When taking out bike insurance for the first time there are many options to consider and the choices regarding the type of cover you can have may seem overwhelming.

First of all, the minimum requirement for motorbike cover is Third Party Only. This will cover only for damage to other peoples property and injuries and will not cover for repairs to your vehicle. In the event of an accident you would have to pay for your bike repairs, so this is not a good option if you drive an expensive model on which repairs would be costly.

The next level up from this basic cover, and the most common type of cover which people opt for, is third party, fire and theft. This means that your bike will be covered in the event of a fire or theft and repairs to other vehicles will be covered in the event of an accident which is your fault.

The most secure level of cover is described as comprehensive, and this will ensure that you are covered for repairs to your bike in the event of an accident, even if it is your fault, in addition to the cover which the other two options offer.

Once you have decided which type of cover to go for, you can start shopping around and compare prices. Remember to check not only the price which you will pay for your insurance, but also the excess, a contribution you would be expected to make towards repairs in the event of an accident. In some cases the cover may look very cheap because it comes with a high excess.

If you are happy to pay a higher excess you can find many cheap deals where the excess which you pay is higher and you can bring the price down even more by adding a voluntary excess on top of the compulsory excess which you are expected to pay.

Many indicators can contribute to the price of your premiums, from where you live to the job which you do. If you are in what is classified as a 'high risk' job, then your premiums will reflect this. The frequency with which you use your bike will be considered as will whether you keep it in a garage or not.

Having a high tech alarm system will bring down the price of your premiums as this will make your bike less likely to be stolen. Consider investing in a security system as the savings could be significant.