Bike insurance for 5 years: what it covers and how to get your policy copy
Bike insurance for 5 years is the long-term third-party cover every new two-wheeler has carried since 1 September 2018. The own-damage part can be one year or longer. To get the policy copy, read the insurer's name on the Vahan vehicle search, open that insurer's portal, enter the bike number and OTP, and save the PDF.
Key takeaways
- New two-wheelers sold from 1 September 2018 must carry five years of third-party cover; own damage may be bought for one year or longer.
- The 2022 third-party slabs for a new bike's five-year term run from Rs 2,901 (up to 75 cc) to Rs 15,117 (above 350 cc); confirm current rates with the insurer.
- Your policy number is printed at the top of the schedule and on the certificate of insurance; the insurer can trace it from the bike number.
- Vahan shows only the insurer and the valid-up-to date. The policy PDF always comes from the insurer, a broker account or DigiLocker.
- Karnataka has no separate motor vehicle act: the central 1988 Act applies, with the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 filling in state details.
On this page · 23 sections
What is bike insurance for 5 years?
Bike insurance for 5 years is a long-term two-wheeler policy whose third-party section runs for five years from the day the bike is first insured. It protects other people against injury or property damage you cause. Since 1 September 2018, every new two-wheeler leaves the showroom with this five-year third-party term already paid.
Why the term was made longer
Many owners used to let yearly cover lapse after the first year. The Supreme Court asked for longer cover, and IRDAI applied it from September 2018, so a new bike stays legally insured for its early years without yearly renewals.
The two halves of one policy
A long-term bike policy has two parts. The third-party part is fixed at five years. The own-damage part, which pays for your own bike, can be one year or several years, depending on what you or the dealer chose.
Is five-year cover compulsory for a new bike?
Yes, for the third-party part. Section 146 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 bars anyone from using a vehicle in a public place without at least third-party insurance, and the 2018 order fixed that cover at five years for new two-wheelers. Own-damage cover stays your choice, though lenders usually insist on it.
Bikes bought before September 2018
Older bikes are not affected. They keep renewing yearly, and you can buy a yearly third-party policy or a comprehensive one at each renewal.
Used bikes bought from a seller
If you buy a bike that is still inside its five-year term, the third-party cover moves to you from the date of transfer. Apply to the insurer within 14 days so the policy is changed to your name, as section 157 requires.
What does new bike insurance validity look like?
New bike insurance validity is printed as one or two date ranges on the policy schedule. The third-party period ends five years after the start date. The own-damage period ends after one year on a “1 + 5” bundle, or later if a longer own-damage term was bought.
Reading the start and end dates
The start date is normally the delivery date, not the date you booked the bike. Check that both periods begin on the same day, and that the end time is midnight of the stated date.
What to do in the first year
Set a reminder a month before the own-damage end date. If you forget, the third-party part still keeps you legal, but repairs after a crash, theft or flood are no longer paid.
Bike insurance premium: what does a five-year plan cost?
The bike insurance premium has a fixed third-party part and an own-damage part set by each insurer. MoRTH fixes the third-party slabs by engine size. For a new bike, the five-year third-party term is paid in one go at purchase; the figures below are the 2022 slabs, so confirm the current rate.
| Engine or motor rating | Yearly third-party premium | Five-year single premium (new bike) |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol, up to 75 cc | Rs 538 | Rs 2,901 |
| Petrol, above 75 cc up to 150 cc | Rs 714 | Rs 3,851 |
| Petrol, above 150 cc up to 350 cc | Rs 1,366 | Rs 7,365 |
| Petrol, above 350 cc | Rs 2,804 | Rs 15,117 |
| Electric, up to 3 kW | Rs 457 | Rs 2,466 |
| Electric, above 3 kW up to 7 kW | Rs 607 | Rs 3,273 |
| Electric, above 7 kW up to 16 kW | Rs 1,161 | Rs 6,260 |
| Electric, above 16 kW | Rs 2,383 | Rs 12,849 |
What changes the own-damage part
Own damage depends on the insured declared value of the bike, its age, the city, any add-ons and your no-claim bonus. Insurers quote it freely, so compare at least two quotes before you renew.
Taxes on top
The figures in the table are before GST. Your final receipt shows the premium, the GST and any personal accident cover for the owner-driver as separate lines.
Bike insurance full coverage: what is included?
