Motorcycle Insurance Nova Scotia | Premium Costs & Guide to Our #1 Engine to Find Providers

November 1, 2021 | Editorial Team

The east coast of Canada is stunning. Many of the provinces on the east are bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. So, you will get great views everywhere, especially while riding a motorcycle. That being said, if you want to ride a motorcycle down the coast, you will need motorcycle insurance.

As there are many motorcycle insurance companies in Canada, finding the best one for you can be hard. But it doesn’t have to be! You can use this motorcycle insurance estimator to learn about regulations and terms, to begin with. Keep reading to find out how you can use an insurance search engine or connect with an insurance provider directly to find the best motorcycle insurance in your province whether it’s Ontario/Toronto, Alberta, BC, or Quebec to name a few.

Best Motorcycle Insurance in Nova Scotia

1. The Co-Operators Insurance

The Co-operators was launched in 1945 and is a leading insurance provider in Canada. The Co-operators has over 2,500 licensed insurance representatives across the country, including in Nova Scotia. They offer many different insurance types and currently manage hundreds of thousands of insurance policies across Canada.

The Co-operators insure a variety of motorbikes, including standard motorcycles, dirt bikes, mini bikes, and mopeds.

Your insurance plan will be designed with the mandatory insurance requirements in Nova Scotia in mind. You can also add any optional extras, such as Collision Coverage and Specified Perils Coverage.

The Co-operators offers an online insurance calculator. This will show you an estimate of how much you will pay and how much you can save on your current policy. Alternatively, you can apply for a quote online or contact one of The Co-operators’ financial advisors.

A variety of insurance types are available with The Co-operators. This includes home insurance, business insurance, farm insurance and life insurance. Bundling your insurance policies together could result in a discount.

The Co-operators is also known for their great customer services. Emergency customer support and the claims department are open 24/7.  

Visit The Co-operators website today for more information or to receive your free, no-obligation motorcycle insurance quote.

2. AA Munro

Our next offering is AA Munro, a company with more than 75 years of experience in the insurance industry. AA Munro was founded in Nova Scotia. They have strong local roots, as well as a thorough understanding of the province’s insurance requirements. AA Munro helps you to find a cost-effective insurance plan for your motorcycle.

AA Munro is one of only a few insurance providers in Nova Scotia who offers Road Wings. Road Wings is a specialist motorcycle insurance program that provides experience drives with first-class coverage at affordable rates. If you have had your motorcycle license for three years or more and have been accident and conviction-free, you could qualify for Road Wings. Road Wings gives you access to:

  • Great rates.
  • Liability protection of up to $2 million.
  • Expert rider discount up to 30%.
  • Flexible deductible options.
  • Multi-bike or multi-policy discounts.
  • Flexible coverage plans.
  • Vintage plans for older bikes.

Even if you are not an experienced rider, you can still qualify for motorcycle insurance with AA Munro.

AA Munro offers all customers great customer service and friendly and experienced claims support. You can get a motorcycle insurance quote quickly and easily on AA Munro’s website or contact them via phone.

3. Keyes Insurance

Keyes Insurance has been operating for nearly 100 years. They are one of only a few independent insurance brokerages in Nova Scotia. They are family-owned and operated. Keyes Insurance prides itself on being truly independent. They focus on the interests of you, the customer, rather than the interests of the insurance companies.  

Keyes Insurance insures a variety of vehicles, including motorcycles, cars, quad bikes, and snow machines. They are partnered with some of the most well-known insurance providers in the country. This includes Anderson McTague, Intact Insurance, RSA, AND CAA.

You can apply for an insurance quote online. You will need to input your personal details, your license type and your driving history. You will also be asked to input:

  • What coverage you are looking for.
  • Your desired deductibles.
  • Your liability limit.
  • The year, make, model and value of your bike.
  • Whether you belong to a Riders Association or Club.

Alternatively, you can contact Keyes Insurance via phone or visit one of their offices in Nova Scotia. Keyes Insurance promises to stay by your side throughout the insurance process. They help you find your perfect motorcycle insurance plan and at an affordable price. They will then support you throughout the process. The claims department is also available 24/7.

Contact Keys Insurance today for more information or for your free quote.

4. Eisenhauer Insurance

Eisenhauer Insurance has been providing insurance in Nova Scotia since 1980. They have 20 skilled insurance providers in Nova Scotia to help you find the perfect motorcycle insurance. They offer no-pressure, no-obligation consultative insurance services across the province.

Eisenhauer Insurance offers a variety of insurance types including vehicle insurance, life insurance, home insurance, and business insurance. 

