Observations · activitiesScooters and motorbikes

Travel insurance for scooters and motorbikes

This is the most common serious claim in Southeast Asia and the one most likely to be refused. The refusal is almost never about the crash. It is about whether you were legally licensed to be on that bike, in that country, on that day.

Forum consensus, which is roughly correct, is no licence, no insurance. But the detail matters enormously, and it differs between insurers in ways that no comparison site surfaces. Some require a licence valid for that engine size in your home country. Some require an International Driving Permit endorsed for motorcycles. Some cap engine size outright. A few do not exclude ordinary riding at all.

What each insurer's wording actually says

Insurer	Scooters and motorbikes	What the wording says	Source
WorldTripsAtlas Travel / Atlas America	Yes	Ordinary motorcycle/scooter riding not excluded (dirt bikes, ATVs and racing are); helmet required via safety-equipment condition.	source checked 2026-08-03
IMGPatriot International / America	Yes	Ordinary riding not excluded (no helmet/licence/engine clause found); motocross and racing excluded.	source checked 2026-08-03
SafetyWingNomad Insurance (Essential)	With conditions	Covered if licensed for the area (incl. IDP where required) + helmet; over 50cc needs the Adventure Sports add-on.	source checked 2026-08-03
GenkiTraveler	With conditions	“Motor vehicle operations” covered as standard; licence/helmet conditions not published, check the conditions PDF.	source checked 2026-08-03
Globelink InternationalAlready Travelling / Single trip / Annual	With conditions	Up to 250cc, with a full licence from your home country, a helmet, and recognised roads only. No off-road or racing. Over 250cc by email assessment.	source checked 2026-08-03
Seven CornersTravel Medical / USA Visitor	With conditions	Motorcycles ≤250cc addressed via rider; verify plan documents.	source checked 2026-08-03
World NomadsStandard / Explorer	With conditions	Covered in many markets if locally licensed + helmet; engine-size rules vary by residence.	source checked 2026-08-03
HeymondoSingle trip / Long Stay	With conditions	Reported covered with local licence + helmet; engine-size rules unverified.	source checked 2026-08-03
EKTATravel / Seniors / Visa-Ready	Not verified	Tier placement and licence rules not published.	source checked 2026-08-03

Before you rent the bike

Check the engine size against your policy. Several insurers draw the line at 50cc, 125cc or 250cc, and rental shops will happily hand you something larger.
Carry the right licence. A home licence with a motorcycle entitlement, plus an International Driving Permit where the country requires one.
Wear the helmet, always. Nearly every wording makes cover conditional on it, and local police reports record whether you were wearing one.
Do not ride after drinking. Alcohol exclusions are universal and are the second most common reason these claims fail.
Check whether you need an add-on. SafetyWing requires its Adventure Sports add-on above 50cc, and Seven Corners handles motorcycles through a rider.

Liability is the part nobody insures

Travel insurance covers your injuries. It generally does not cover damage you do to other people or their property on a motorbike, which is what third-party motor insurance is for. In much of Southeast Asia that cover is thin or absent on rental bikes, so an accident involving someone else can leave you exposed regardless of how good your travel policy is.

Questions people actually ask

Do I need an International Driving Permit to be covered?+

Where the country requires one, yes, and that is the common formulation in policy wordings: you must be legally entitled to ride under local law. An IDP is a translation of your existing licence, so it only helps if your home licence already carries a motorcycle entitlement.

I only rode a 50cc automatic scooter. Does that count as a motorbike?+

Usually yes for insurance purposes, because the exclusion is written around powered two-wheelers rather than the word motorbike. A few insurers treat sub-50cc more leniently, which is exactly the sort of detail worth checking in the wording rather than assuming.

What if I am a passenger rather than the rider?+

Generally better, because the licence condition applies to the person riding. Helmet requirements still apply to you, and some wordings exclude motorcycle use entirely regardless of your seat, so read the exclusion rather than relying on the distinction.

Buying cover after departureUseful if you are already in Asia SafetyWing vs World NomadsTwo very different activity approaches Age ceilings comparedWhere each insurer stops

Every rule on this page comes from the insurer's own policy wording, FAQ or terms, and carries the date we last checked it (2026-08-03). Insurers change eligibility rules without notice, so confirm anything that matters directly with them before buying. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will re-verify it.