Bike insurance full coverage usually means a comprehensive policy: third-party liability plus own damage to your bike from accident, theft, fire, flood and similar events. It is not the same as “five years”. Many new bikes have five-year third-party cover but only one year of own damage.
| Policy type | Pays for others’ loss | Pays for your bike | Typical term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third-party only | Yes | No | 1 year, or 5 years on a new bike |
| Comprehensive | Yes | Yes | 1 year or long term |
| Standalone own damage | No | Yes | Bought alongside an active long-term third-party policy |
Add-ons people ask for
Zero depreciation, roadside help, engine protection and return-to-invoice are common add-ons. Each raises the premium. Read the add-on list on the schedule; anything not printed there is not covered.
What full cover still leaves out
Normal wear, riding without a valid licence, riding drunk and using a private bike for paid deliveries are usual exclusions. The policy wording lists them, so read that section before you file a claim.
How to buy new two wheeler insurance online?
To buy new two wheeler insurance online, choose an insurer or a licensed broker, enter the bike’s make, model and registration or invoice details, pick the cover and add-ons, pay, and download the policy. For a showroom-fresh bike, the dealer usually arranges the first policy before handing over the keys.
Details to keep ready
Keep the registration number, engine and chassis numbers, the previous policy number if any, and your mobile number and email. The mobile number you give becomes the one that later receives every download OTP.
Checking the seller is genuine
Buy only from an insurer’s own site or a broker registered with IRDAI. After payment, the policy should appear on the insurer’s site under your bike number within a short time.
What is a bike insurance no and where is it printed?
A bike insurance no is the policy number: the unique reference your insurer gives the contract. It sits at the top of the policy schedule and again on the certificate of insurance. Claims, renewals, transfers and endorsements all start with this number, so keep it saved somewhere outside the bike.
What the number looks like
Each insurer uses its own pattern of digits, letters and slashes. Long-term bundles sometimes have one number for the bundle, or two numbers for the third-party and own-damage parts.
Cover note numbers are different
A cover note is a temporary document some dealers issue before the policy is ready. Its number may not match the final policy number, so replace it once the policy arrives.
How to get policy number of bike insurance?
To learn how to get policy number of bike insurance, look first at the purchase email or SMS, then the insurer’s app. If none is available, contact the insurer with the registration and chassis numbers. Insurers can trace your policy from the bike details and resend the number.
From the dealer
For a bike bought new, the dealer’s sale file usually holds a copy of the first policy. Ask the showroom where you bought the bike; they can tell you the insurer and the number.
From your bank or lender
If the bike is on a loan, the lender keeps the policy copy for its records. Your loan account statement or the lender’s branch can share the number.
How to check bike insurance policy number?
The simplest way for how to check bike insurance policy number is to open the PDF and match the number with the one on the insurer’s website. Signing in with your mobile number shows every policy linked to it, and each entry shows its number, term and status.
Cross-checking after renewal
After renewal, the new policy has a new number. Check that the insurer’s site shows the new number as active and the old one as expired; this avoids showing the wrong copy later.
When two numbers appear
A “1 + 5” bundle may show two references. Use the own-damage number for a repair claim and the third-party number for a claim made by someone else.
How to find my two wheeler insurance policy number?
How to find my two wheeler insurance policy number depends on what you still have. With the policy email, it is in the first lines. With only the registration number, find the insurer through Vahan and ask them. Our guide on how to find insurance policy number covers cars and other vehicles too.
Using the insurer’s retrieve page
Many insurers have a “retrieve policy” or “download policy” page. Enter the bike number and the OTP sent to the mobile number on the policy, and the number appears with the document.
If the mobile number has changed
The OTP goes to the old number. Call or write to the insurer with the registration and chassis numbers and request a contact update by endorsement.
How to find bike insurance policy number with no papers?
If every paper is gone, how to find bike insurance policy number comes down to two steps. First, use the Vahan vehicle search to learn the insurer from the registration number. Second, contact that insurer with the chassis number and your ID, and ask them to resend the policy.
The IIB route
The Insurance Information Bureau’s V-Seva search can return the insurer, policy number and validity for policies from 1 April 2010 onwards. It allows only a few searches per email and mobile, so enter details carefully.
Bike insurance copy PDF download by vehicle number
A bike insurance copy PDF download by vehicle number happens on the insurer’s portal, not on Vahan. Find the insurer through the Vahan search, open its download page, enter the bike number and OTP, and save the PDF. The full process, with fixes for password-locked files, is in our download insurance policy by vehicle number guide.
