Are you covered riding in the desert or on a track?

Not on a standard policy. The unified loss and damage policy excludes damage that happens off the road, unless a rider extends cover, and excludes accidents caused by a speed race or test.¹ The third-party policy lets the insurer recover what it paid others if the bike was used off the road without extra cover, or in a speed race.²

What counts as off the road?

The policy uses the legal definition of a road: any path open to public traffic, paved or unpaved, without special permission.²³ Riding outside that, such as in open desert, is off the road unless your policy says otherwise. Insurers can add off-road cover by a rider for an extra premium.¹

Are track days covered?

Racing and timed laps are not. GIG Gulf’s motorcycle wording excludes racing, competitions, rallies and trials, and excludes accidents off the public road unless agreed in the policy.⁴ It does cover a “Circuit School Day”: a professionally run training event at a closed circuit, for a rider who already holds a licence, with an extra AED 500 excess. It excludes racing or timed laps.⁴

Ask your insurer in writing before a track day, and get the cover on your schedule.

What are the rules for quad and dirt bikes in Dubai?

Dubai calls them recreational motorcycles: two or more wheels, a combustion engine, built for sand, mud and rocks.⁵

The fines include AED 500 for riding on paved roads or in a banned area, AED 500 for riding without proper gear, AED 500 for an unlicensed bike or one with no plate, and AED 2,000 for modifying it for speed or noise.⁵ A repeat within a year doubles the fine, up to AED 30,000.⁵

What is the federal rule?

Using a leisure bike with three or more wheels on a road is a federal fine of AED 3,000 and 90 days impound.⁶

Off-road cover for cars is explained on carinsurance.ae.

Before you rent a quad, ask the rental agency for its insurance certificate and what it pays if you are hurt.