Mopeds and scooters can make commuting a breeze. With small engines and compact frames, you can zip around town without guzzling gas or struggling to find a good parking spot.
But for all the convenience of a moped or scooter, it could come with an extra cost: You may need to buy insurance.
Are There Differences Between Scooter Insurance and Moped Insurance?
There are no fundamental differences between scooter insurance and moped insurance. Because both mopeds and scooters are two-wheeled vehicles, they both fall under the motorcycle insurance category with most insurance companies.
Insurance needs for a moped or scooter generally align—even if the specifications of the vehicle differ.
What Is the Difference Between a Moped and Scooter?
Mopeds and scooters are both small, two-wheeled vehicles powered by gasoline engines, but the maximum speed and engine size vary. State law definitions of mopeds and scooters can differ, so look to your state’s department of motor vehicles (DMV) for clarification.
In general, the key differences between mopeds and scooters are:
- Mopeds typically have an engine that is up to 50 cubic centimeters (50cc) and are not intended for highway travel. Top speed usually does not exceed 30 mph.
- Scooters often have larger engines that exceed 50cc (sometimes up to 250cc) and the most powerful ones can reach speeds up to 75 mph. You may not be able to ride your scooter on a highway, depending on your state’s engine size and horsepower minimums.
Mopeds and scooters should not be confused with the e-scooters commonly seen on the streets and sidewalks of many U.S. cities. E-scooters are typically battery-powered, don’t require a driver’s license and often can’t surpass 15 to 20 mph. Since e-scooters require users to stand, they may be excluded from moped, scooter and motorcycle insurance.
Do I Need Moped or Scooter Insurance?
Most states require you to carry liability insurance to ride your moped or scooter on public roads if it has an engine size of 50cc or larger or can reach a top speed of 30 mph or more. If your moped is under 50cc or cannot reach 30 mph, you will most likely not be required to get insurance.
A car insurance policy isn’t suitable for a moped or scooter. Most insurance companies cover mopeds and scooters under their motorcycle insurance policies, though some insurers offer separate policies for mopeds or scooters. If you lease or finance a moped or scooter, the lender or leasing company will likely require that you insure it.
Does Your State Require Moped or Scooter Insurance?
Not every state requires moped or scooter insurance. For example, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Texas require moped or scooter insurance, but Florida does not.
Some state insurance laws are more complicated, such as California, and may require insurance for a scooter but not a moped. And other states base insurance mandates on specific factors, such as the vehicle’s top speed.
For example, New York has separate classes for mopeds and scooters—which it places both under the banner of “limited-use motorcycles”—based on the vehicle’s top speed range. Depending on where your moped or scooter falls determines if it needs insurance, as well as other items, like where it may be driven.
New York Moped and Scooter Requirements
| Requirement | Class A (top speed between 30 to 40 mph) | Class B (top speed between 20 to 30 mph) | Class C (top speed 20 mph or less) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Insurance
|
Required
|
Required
|
Recommended
|
|
Helmet and eye protection
|
Required
|
Required
|
Recommended
|
|
Registration
|
Required
|
Required
|
Required
|
|
Title
|
Not Required
|
Not Required
|
Not Required
|
|
Driver license or permit
|
Motorcycle operator’s license (Class M) or a motorcycle junior operator’s license (Class MJ)
|
Any license class
|
Any license class
|
|
Where it may be driven
|
Any traffic lane
|
Right hand lane or shoulder only (unless making a left turn)
|
Right hand lane or shoulder only (unless making a left turn)
|
To learn what the laws are in your state, you can:
- Check with your auto insurance company or insurance agent.
- Contact your state’s department of insurance.
- Contact your state’s department of motor vehicles.
What Does Moped and Scooter Insurance Cover?
Moped and scooter insurance generally includes coverage types similar to motorcycle and car insurance, such as:
Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability
Moped and scooter bodily injury liability insurance covers injuries you accidentally cause others in an accident. Property damage liability pays for damage you accidentally cause to someone else’s property, such as a car, fence or pole.
