Senator and presidential candidate Paloma Valencia proposed exempting owners of motorcycles in Colombia with a displacement of up to 250 cubic centimeters (cc) from paying the Mandatory Traffic Accident Insurance (SOAT). The proposal establishes that the State directly covers the cost of health coverage for this segment, removing the requirement for citizens to purchase it individually.
Context of the automotive fleet in Colombia
Official data from the RUNT (Single National Traffic Registry) as of December 31, 2025, shows that Colombia ended the year with 13,528,164 registered motorcycles. These vehicles now constitute 63% of the national automotive fleet, significantly outnumbering automobiles and SUVs
The distribution by displacement reveals that Valencia’s proposal would impact the vast majority of users. Reports from the Motorcycle Industry Chamber of ANDI and Fenalco indicate that the highest demand segment is concentrated in low displacements:
- 47.68% of new motorcycles registered in March 2026 correspond to the range between 100 cc and 125 cc.
- 15.22% belong to displacements from 126 cc to 150 cc.
- 26.90% of the fleet falls within the 151 cc to 200 cc displacement category.
In total, more than 90% of motorcycles—equivalent to more than 12 million motorcycles on the road in the country—have an engine displacement of up to 250 cc.
Technical and financial details of the proposal
The bill proposes an amendment to Article 42 of the National Traffic Code, requiring the State to guarantee initial medical care for accident victims through a new public financing model. If approved, the Government would have six months to regulate this scheme.
Valencia justifies the measure as a social necessity, noting that 92% of these motorcycle owners belong to socioeconomic strata 1, 2, and 3. Additionally, industry data indicate that 60% of motorcyclists earn less than two minimum wages. The senator contends that shifting the financial burden to the State would effectively resolve the 60% evasion rate currently seen in the motorcycle sector.
Reactions and viability of the project
The proposal sparked immediate debate. Critics, including Senator Angelica Lozano, labeled the initiative as populist and raised concerns regarding its fiscal impact, noting that motorcycles are involved in 77% of road incidents resulting in injury or death.
Paloma Valencia atacó la iniciativa del Gobierno de subsidiar el SOAT para motos. Ahora, como necesita votos, promete exactamente lo mismo. Esto demuestra una vez más que solo le importa la gente cuando está en campaña, mientras anda pescando votos. pic.twitter.com/uysT2AVty2
— Alex Flórez Hernández (@AlexFlorezH) May 4, 2026
Insurance experts point out that the main obstacle is long-term sustainability. While the proposal aims to eliminate barriers to access and put an end to evasion, the government must find a stable source of funding to cover the associated medical costs, which amounted to 2.7 trillion pesos (US$728.7 million) last year.