As a proud Nova Scotian insurer, Eisenhauer Insurance is familiar with the legal requirements of motorcycle insurance in the province. They can help you to tailor your policy to the coverage you require. They can help you to avoid any unnecessary coverage or add on any optional extras you may require.

Eisenhauer Insurance offers several discount options to its customers. This includes a safe rider discount. You can also receive discounts if you insure multiple vehicles or take out another insurance product.

Eisenhauer Insurance prides itself on its excellent customer service. It has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

To apply for motorcycle insurance or receive your quote, you can visit the Eisenhauer Insurance website today. Alternatively, you can contact them via phone or email or visit their office in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

5. BrokerLink

BrokerLink has been operating for more than 30 years and is one of the biggest insurance brokers in Canada. BrokerLink has more than 200 branches across the country, including in Nova Scotia. They are partnered with multiple insurance providers across the province to help you get the best insurance rates.

BrokerLink offers motorcycle insurance for a range of bikes, including cruisers, choppers, three-wheelers, mopeds, and scooters.

You can receive your free insurance quote online, over the phone or in one of BrokerLink’s offices. A BrokerLink agent will work with you to create a customized motorcycle insurance policy. It takes less than 5 minutes to receive a list of personalized insurance quotes.

Your policy and premium will be based on a number of factors, including your driving habits, insurance requirements and budget. After designing the perfect policy, BrokerLink will then provide you with a list of competitive insurance quotes for you to compare.

As well as the standard coverage required in Nova Scotia, BrokerLink also offers some additional coverage options, including:

  • Civil Liability
  • Comprehensive Coverage
  • Collision Coverage
  • Accessory and Upgrade Loss of Use
  • Roadside Assistance
  • Accident Forgiveness
  • Motorcycle Replacement Coverage

BrokerLink will also search for any relevant discounts or offers to help keep your premium as low as possible.

For more information or to be connected with a BrokerLink agent, visit their website today.

How Much Does Motorcycle Insurance Cost in Nova Scotia?

If you are a new rider in Canada, you likely don’t know much about motorcycle insurance. Your main questions might be, how much does it cost? There is, unfortunately, not one answer to this question. The cost of motorcycle insurance varies. Premium costs are based on the five following factors.

Make and Model of Your Bike

One of the first things an insurance company will look at is what the make and model of the bike you’re trying to insure is. Generally, the bigger the bike engine, the higher your motorcycle insurance will be. This is because a bigger engine is typically associated with going fast and insurance companies see that as a liability.

They tend to believe that if you can go fast, you will. Then, you will be more likely to get into an accident. Though you may just be buying a sports bike because you like the look, the insurance company will not see it that way. So, to prepare for the money they might have to spend covering you in the case of an accident, they will charge you a higher premium.

Where You Live

Although the East Coast is generally seen as safe, especially compared to more populated provinces like Ontario, there is still crime. If you live in a city or neighbourhood with high theft rates, your insurance premium will, unfortunately, be higher.

Depending on your coverage, the insurance company will have to pay for bikes that get stolen. So, if you live in an area where this is more likely to happen, expect to pay more.

Carrying Passengers

If you have a motorcycle, you likely have people constantly asking you for a ride. You may not realize it, but that could cause your insurance quote to go up. If you carry passengers, your insurance company will then have to cover them as well. To counteract the cost, insurance companies will charge you more if you tell them you intend to have passengers.

If you don’t intend to, tell your insurance provider that upfront and they will offer you a lower rate. But, if you get into an accident with a passenger after saying you wouldn’t carry one, you will be responsible. You likely won’t be covered in this case and can even be fined.

Your Age and Experience

If you got car insurance when you were young, you were likely charged a high premium. The same goes for motorcycle insurance. Insurance companies see young people as more of a liability because they don’t have a lot of experience with driving or riding a motorcycle.

One way to counteract this is to get rider training. Insurance companies will see that you received formal training and will likely give you a discount. Similarly, if you continuously maintain a clean driving record, your insurance rate will go down with time.

How You Use Your Bike

The last thing insurance companies tend to look at is how you use your bike. The more you use it, the more you will have to pay. If you use your motorcycle daily, you will have more opportunities to get into an accident compared to someone who only uses theirs on the weekend.

If you intend to use your motorcycle casually for a few months a year, tell your insurance provider that, and you should receive a lower quote.

Frequently Asked Questions About Motorcycle Insurance in Nova Scotia (FAQs)

Who distributes motorcycle insurance in Nova Scotia?

While most insurance companies in Canada cover all provinces, there are specific legal requirements for each province. Here are some of the best insurance companies that offer policies in Nova Scotia.