For a long-term policy
A five-year bundle has one document that covers the whole third-party term. Download it once and keep it. If you renew own damage separately, download each yearly own-damage policy as well.
Keeping the copy for traffic checks
Rule 139 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, as amended in 2018, lets you show documents in electronic form. Save the PDF in DigiLocker where the insurer offers it, and keep a copy on your phone.
Insurance policy for bike check: which tools work?
An insurance policy for bike check can be done in three places: the Vahan vehicle search, the mParivahan app and the IIB V-Seva search. The first two show the insurer and end date from data that insurers upload. IIB can also show the policy number when the record is found.
Which one to use first
Use Vahan for any bike; it needs only the registration number. Use IIB when you need the policy number of a vehicle and Vahan shows nothing. Other national record services are listed in our vehicle information hub.
Data delays
New or renewed policies can take days or weeks to appear. If you renewed yesterday, the PDF from the insurer is better proof than any public search.
What does the insurance status of bike show?
The insurance status of bike on Vahan shows the insurer’s name and the “insurance valid up to” date. If the date is past, the record treats the cover as expired. It does not show the premium, the add-ons or the own-damage period separately.
Active, expired or blank
A future date means active cover in the record. A past date means expired. A blank field usually means the insurer has not uploaded data yet, not that the bike is uninsured.
Reading someone else’s bike
You can check another bike’s status, for example before you buy it or after an accident. The owner’s name is partly masked. For a full walk-through, see our bike insurance check guide.
Two wheeler insurance policy check after you buy
A two wheeler insurance policy check right after purchase confirms that the insurer issued what you paid for. Open the PDF and compare each detail with the RC and invoice. Fixing a wrong entry now is quick; fixing it after a claim is rejected is much harder.
Five lines to compare
Compare the registration number, engine number, chassis number, owner name and the policy dates. A single wrong digit in the chassis number is the most common error.
Getting a mistake fixed
Ask the insurer for an endorsement: a written correction added to the policy. Most insurers do this online with a copy of the RC.
Where can I see my two wheeler insurance details?
My two wheeler insurance details are fully shown in three places: the insurer’s account or app, the policy PDF, and DigiLocker if your insurer issues there. Vahan and mParivahan show only a summary. The insurer account is best because it reflects any later endorsement.
What the insurer account lists
You see the policy number, the term of each part, the insured declared value, the add-ons, the nominee and the claim history.
Linking details to DigiLocker
IRDAI asked insurers in February 2021 to enable digital policies through DigiLocker. Search for your insurer under issued documents and fetch the policy using its number.
Motorcycle insurance check: what police look at
At a motorcycle insurance check, police can confirm cover from the Vahan record through the eChallan system. They may also ask to see the policy. Showing the PDF in DigiLocker or mParivahan is accepted as an electronic document under the 2018 rule change.
If the record shows no cover
If you renewed recently and the record is not yet updated, show the new PDF. If the cover really has lapsed, a challan can follow; the penalties are explained on our fine for driving without insurance page.
Bike insurance check online by bike number: step by step
A bike insurance check online by bike number takes a few minutes on Vahan. It works for any bike registered in India and needs no policy number. The steps below are what the portal asks for at the time of writing; the layout can change.
- Open the Vahan vehicle search. Choose Know Your Vehicle Details on the Vahan citizen services site.
- Type the bike number. Enter the registration number as one string with no spaces and fill the captcha.
- Verify with OTP. Sign in with your mobile number and the code sent to it if the portal asks.
- Read the insurance lines. Note the insurer name and the insurance valid-up-to date.
- Get the policy from the insurer. Open that insurer’s download page to read the policy number and save the PDF.
Typing the number right
Write it as KA05AB1234, without spaces or dashes. Keep the leading zero in district codes. For a Bharat series plate, type it as printed.
When the search shows nothing
Check the number for typing errors, then wait a day. A brand-new bike may be filed only by engine and chassis number at first, so a registration search can miss it.
How to find bike insurance when the insurer is unknown?
To find bike insurance details when you do not know the insurer, start with the registration number. The Vahan search names the insurer. If Vahan is blank, try the IIB search, ask the dealer who sold the bike, or check your bank statement for the premium payment.
Clues on your own records
The payment entry on a card or bank statement names the insurer or the broker. A renewal reminder email or SMS also names the insurer.
Second-hand bike with no papers
Ask the seller first. The seller’s name may still be on the policy, so the insurer will talk to them until it is transferred to you.
Two wheeler renewal after five years: what changes?
