adviser.

What should I ask when the provider calls?

1. What does this cover if the bike is stolen, burnt or damaged in a fall?
2. What does it pay if I damage someone else's property?
3. Is riding gear covered, and with what limit?
4. Are there conditions about security, such as a tracker, an alarm or a locked place to park? What happens if I do not meet them?
5. What excess applies? Under Rule 11.4.2, a quotation must set out any excess, when it is payable and the consequences of not paying it.
6. Does the policy cover a pillion passenger?
7. What must I tell you if my circumstances change?

Ask for the answers in writing.

What if I change my bike, my address or how I ride?

Tell the insurer. Rule 11.5.1(e) says the insurer must explain any obligation you have to monitor your cover and to review and update it periodically so that it stays adequate. If the insurer changes the terms, Rule 11.6.1 requires it to disclose contractual changes to you in writing during the policy. A new bike, a move to a different suburb, a new place to park or a change from leisure riding to commuting can all matter, so check what your policy says must be reported.

Does the Road Accident Fund make this unnecessary?

No. The Fund, under section 17 of the Road Accident Fund Act, deals with loss from bodily injury or death caused by the driving of a motor vehicle. It is a different thing from a policy that covers your bike. Our guide on motorbike insurance and the Road Accident Fund sets out the difference.

Sources

Checked on 31 October 2026. Olvian is not a financial services provider and this guide is information, not advice.

• Apply for a driving licence, gov.za: licence codes A1 and A, ages, learner's licence requirement.
• Policyholder Protection Rules (Short-term Insurance), 2017, Government Notice 1433, Government Gazette 41329 of 15 December 2017: Rules 7.1, 11.4.2, 11.5.1, 17.6, 17.8.5 and 17.11.1.
• Road Accident Fund Act 56 of 1996, section 17