For many people out there, hitting the age of sixteen will open the gates of freedom into two-wheelers, allowing you to commute to or from work or college independently via a 50cc moped.

In this blog, we are going to be running down everything you need to know regarding scooter and moped insurance at sixteen years old.

Once you reach the age of 16, you will be permitted to take your Compulsory Basic Training (CBT). Upon successful completion of the training, this will allow you to ride a 50cc moped or scooter on public UK roads with a provisional licence.

50cc Mopeds are typically restricted to a top speed of 28mph and are strictly not allowed to be driven on motorways due to safety issues concerning both you and other drivers/riders on the road.

The cost of your moped insurance will depend on a variety of factors, such as (but not limited to):

• Age
• Location
• Security/ where it is stored
• Experience
• Occupation
• Number of years No Claims Bonus

When looking for young riders' motorcycle insurance, three types of coverage are available to you. These are:

Third-party only insurance covers any damage you may cause to a third party's person or property. On the other hand, your own TPO insurance policy will not cover your bike if it is damaged in an accident.

Third Party, Fire, and Theft insurance includes everything under Third Party cover, as well as also allowing you to claim off your policy should your vehicle be stolen, or damaged as a result of a fire.

Comprehensive insurance covers as above but enables you to claim for accidental and malicious damage to your vehicle, including vandalism, a single-vehicle incident, or flood damage.

Please note that whilst third party only is the minimum level of insurance coverage required by UK Law, it is well worth weighing up all of your options and deciding factors before committing to a certain level of cover.

As you would expect inexperienced riders are most likely to experience higher insurance premiums as they pose a higher risk. Think about it, at 16 years old you are starting fresh with little to no road riding ability and experience.

One way you can make your insurance cheaper after passing your CBT is to consider adding an older or more experienced rider to your policy. Now this could be a parent, a partner, or even a close friend, but it may prove worth adding someone to bring down the costs.

However, adding an older, or more experienced, rider as the main rider on your policy, when this is not the case, is called Fronting and is tantamount to fraud and misrepresentation. This could result in your policy being cancelled or voided, so always try to be as clear and accurate as possible on your policy.

Other ways to make your scooter/moped insurance cheaper can be by:

• Storing it in a garage overnight
• Installing a tracker or immobiliser
• Only paying for cover you genuinely need

*For more tips on how you can keep the cost of your insurance as low as possible, make sure to take a read of our how can I save money on my motorcycle insurance policy blog.

You’ll be pleased to know that if you passed your car driving licence before 1st February 2001, you will not need to complete a CBT in order to ride a 50cc moped or scooter.

On the other hand, if you obtained your full car driving licence beyond this date, you will be legally required to pass a CBT if you’re planning to ride a 50cc moped on UK roads.

UK Law will not legally permit you to ride a 125cc scooter at the age of 16.

However, once your birthday rolls around again the next year and you hit 17, you will then finally be able to ride a 125cc providing you hold/still hold a valid CBT certificate.

The answer is yes. Regardless of which motorcycle licence you hold, the moment you ride on UK roads, you are legally required to have insurance for either your moped or scooter.

So there you have it, I hope you enjoyed my rundown on everything you need to know regarding getting a motorcycle insurance policy as a young rider.

Last but not least, if you have your very own 50cc moped or scooter you need to insure - make sure to get a quote direct with Lexham!