When it comes to protecting your wheels — whether four or two — having the right auto and motorcycle insurance matters. At Illinois Insurance Center, we don’t sell insurance ourselves; instead, we act as your broker, shopping over 20+ carriers to find the coverage that fits your situation. Below we break down what auto insurance and motorcycle insurance typically covers, what it usually doesn’t, and how working with us helps make it simple.
What Does Auto Coverage Include?
When talking about auto and motorcycle insurance, the “auto” part covers passenger cars, trucks, SUVs, etc. For auto insurance, here’s what you’ll usually find:
Key coverages for cars
- Liability coverage: This is required in nearly every state. It pays when you cause bodily injury to someone else or damage their property.
- Collision coverage: If you crash your car into another vehicle or object, collision helps cover your repair costs, minus your deductible.
- Comprehensive coverage: Covers things like theft, fire, vandalism, weather damage, hitting an animal — losses outside of a typical collision.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage: If someone without enough insurance hits you, this helps fill the gap.
- Medical payments or personal injury protection (PIP): Helps cover medical bills for you and your passengers, regardless of fault (depending on your state).
What standard auto insurance often doesn’t cover
- Normal wear and tear (brakes, tires, aging parts) — not considered “sudden and accidental”.
- Damage when the vehicle is used in ways not permitted in the policy (for example business use, rideshare use, or unauthorized drivers) — many policies exclude those.
- If you drive into Mexico, many U.S. policies don’t cover that unless a special Mexican Auto Insurance endorsement or separate policy is in place.
When you explore auto and motorcycle insurance with us, we help you pick the right mix of these coverages so you’re not overpaying — and you’re not under-covered either.
What Does Motorcycle Insurance Cover?
Now let’s shift gears to the “motorcycle” side of auto and motorcycle insurance. Riding a bike has its own risks, so the policy terms differ in some ways.
Typical motorcycle coverages
- Liability coverage: Just like auto, it covers third-party injuries or property damage you cause.
- Collision coverage: If you crash your bike into something, this coverage can help repair or replace your bike, minus your deductible.
- Comprehensive coverage: Covers theft, vandalism, fire, weather damage, hitting an animal, etc.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM): If you’re hit by someone who doesn’t have enough insurance, this helps you.
- Accessories, custom parts coverage: Because many bikes have custom chrome, paint, saddlebags, these may require special add-ons.
What motorcycle insurance usually doesn’t cover
- Damage from track days, racing, timed events: most standard motorcycle policies exclude that.
- Mechanical breakdowns, routine maintenance or wear and tear of parts: those are generally not covered.
- Sometimes custom parts beyond a stated limit unless you buy an endorsement.
Working with Illinois Insurance Center means we look across motorcycle insurance companies and ask about those custom parts, accessories, and your riding habits to find the best match.
How the Two Compare: Auto vs Motorcycle Insurance
Since the phrase auto and motorcycle insurance puts them together, let’s compare in simple terms:
- Both require liability coverage (for damages you cause others) as the foundation.
- Both have optional coverages (collision, comprehensive) to protect your own vehicle.
- Motorcycle policies often have more specialty coverages (custom parts, gear, accessories) and may have unique exclusions (e.g., track use).
- Auto policies might exclude business use or rideshare driving unless you add endorsements; motorcycle policies may exclude racing or non-street use.
- The cost will vary based on vehicle type, usage, location, driving/riding history, and of course the level of coverage.
Because Illinois Insurance Center shops across 20+ carriers, we can compare how different insurers handle bikes vs cars, and help you pick what makes sense for you — not just what’s cheapest.
Why Using a Broker Matters
Rather than guessing or shopping only one company, using a broker like Illinois Insurance Center gives you some big advantages:
- Access to dozens of insurance companies for motorcycles and autos, so you’re not stuck at one carrier.
- We can ask the right questions: Do my custom parts count? If I ride occasionally, is there a discount? What are the exclusions?
- We make sense of all the policy language so you understand what you’re buying.
- We help you compare auto and motorcycle insurance options side-by-side so your coverage fits your actual risk, budget and vehicle usage.
Practical Tips Before You Buy or Renew
Here are a few good questions to ask — we encourage you to ask them when you contact us:
- What deductible am I comfortable with for collision or comprehensive on my car or bike?
- Does my motorcycle have custom parts or aftermarket accessories? Do they need to be listed separately?
- How do I use the vehicle? (Commute, pleasure, business, rideshare?) Because if usage changes, coverage and exclusions may change.
- Are there any specific exclusions for racing, off-road or track days on bikes?
- Do I park the vehicle in a garage, in a secure area? These factors affect cost.
- If considering international use (for auto, sometimes Mexico driving), do I need a separate policy?
- Are there discounts available for bundling my auto with home insurance, or bundling auto + motorcycle?
When you work with Illinois Insurance Center, we’ll walk you through all of these, and help you tailor the policy so you’re not paying for stuff you don’t need — but you also aren’t missing something important.
Contact Illinois Insurance Center for Motorcycle Insurance and Auto Insurance
Having the right auto and motorcycle insurance means getting the coverages that really match your vehicle, your riding or driving habits, and your budget. At Illinois Insurance Center, we make it easier by comparing 20+ carriers, asking the detailed questions about your bikes and cars, and helping you avoid surprises when you file a claim.
If you drive a car, ride a bike, or both — reach out. Let’s review your current coverages, see if you’re paying too much, or if you’re missing something important.
Call us at (708) 524-4900 or visit our Contact Page to get started. We’re here to help you make sense of coverage, compare carriers, and make sure you’re protected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does “full coverage” mean for auto and motorcycle insurance?
A: “Full coverage” is a loose term. For autos it typically means liability + collision + comprehensive. For motorcycles, full coverage means liability + collision + comprehensive + often accessories/custom parts. But you still need to check exclusions.
Q: Is liability enough on a motorcycle?
A: Liability is the legal minimum in most states. But liability by itself will not cover damage to your bike or your injuries. You may want optional coverages if the bike is valuable or if you ride often.
Q: What happens if I’m hit by an uninsured driver?
A: If you have uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, it can help cover your injuries or damage when the other driver lacks sufficient insurance. For both autos and motorcycles.
Q: Does motorcycle insurance cover wear and tear or routine maintenance?
A: No—wear and tear, general maintenance like brake pads, tires, aging parts are typically not covered.
Q: Can I get insurance for both car and motorcycle in one place?
A: Yes — when you work with Illinois Insurance Center, we can get you quotes for both and help you compare. So your “auto and motorcycle insurance” planning can be coordinated.
