Do You, Like Me Rely On Your Household Insurance For Your Bikes As Well?
Do you, like me rely on your household insurance for your bikes as well?
Statistics show that around 131,000 bicycles were reported stolen in the UK in 2004 whilst around 35,000 cyclists a year are involved in accidents. Would your bike be covered by your contents policy if it was stolen from the bike rack on the car? If your bike was damaged or stolen, could you afford to replace it?
Although improvements have been made to reduce the risk of accident on many cycling routes in Britain’s towns and cities, there will always be a potential risk wherever motor vehicles and bicycles share the same thoroughfares. The statistics make grim reading but more often than not, it is the motorist who is at fault, although this is little by way of compensation if you are injured and cannot work.
Many stand alone cycle policies not only cover theft of your bike but also give personal accident cover that could make it easier to claim against an at fault road user. Some of this cover may be provided by other policies or membership of cycling groups, but if you are a keen bike user it is definitely worth investigating one of the dedicated policies available to cyclists.
One of the most comprehensive on-line quotation systems for cycle and bike insurance can be found at www.cycleguard.co.uk who will give an instant on-line quote for your bike or bikes and also insurance for third party liability claims.
The interesting thing about cycleguard is that they will quote for time trialists, road racers, and other competitive cycling events as long as the sport does not involve mass starts. Sometimes getting cover for public road type events can be difficult and may not be covered by domestic policies. Interestingly they also cover electric bikes so long as they are not covered by the Road Traffic Act. Through their call centre you can also get a quote for kids if they are between 12 to 15 years. Kids’ bikes can cost as much if not more than adult bikes and if you are lucky enough (!) to have a few in the family this peace of mind may be valuable.
As in all things insurance, check the wording, exclusions, conditions and provisions of the policy carefully before committing your cash. The conditions for where you should store your bike, what lock you require and what you should lock it to should be taken on board otherwise the cover will be a waste of time and money. Look for terms such as Loss or Damage, New for Old, Replacement Hire and Emergency Recovery. If you require cover for travel outside the UK, you may need to specifically request it.
This article and many like it was written by Chris Cooper of BusyOutdoors.com
To see more articles about the great outdoors including biking, camping, climbing, scuba, caravanning vist www.busyoutdoors.com
Chris also runs www.thewebbothy.co.uk a Small Business Internet Resource where you will find articles and reviews on getting your business online.
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