At two wheeler renewal after the five-year term, you buy a fresh policy, usually yearly. You can choose third-party only or comprehensive, and switch insurer if you like. Renew before the end date so the cover has no gap and the no-claim bonus carries over.
After a lapse
If you renew late, the insurer may inspect the bike before issuing own-damage cover, and the no-claim bonus can be lost. Ride only after the new policy is issued.
What happens if a five-year bike policy lapses?
A five-year third-party term does not lapse while you own the bike, unless the policy is cancelled. What usually lapses is the one-year own-damage part. The bike stays legal to ride, but your own repairs and theft are not covered until you buy own damage again.
Buying own damage alone
A standalone own-damage policy can be added while the long-term third-party cover is active. Show the third-party policy number when you buy it.
When the full term ends
After five years, both parts must be renewed. Riding even one day without cover breaks the law under section 146.
Karnataka motor vehicle act: does the state have its own law?
People searching for a Karnataka motor vehicle act usually want the rules that apply on Karnataka roads. There is no separate state act for driving or insurance. The central Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 applies, and Karnataka adds detail through its own rules. Vehicle tax comes under the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1957.
Where tax fits in
Road tax for bikes registered in Karnataka is set by the 1957 Taxation Act, not by the central Act. Our road tax in Karnataka page explains the slabs.
Insurance rules are national
Third-party insurance, the five-year term and claims all come from the central Act and IRDAI. A bike registered in Bengaluru follows the same insurance rules as one in Delhi.
State rules PDF for Karnataka: where to download it?
The Karnataka Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 are the state’s own rules made under the central Act, and they have been amended many times. Look for the current text on the Karnataka Transport Department website, transport.karnataka.gov.in, and check the state gazette for recent amendments before relying on any PDF.
A rule that matters to bike riders
The 2015 amendment to rule 230 requires both the rider and the pillion rider on any two-wheeler, including scooters and mopeds, to wear protective headgear within Karnataka.
Checking that a PDF is current
Many PDFs online are old consolidations. Match the amendment dates in the file with the latest gazette notices, or ask the local RTO which version it follows.
Official links
Vahan citizen servicesKnow Your Vehicle Details shows the insurer and end date ↗Parivahan Sewaparivahan.gov.in ↗Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of Indiairdai.gov.in ↗Insurance Information Bureau of Indiaiib.gov.in ↗DigiLockerdigilocker.gov.in ↗Karnataka Transport Departmenttransport.karnataka.gov.in ↗Bike insurance for 5 years questions
Is bike insurance for 5 years compulsory?
The five-year term is compulsory for the third-party part on new two-wheelers bought from 1 September 2018. Own-damage cover is optional and can be bought for one year or longer.
Can I cancel the five-year bike policy and buy a yearly one?
The third-party part stays in force for the full term while you own the bike. If you sell the bike or it is written off, ask the insurer about cancellation and any refund under its policy wording.
How do I find my bike insurance policy number without papers?
Run the Vahan Know Your Vehicle Details search to learn the insurer, then use that insurer's retrieve-policy page or helpline with your registration and chassis numbers. It can resend the policy number and PDF.
Does Vahan give the bike insurance PDF?
No. Vahan and mParivahan show the insurer name and the insurance end date. The PDF comes from the insurer's portal, your broker account, the purchase email or DigiLocker.
What is the third-party premium for a 150 cc bike?
Under the 2022 slabs, a bike above 75 cc and up to 150 cc paid Rs 714 a year, or Rs 3,851 for the five-year term on a new bike. Check the current figure with your insurer.
Is full coverage the same as five-year cover?
No. Full coverage means a comprehensive policy with own damage. Five years describes the term. A new bike can have five-year third-party cover with only one year of own damage.
Why does Vahan show a different end date from my policy?
Vahan usually shows one date from insurer data, often the third-party end date. Your schedule may list a separate own-damage end date. Insurer data can also take days or weeks to appear.
Is a phone copy of my bike policy valid at a traffic check?
Rule 139 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, as amended in 2018, allows electronic documents. A copy in DigiLocker or mParivahan is the safest digital proof; keep the PDF too.
Where can I read the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Rules?
Look on the Karnataka Transport Department website, transport.karnataka.gov.in, and in the state gazette for amendments. Legal databases also carry amendment texts such as the 2015 helmet rule.
Parivahan Sewa (parivahansewa-in.com) is an independent information website and is not affiliated with MoRTH, Parivahan or any state transport department. Confirm fees and rules on the official portal before you pay or apply.