  • The Co-operators Insurance
  • TD Insurance
  • Munn Insurance
  • Keyes Insurance
  • Surex Insurance

What does motorcycle insurance cover?

What your motorcycle insurance covers will depend on the type of policy for your bike or bikes. Every basic motorcycle insurance, however, will include three things: third-party liability, an accident benefit, and uninsured automobile coverage.

Third-party liability will protect you if you are in an accident, and it is your fault. It covers the person(s) or property you cause damage to.

Accident benefit will provide insurance coverage to you if you are in an accident. This tends to include necessary medical treatment or income replacement. It does not matter who is at fault for you to receive an accident benefit.

If you are involved in a hit and run, you will still be covered with uninsured automobile coverage, rather than your motorcycle insurance coverage. Similarly, if an uninsured driver is at fault in an accident, you will be covered.

What optional coverage is available for motorcycles?

The standard motorcycle insurance is typically enough for you to be able to legally ride bikes. But that doesn’t mean it’s the best option. Standard coverage will only cover certain things. So, here are some of the optional add-ons you can include in your plan.

The first is comprehensive coverage. It was aptly named as it covers most damage that could be caused outside of an accident. This includes damage from events such as fire, falling objects, poor weather like a storm, and vandalism.

The next add-on is collision or upset. If your motorcycle is involved in a collision or upset, the repairs or replacement cost will be covered.

If you want to add both on to your bikes’ plan, you can include all perils coverage. This type is totally comprehensive and will cover your needs as well as your motorcycle in any scenario.

How much does motorcycle insurance cost?

Even within the same province, motorcycle insurance can vary a lot. You may receive a quote from a company that is completely different from another. That is because there are a number of factors that go into deciding what your motorcycle insurance will cost.

But, to give you a ballpark, here is the average cost of motorcycle insurance, depending on your age.

  • If you are 20 to 24 years old, you can expect to pay at least $2200 a year.
  • If you are 25 to 29 years old, you can expect to pay at least $1850 a year.
  • If you are 30 to 34 years old, you can expect to pay at least $1450 a year.
  • If you are 35 to 39 years old, you can expect to pay at least $1300 a year.
  • If you are over 40 years old, you can expect to pay at least $1170 a year.

What is the cheapest motorcycle insurance?

Again, it is hard to determine which motorcycle insurance company offers the lowest rate. As there are so many factors to consider, companies within the same area may end up giving you vastly different quotes.

So, the best way to find the cheapest motorcycle insurance in your area is through Kanetix. We discussed this insurance search engine earlier. It is the best way to compare and contrast multiple insurance quotes at once to find the lowest rate.

What motorcycle insurance is mandatory in Nova Scotia?

Most provinces in Canada require basic motorcycle insurance if you want to ride bikes. In NS, you need third-party liability coverage. Liability coverage will protect you if you are at fault in an accident. The minimum amount you will need for this is $500,000.

You will also need accident benefits coverage. This will protect you and your passengers if you are in an accident that is not your fault.

The last type is uninsured coverage. If you are ever in a hit-and-run, uninsured protection will cover you.

Although this is the minimum mandatory requirement in NS, it is always advised to get optional insurance coverage to fully protect yourself.

Can I cancel motorcycle insurance in the winter?

Canada often has harsh winters, especially on the east coast. This means it is almost impossible to ride bikes for many months out of the year. It may seem pointless to pay insurance for a motorcycle you aren’t using. So, you are likely wondering if you can cancel it in the winter.

Most insurance companies will let you cancel your insurance for the winter, often with a fee. But, even though it’s possible, it’s not recommended.

Bikes are always in danger as they are expensive and desirable to many people. They can be stolen, vandalized, hit or damaged, even when you’re not using it. If you cancel your insurance in the winter, you will not be covered for any of this.

Sometimes it is even more cost-effective to just keep your insurance. If the insurance providers are charging a fee to cancel your policy in winter, it may make more sense to simply keep it.

It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Consider keeping your policy year-round to protect you and your bikes.

The Bottom Line

Having basic motorcycle insurance is a legal requirement in Nova Scotia and indeed across Canada as a whole. If you can afford to, you should consider getting more extensive coverage. You will want to protect yourself from third-party liabilities, from the costs of repairing your bike and perhaps to increase the accident liability coverage from the minimum requirement to a sum that would give you peace of mind.

We have handpicked our favourite options to help you find the right motorcycle insurance at the right price. The insurance providers we have looked at today are the best motorcycle insurers we could find in Nova Scotia. For more information on any of the providers, visit their website or contact them directly.