States / Montana
MT · low death rate · Riders 17 and younger
Motorcycle and RV insurance in Montana
29 motorcyclists died on Montana roads in 2023, among 423,458 registered motorcycles — 0.7 deaths per 10,000 bikes, below the national 6.7 and number 51 of 51. That is among the lowest rates in the country, though part of that reflects how registrations are counted here (see below).
- 1Deaths per 10,000 bikes 0.7
- 2Helmeted, of riders killed 66%
- 3Registered motorcycles 423,458
- 4Rank of 51 #51
The helmet law in Montana
Montana's law covers riders 17 and younger; older riders choose. Of the riders killed here in 2023 whose helmet use was known, 66% were helmeted — compared with 50% across the 30 age-limited states and 90% in all-rider states. Roughly half ride helmeted, typical of age-limited states.
Montana issues permanent motorcycle registrations, so the FHWA count accumulates vehicles no longer ridden and the per-registration death rate reads low.
What this means for a rider's policy
In a lower-risk state, the policy decisions are more about the machine: collision and comprehensive for a financed or valuable bike, custom-parts cover for upgrades, and a lay-up option for the off-season. Injury coverages still matter — a single crash costs the same anywhere — but they are less likely to be called on. The motorcycle page takes each line in turn.
Riders in Montana with the closest death rates are in New York (1.9), South Dakota (2), Utah (2).
RVs and trailers in Montana
RV insurance rules are mostly the same from state to state: a motorhome needs the state's auto liability like any car; a towable trailer usually takes its on-road liability from the tow vehicle's policy, so the trailer's own policy is about physical damage and contents. What changes with Montana's climate and roads is which claims are likely — hail and storms for trailers stored outdoors, breakdowns far from service on long-distance trips. Montana's minimum auto liability limits are set by state law and are not printed here (see methodology); check them with the state before buying a minimum-limits policy.
Sources: FHWA Highway Statistics 2023, Table MV-1 (motorcycle registrations); NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts 2023 Data: Motorcycles (DOT HS 813 732), Table 7; IIHS motorcycle helmet law table (current as of October 2026). Deaths per 10,000 is derived (deaths ÷ registrations × 10,000). Checked 2026-10-23.