Long-Term Bike Insurance: What Every Rider Must Know About the New Third-Party Rules

What are the new rules?

• The Indian Supreme Court in September 2018 mandated that new two-wheelers must come with a five-year third-party (TP) insurance cover. This isn’t optional — it’s part of the law.
• Third-party insurance means covering liabilities arising from injury, death or property damage caused to others in the event of an accident. It does not cover damage to your own bike.
• If you opt for a comprehensive insurance plan instead (which covers both third-party plus “own damage”), then the own-damage portion is usually valid for one year, and needs renewal annually. The TP part stays for the 5-year term.

Why was this change introduced?

There are a few good reasons behind making long-term TP mandatory:

• Reduce uninsured vehicles on the road: With yearly policies, many owners miss renewals. That leaves vehicles uninsured at times. Five-year TP ensures more continuity.
• Stable liability protection: Accidents involving third parties can lead to big liabilities. Having long term TP ensures the legal minimum protection is always in force.
• Saves you from annual premium hikes / procedural hassles: Since TP premiums are regulated by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and are periodically revised, locking in for 5 years shields you from future rate shocks for that liability portion. Also, no need to remember annual renewals (for TP).

What it doesn’t cover — limitations

Long-term TP is great, but it’s not everything. Here’s what it doesn’t protect against:

• Damage to your own bike in an accident, fire, theft, vandalism or natural disasters. That’s covered only under “own-damage” components, which are usually in comprehensive policies.
• Add-ons like roadside assistance, zero depreciation, etc., are usually tied to comprehensive insurance, or separate riders.
• The own-damage cover in many cases is valid only for one year. After that, it must be renewed if you want that protection.

How does long-term TP combine with “own damage”?

If you want broader protection, a common strategy is:

• Buy 5-year TP cover (which is now mandatory for new two-wheelers under law).
• Pair it with a 1-year own damage (OD) cover, which you renew annually.

This gives you legal compliance for TP over the long term, while giving flexibility on the OD component (you can adjust, change insurer, add covers, etc.).

The benefits in practice

Here’s what you stand to gain with the new long-term TP rules, especially if you go via brokers like Jio Insurance Broking:

• Financial predictability: You pay the TP premium upfront for 5 years; you're shielded from any IRDAI-driven TP premium hikes during that time.
• Legal peace of mind: No risk of fines or license issues for having an expired TP policy.
• Less paperwork: One-time TP policy, rather than renewing every year.
• Cost saving: Because the TP component is regulated, and you avoid annual transactions, you save on both premium increases and administrative costs.

What you should check when buying?

Even with rules in place, not all policies are equal. Here’s what to look into:

• Engine capacity of your bike (cc) — TP premium rates depend heavily on this. Higher cc usually = higher premium.
• Make sure you understand exactly what the TP covers (property damage, injury, death of third parties) and what it doesn’t.
• For the OD part: decide what add-ons you want (e.g. theft, natural disasters).
• Compare offers from multiple insurers — even though TP rates are regulated, OD/additional services differ.
• With Jio Insurance Broking, you get help comparing policies, understanding wordings, seeing what extra protection makes sense for your usage pattern (daily commute, city roads, long rides, etc.).

How Jio Insurance Broking helps you

At Jio Insurance Broking, we believe bike ownership should be a ride — not a risk. Here’s how we make the long-term TP journey smoother:

• Clarity: We explain the new rules simply, so you know what you must buy, and what extras are optional.
• Comparison: We help you compare long-term TP offers + OD add-ons across insurers, tailored to your bike (model, cc, age).
• Transparency: No hidden clauses. You’ll see full coverage, limitations, quotes, breakdowns.
• Support: For renewals, claims, or if you want to switch OD covers without disrupting your TP legal compliance we guide you step by step.

The “long-term third-party” rule is a big step toward making roads safer, legal compliance easier, and insurance simpler for every bike owner. While it doesn’t replace the benefits of a comprehensive bike insurance plan, it ensures the minimum protection is locked in — and that’s no small thing when lives, liabilities, and laws are involved.

Owning a bike is freedom. With smart insurance—starting with long-term TP—Jio Insurance Broking makes sure that freedom doesn’t come with unnecessary risk. Ride safely, ride smart, and let the law (and your insurance) work for you.