Ready to travel on two wheels? Here's some fast facts about this exhilarating sport:
Keep reading to find out what travel insurance can help you with if you’re planning to hire a scooter this holiday.
If you find yourself in trouble on a two-wheeler, we might be able to help. Riding a scooter is covered on all of 1Cover's travel insurance policies if:
For most policies (except Domestic policies), we provide medical and hospital assistance, and medical evacuation, if it's deemed necessary. Find out your options here.
You won’t be covered for anything arising from your scooter riding if:
There’s a moment when you round one of the bends in the road, when the sun is beaming down on your arms, when the wind is whistling past your helmet, and when the beauty of the Sardinian coastline suddenly reveals itself: the rugged coastline, the quaint villages, the impossibly clear blue water dotted with yachts and motorboats. That’s when you realise that this might just be the best travel experience you’ve ever had.
This is scooter riding on the Italian island of Sardinia. This is the experience of hiring a Vespa or something similar and spending a week or two exploring, discovering, relaxing, enjoying life on two wheels.
It might sound a little intimidating to first-timers, but it really shouldn’t. Sardinia is actually the ideal destination for those still learning the ropes in the world of two-wheelers. Life moves slowly on this sunny isle. Pretty much all of the roads in Sardinia – those beautiful windy roads that hug coastlines and climb through mountains – are limited to 50 kilometres per hour. Drivers don’t have the same lunacy as you might find in mainland Italy. It’s relaxed. It’s calm.
And the scenery is almost too beautiful to describe. You’ve never seen clearer water. You’ve never felt such an urge to park the bike by the side of the road and take a quick dip to wash away the cares of travel. You’ve never seen villages and towns so postcard-perfect, whether they hug the coast or sit high in the mountains. You’ve never seen rugged hills as lovely, as inviting to those on two wheels ready to gun an engine into a curve and climb to the top.
There are still precautions to take if you want to hire and ride a scooter in Sardinia. You’ll need to have a license back home to ride a two-wheeler. It will help, too, to have some experience, to at least know your indicators from your ignition, to be able to take in the scenery while also keeping an eye on traffic and not make any mistakes. Not all hire companies supply high-quality helmets either: if you’re concerned, bring your own with you from home.
Do all of those things and you’re in for one of the world’s great experiences. Sardinia by scooter. That’s amore.
You'll need to have a vaild Australian license and a be riding a scooter of 50cc's or less. A common bike that is rented in Bali is a 100cc or 125cc four gear, semi-automatic Honda known in Indonesia as "Bebek". If you are to ride a bike that is over 50cc's then you need to have an Australian Motorbike license.
A motorcycle helmet and appropriate safety gear should be worn, even if it's not one of the requirements of where you are.
People don't aways use their horns in Australia and when they do, it's out of surprise or shock. But in other countries, especially ones where people ride close together, a honk is the primary means of letting others know that you're there.
Whilst the main danger might seem like the other vehicles on the road, a high percentage of accidents are caused by poor road surface conditions. Keep an eye on the roads, and keep your speed down to minimise this risk.
It's simple, if you've been drinking alcohol, you're putting yourself in danger and your travel insurance will be invalid.
We don't cover damage to rental vehicles, so it's important you check the agreement you have with your rental company. There have been cases of travellers being held accountable for damage to a vehicle they didn't cause. Make sure the rental company is legitimate, ask for a pre-rental damage report, and take photos of the vehicle before you leave.
If you are in control of a motorcycle or scooter with an engine capacity greater than 50cc, you need to hold a current, valid Australian motorcycle license.
You also need to be aware that cover will not be provided to you if you are a passenger on a moped, scooter or motorcycle, and the person in control does not have a valid license for the country you are in.
Please note that it's compulsory to wear a helmet while riding a motorbike or scooter in many countries. But regardless of local requirements, 1Cover advises you to wear a motorcycle helmet whenever you are a rider or passenger on a scooter or motorbike.
We don't offer personal liability cover whilst you are in ownership or in control of a motor vehicle, motorbike or scooter, and we don’t replace any aspect of car insurance.
However, we offer personal liability in regards to legal liability for payment of compensation in respect of death or bodily injury, and/or physical loss of, or damage to property. This benefit only applies when you are not in control of a motorised vehicle.
Provided you are within the parameters stated in the PDS, and you don’t have a Domestic or Frequent Traveller Domestic policy, then the medical benefit we offer is unlimited. Terms and conditions apply. Please note: we do not cover for Search and Rescue.
You would need to have insurance with your rental provider, as we do not provide direct cover for your vehicle. We only provide cover for you medically if you are in an accident.
Rental vehicle excess cover is not applicable for scooters and motorcycles.
In an emergency, get yourself to hospital. As soon as it's possible, we advise that you or a member of your travelling party call our medical assistance team who will be able to liaise with you or the hospital.
We cover 100+ activities. Find out all information you need about what’s covered and what’s not before you go adventuring.
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Natalie wrote this article, as Head of Marketing at 1Cover she's got over 10 years of insurance experience under her belt and can answer your trickiest travel insurance questions. Natalie has written about all types of travel insurance from tips and tricks, money saving ideas, pre-existing illnesses and more. Learn more about Natalie.