Does Travel Insurance Cover Riding a Scooter in Bali?

By Bec Milligan.

Heading to Bali and planning on renting a scooter? It is one of the most popular ways to see the island after all. But before you rent one, it pays to check if your travel insurance actually covers scooter riding…

Does travel insurance cover riding a scooter?

1Cover automatically includes cover for riding a scooter or motorbike overseas as part of our standard travel insurance policies. Most other insurers either exclude two-wheeled vehicles altogether or charge extra to add them on. We don’t.

That said, cover only applies if you meet a few conditions. To be covered for scooter riding in Bali, you need to hold a valid Australian motorcycle licence and an International Driving Permit (IDP) that specifically covers motorcycles. You also need to wear a helmet, follow local road rules and never ride under the influence of alcohol. If you tick those boxes, riding a scooter is treated the same as any other overseas activity under your policy.

Where people get caught out is assuming a car licence is enough, or that a rental shop handing over the keys without asking questions means travel insurance will cover you. But if you’re not licensed correctly and get into an accident, your claim can (and likely will) be declined even if the accident in question wasn’t your fault.

Does travel insurance cover scooter accidents in Bali?

Bali’s roads are genuinely more chaotic than most Australians are used to, and motorbike accidents are one of the leading causes of injury among Australian visitors, particularly younger travellers. In fact, local hospitals see a steady stream of scooter-related injuries every single week, many involving tourists who’ve never ridden in mixed, high-density traffic before.

But scooter accidents in Bali are covered under a standard 1Cover policy, as long as you were riding legally, wearing a helmet, following road rules and not under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time.

If you do have an accident and everything on your end was above board, your policy can cover medical treatment, hospital costs and, if needed, emergency evacuation – something that can cost upwards of $23,000 without insurance. 
 

What voids cover almost every time: riding without the correct licence and IDP, not wearing a helmet, or riding after drinking. So, make sure you’ve got the right licence and permit, always wear a helmet and if you’ve had a few drinks, use a ride-hailing app like Gojek and Grab instead. It’s not worth the risk to your safety or any potential claim.

Can I ride a scooter in Bali with an Australian licence?

If you only have an Australian car licence, you cannot legally ride a scooter in Bali. You need a valid Australian motorcycle licence, plus an International Driving Permit (IDP) that includes a motorcycle endorsement.

This trips up a lot of Australians, because rental shops in places like Kuta, Seminyak and Ubud will often hand over a scooter with barely a glance at your paperwork. That doesn’t make it legal. Indonesian traffic police now check documentation more rigorously than in previous years and having just a car licence or an IDP that only has the car box ticked counts as riding without a valid licence. 

Plus, if your home licence restricts you to automatic vehicles, that restriction carries over to your IDP too. So if you’re only licensed for automatics at home, hopping on a semi-automatic “Bebek” style scooter (a very common rental bike) is technically still an offence, even with a valid IDP in hand.

The safest approach: check that your Australian licence includes motorcycles, get an IDP through the Australian Automobile Association, and make sure the motorcycle category is stamped on it. Carry physical copies of both documents every time you ride. Police want to see the original booklet, not just a photo on your phone.

What is the penalty for driving without a licence in Bali?

Under Indonesian traffic law (Law No. 22 of 2009), driving without a valid licence carries a penalty of up to four months in prison or a fine of up to IDR 1,000,000, around $79 AUD. In most cases, foreign tourists are usually issued an on-the-spot fine rather than facing court or jail time, but it’s still a real legal offence… AKA something to avoid!

Other common fines you might come across on Bali’s roads include riding without wearing a helmet (around IDR 250,000 or $20 AUD), failing to carry your STNK vehicle registration (up to IDR 500,000 or $40 AUD), and not producing your licence when asked, even if you have one and accidentally left it at your villa (around IDR 250,000 or $20 AUD).
 

Penalties aside, if you’re in an accident while unlicensed your travel insurance claim will almost certainly be declined, meaning you’ll be financially responsible for medical bills, hospital stays and/or an evacuation – costs that can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. 

A few more handy tips before riding a scooter in Bali

• - Where you rent matters. Some travellers have been held responsible for damage they didn’t cause, so stick to a reputable rental company, ask for a pre-rental damage report and take photos of the scooter before you ride off. It takes two minutes and can save you a lot of hassle later.
• - Be honest about your experience. Bali’s traffic can be extremely overwhelming if you haven’t ridden much before, especially in busy areas like Kuta or Denpasar. There is zero shame in skipping the scooter altogether. Ride-hailing apps like Gojek and Grab are easy to book, and local ojek drivers know the roads better than any tourist ever will.
• - If you do ride, expect a different rhythm to home. Bali’s roads run on momentum more than strict lane discipline, so try to keep moving rather than stopping unexpectedly, stay predictable at intersections and keep an eye out for potholes, pedestrians and other bikes cutting in close. It looks chaotic at first, but there’s a flow to it once you get used to it.
• - Costs are generally low. Standard scooter rentals run around IDR 50,000 to 80,000 per day (roughly $4 to $6 AUD; less than a cup of coffee!), though it’s worth checking upfront whether fuel, helmets and basic damage cover are included in the price.

Ready to ride?

1Cover’s Bali travel insurance policies – which automatically include scooter cover – are affordable and built to support you if things don’t go to plan, so you can spend less time worrying about the “what ifs” and more time enjoying the ride.​​​​​​

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