Collision and Comprehensive Insurance
Collision and comprehensive insurance are separate, optional coverage types, but are often sold together. If you have a lease or loan on your moped or scooter, your leasing company or lender will likely require you to carry these coverage types.
- Collision insurance pays for repairs if your moped or scooter is damaged in an accident, regardless of fault.
- Comprehensive insurance covers problems such as theft and damage to your moped or scooter from vandalism, flood, fire, falling objects or striking an animal.
Carried Contents and Belongings
Carried contents and belonging coverage pays if your belongings are damaged, stolen or lost while you’re riding the moped or scooter.
Medical Payments
Medical payments coverage, also known as MedPay, covers medical bills and funeral costs for you or your passengers if you’re in an accident, no matter who was at fault.
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorists
Uninsured motorist insurance pays for you and your passengers’ medical bills, lost income and other expenses if someone crashes into you and they do not have liability insurance. Underinsured motorist insurance pays for your injuries if the at-fault driver does not have adequate liability insurance.
Moped and Scooter Insurance Discounts
When you insure a moped or scooter you may be able to score a discount such as:
- Multi-policy discount. Bundling insurance is when you buy two or more policies from one insurance company and get a discount. You may be able to bundle moped or scooter coverage with another insurance type, such as auto, home, RV or boat insurance.
- Multi-vehicle discount. When you insure more than one vehicle, such as a car, motorcycle, moped, ATV or snowmobile, you might get a discount. You may also qualify for a multi-vehicle discount if you insure at least two mopeds or scooters.
- Safety discount. If you take an approved moped or scooter safety course, you may be able to pick up a discount.
- Storage discount. Some companies give discounts if you keep the moped or scooter in a garage.
How Much Is Moped and Scooter Insurance?
Moped and scooter insurance can be as cheap as $4 to $6 per month. For example, scooter insurance through Progressive is as low as $75 a year for basic liability insurance. A company called Voom sells pay-per-mile coverage for mopeds and scooters that it says costs as little as $50 a year. Those prices are inexpensive compared to how much motorcycle insurance costs, which is an average of $178 per month, according to Forbes Advisor’s analysis.
Your cost for moped and scooter insurance depends on factors such as:
- Coverage you choose
- Driving record
- Engine size
- Location of your home
- Mileage
- Model, make and vehicle year of moped or scooter
- Years of riding experience
- Your age
Do I Need Insurance If I Rent a Moped, Scooter or E-Scooter?
Insurance laws vary by location regarding mopeds, scooters and e-scooters insurance, so depending on the state and city you’re renting in, you may need insurance.
Before hopping on a rented moped, scooter, e-bike or e-scooter, review the rental agreement’s terms of service to see if any insurance is provided or if you’re left personally liable and responsible if you don’t buy your own insurance. Ask for clarification if you’re uncertain about whether insurance is required and what—if any—coverage is included with the rental contract.
For instance, the Texas Department of Insurance notes some cities in Texas require scooter rental companies to have insurance coverage, but this mainly covers damage to public property, not injuries or other property damage, like damage to a vehicle you crash into.
Will My Car Insurance Cover a Rented Moped, Scooter or E-scooter?
Don’t assume your car insurance will extend to a rental of a moped, scooter or e-scooter, as most likely it will not.
While car insurance coverage usually extends to a rental car, it doesn’t typically cover a rented motorcycle, moped, scooter or e-scooter. That’s because these vehicles have fewer than four wheels.
Will Motorcycle Insurance Cover a Rented Moped, Scooter or E-scooter?
Yes, it might. Some insurance companies extend motorcycle insurance coverage to rentals of other two-wheeled vehicles. For example, with Foremost’s Elite motorcycle insurance package a rental motorcycle or moped is covered under the policy’s enhanced rental coverage.
If you need insurance for a rented two-wheeled vehicle and have a personal motorcycle, moped or scooter insurance policy, contact your insurance company to verify what coverage will extend to rentals.
A motorcycle insurance policy (or one for a moped or gas-powered seated scooter) likely won’t extend to an electric scooter because it’s not a two-wheeled vehicle and you stand on the e-scooter.
