QUESTION 1:
Why can’t I find any big name companies to insure my motorbike? My car insurance company won’t offer me a quote and my house insurance company says it doesn’t cover bikes either. I’m not keen on going to some tiny insurance company I’ve never heard of.

ANSWER:
Getting bike cover can seem like a step in the dark. Of the big insurance names only Norwich Union and The AA are likely to offer cover to bike owners - most of their rival insurers seem to think the risks of theft or damage are too high for them to bother covering bikes. Fortunately the smaller companies which specialise in bike insurance can be a pleasure to deal with – most are staffed by bike enthusiasts so you won’t end up speaking to people who simply read out scripts from computer screens when they sell their policies. Scott Walker of Europa, which offers policies through The AA, says most of his staff are bikers and that this extra knowledge helps them talk callers through their options. Other long-established bike companies such as Bennetts are also staffed with bike owners so you should get expert help there as well.