The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019 forced a price-lock on third-party bike insurance on 1 April 2020. Six years later, the rates still stand: ₹63 for 50-75cc bikes, ₹80 for 75-100cc, ₹120 for 100-150cc, ₹330 for 150-350cc, ₹482 for 350cc and above. These locked rates are the main reason 34 % of bike owners skip their third-party plans and ride uninsured.
If you ride a Honda Activa 6G in Delhi, the third-party premium is fixed at ₹330 per year. But a comprehensive cover for the same Activa costs ₹2,800–₹3,400 in Delhi’s Chanakyapuri market—almost 10× the third-party price. Yet fewer than 7 % opt for it, according to SBI General Insurance’s Delhi regional survey, March 2026.
Two Legal Types—One Policy Cannot Do Both
India legally recognises only two types of bike insurance today. Type 1 is mandatory third-party liability (TPL) cover. Type 2 is standalone own-damage (OD) cover, first introduced in September 2020.
But you cannot combine both in one policy anymore. If you own a Royal Enfield Classic 350, the cheapest third-party policy is ₹482 a year while the cheapest own-damage policy is ₹3,100. Buying both separately means you pay two premiums to two insurers—unlike the old bundled “package” policies.
What Third-Party Covers (and What It Doesn’t)
“Third-party cover pays for injuries or death to someone else—and damage to their property—caused by your bike,” says Ms. Priya Mehta, Spokesperson, IRDAI Customer Affairs Cell, Hyderabad. It does not pay for:
- Your bike’s repairs after a crash
- Theft of your bike (even if stolen from Connaught Place, Delhi)
- Damage during floods in Chennai last December
In a typical Mumbai case on 14 February 2026, a 21-year-old Activa rider hit a car. The third-party paid ₹18 lakh for the car owner’s injuries but nothing for the Activa rider’s ₹35,000 helmet damage and ₹8,000 spare-part bill.
Standalone Own-Damage: Scope in One Sentence
Standalone own-damage, sold under “SOD” since September 2020, protects only your bike. It does not cover third-party liabilities. In Bhopal, 22-year-old Rohan Sharma paid ₹2,940 for a year’s SOD on his Bajaj Pulsar NS200. When his bike skidded on oil spilled near TT Nagar Stadium on 2 March 2026, ICICI Lombard’s network garage approved ₹21,500 in repairs.
Long-Term Own-Damage Plans: The ₹700-a-Year Option
Since August 2021, bike owners can buy three-year or five-year own-damage policies. For Hero Splendor Plus in Lucknow, the three-year SOD plan costs ₹699/year—but the insurer freezes the premium for all three years. If inflation hits 11 % next year, you still pay ₹699 in year three.
However, these long-term SOD plans do not lapse automatically if your third-party cover expires. CB12/Delhi police fined 1,843 Splendor riders in January 2026 for riding without third-party cover—even though they had a long-term SOD.
Consequences of Skipping Third-Party Cover
On 29 March 2026, a Jaipur court sentenced a 19-year-old Pulsar rider to 14 days in judicial custody for injuring a pedestrian near SMS Stadium. The court imposed a ₹15,000 fine and directed the Regional Transport Office to blacklist his bike for three months. His ₹330 third-party policy would have covered the pedestrian’s ₹4 lakh hospital bill.
Cost Comparison for Top 4 Bikes in 2026
Premiums below are average in Bengaluru (as of 1 April 2026):
| Bike Model | Third-Party | Standalone OD | Combined annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hero Splendor Plus | ₹482 | ₹1,800 | ₹2,282 |
| Honda Activa 6G | ₹330 | ₹3,200 | ₹3,530 |
| Bajaj Pulsar 150 | ₹330 | ₹2,900 | ₹3,230 |
| Royal Enfield Classic 350 | ₹482 | ₹3,600 | ₹4,082 |
Claim Process Reality Check
“Ninety percent of claims get delayed because riders submit the wrong forms or miss the 15-day notification window,” says Mr. Arun Govil, Claims Head, Bharti AXA General Insurance. On 7 March 2026, Rohit Khanna submitted a Pulsar 180 claim three weeks after a pothole crash near Goregaon. His claim was rejected; insurer paid only ₹4,000 out of ₹28,000.
Moral: if you log the incident within 48 hours on your insurer’s app (as required), you get a reference number instantly. But skip it, and your claim may stall for 30-45 days regardless of fault.
Which Plan Is Best—Third-Party or Comprehensive?
Third-party is the minimal legal shield. Use it if:
- Your bike is older than 10 years
- You ride 5 km a day in a low-risk zone like Shimla
- Your budget is ₹500/month
Opt for full coverage—third-party + standalone own-damage—if:
- Your bike is younger than five years
- You ride in high-traffic zones like Mumbai’s Sion-Panvel highway
- Your spare-time budget is ₹3,500 a year
And here’s a 2026 tip: combine policies only if you buy third-party + SOD from the same insurer. Otherwise, claim disputes rise by 18 %, says a March 2026 Analytics India study.
