Do bikers require insurance? Is insurance a requirement for motorbike road use? Can motorbike insurance provide you with theft protection?
In a nutshell, it's no longer required by law, but it's a great concept.
If you need to protect your motorcycle from theft and unintentional damage, or if you move a lot for racing and want to be covered for all contingencies, you should seriously consider purchasing bicycle insurance.
This is the most thorough guide available online for choosing the best bicycle insurance, and it can assist you in choosing the type of coverage you need.
If you want a quick estimate, use our coverage comparison tool, created in partnership with Quote Zone, to obtain a cycling insurance quote in a matter of seconds.
What are the various cycling insurance options?
Including bicycle insurance in your house contents insurance
The most well-known method of insuring motorcycles is by far home insurance. A Bike Radar survey conducted in April 2016 found that 75% of people who insure their bikes do so through their domestic insurance.
The appeal of doing this is obvious; including your motorcycle under domestic insurance keeps everything neatly tied up into one package deal and removes one more thing to think about when it comes time for renewal.
It may also represent excellent value for money if you're looking for a hassle-free insurance to cover you for the essentials or if you just want to insure a reasonably priced motorcycle.
In contrast to professional cover, there are risks associated with insuring your motorbike under your home insurance, particularly for the devoted bike owner.
Professional bicycle photography
Bicycle insurance rules that are specifically geared towards more extreme cyclists.
It is feasible to purchase insurance to cover virtually every conceivable scenario, but for
Cycling enthusiasts, these are the primary areas that should be covered by specialised coverage that recipients obtain through domestic coverage:
- Families and households with several motorcycles
- Equipment damage while racing Costs associated with not finishing the race
- Added bicycle accessories
- cycling gear
- Small to major personal unforeseen circumstances cover
- Public responsibility if you cause someone else's harm
- roadside assistance
Starting off, we'll go over each of these, explain what you should know, and compare the benefits of specialised bicycle insurance to more traditional insurance options.
What kind of cycling insurance do I need?
Bike robbery insurance
When questioned in a BikeRadar poll, the majority of participants expressed a strong interest in bicycle theft insurance.
Not always, though, is this the case. According to the Office for National Statistics, 276,000 bikes were taken in the UK in 2017. It is clear that bikes are a popular target for thieves.
With many insurers offering to replace your vintage motorcycle for a brand-new one, bicycle theft insurance allows you to recover the worth of a brand-new motorcycle in the event that it is stolen.
Since there are many different guidelines to choose from and the market is competitive, insurance is better than ever. Therefore, make sure you compare your options.
Leaders in the market are now paying out up to 95% of claims, though any provider will still expect you to exercise due research.
The first thing to do is make sure your bike is covered by your coverage if you decide to insure it through your home insurance.
Most policies will include basic bicycle coverage under general “private property” coverage, but it's likely to have a maximum claim that might not match the price of your oh-so-valuable bike, with some policies setting limits as low as £350.
Some carriers will help you increase the maximum value of your personal belongings, but it's fine to immediately speak with your business to determine the cap that can be placed on that allowance. The strict rules will cost up to £15,000 in total.
This can significantly increase your premium, so shop around to ensure that professional insurance and all the benefits it entails are more affordable.
- Most home insurance plans may only cover a motorcycle if it is kept indoors or securely locked in a garage or shed, unless otherwise specified. For a bicycle owner who wishes to ride their bike outside but doesn't entirely rely on a turbo teacher, the drawbacks of this are evident.
- However, a few household insurance providers will let you extend coverage outside of the house. For a fee, you can add “faraway from domestic” protection with M&S Bank and Hiscox insurance, for example.
- Ensure that your coverage extends to your bike even when it's not actively being used by paying careful attention to the details in this section. Some insurance companies will best cover your motorcycle for theft or unintentional harm when it is stationary or being stored.
- The same guidance is applicable to specialty insurance, but be sure to check the regulations before leaving your motorcycle in a car, especially over night. A motorbike must be kept out of site, according to many home coverage regulations, or your insurance will not be valid.
- If you own multiple bikes, it's a good idea to look around for insurance because some insurers will give you a generous discount on additional motorcycles, sometimes up to 60%.
A final word of caution: even though it may seem obvious to an experienced bike owner, it may be challenging to convince a home insurance provider that a bicycle is likely worth hundreds of dollars more than a car. In such a circumstance, a knowledgeable supplier is more likely to make an arrest.
Bicycle coverage under landlords' or tenants' insurance
It's also worth thinking about covering your motorcycle with renters/tenants insurance if you don't own your own home and don't want to go the professional cover way.
The same advice for domestic insurance applies here, so make sure you compare options and speak with your supplier to learn all the specifics. Pay close attention if you reside in a shared space as this may complicate matters.
Footage of bicycle races
If riding a bike is a significant part of your life, shopping around to see what insurance might be helpful to you is definitely worthwhile.
Any well-organized event will include 0.33 in birthday party insurance as part of your entry cost. In the event that you hurt a spectator or damage property, this will safeguard both you and the organiser.
However, it won't cover personal injury, damage to your motorbike, or injury or damage to rival competitors and their motorcycles.
The majority of reputable motorcycle insurance companies offer the choice to add committed event coverage. Vendors of home insurance are extremely, incredibly unlikely to offer this.
Most insurance providers will even pay for unintentional damage to your motorcycle and gear that may occur during a competition, depending on the one you choose. The majority may also cover you to prevent theft during any changes.
Some insurance companies will even frequently pay out if you are hurt before an event and are unable to attend, covering any expenses associated with the loss of access.
It is well worth looking into short-term insurance if you only have plans to attend a few events in a year and don't want to spend for a full year's worth of coverage. You can purchase insurance from some businesses for a week at a time.
Make sure the policy you choose will produce the outcomes you want. Some policies will exclude mass start occasions, crates, and extreme game fringes (think trials driving, Me avalanche, and similar).
Unexpected injury protection
Although theft is the most common scenario for most cyclists, accidental damage coverage accounts for the majority of claims for most specialized bicycle insurance providers.
As an illustration, Bikmo disclosed through its Open Project that an astounding 83 percent of its claims were for unintentional harm.
Depending on the level of insurance you select, accidental damage coverage will typically cover everything from replacing a complete motorcycle to individual components and accessories.
Home insurance may be a good option for more expensive items like GPS devices and high-end motorcycle or mountain bike helmets, but professional insurance is frequently a better option if you need complete coverage for everything in your package.
This isn't quite as straightforward as theft insurance, so compare plans if you own a bike and are particularly prone to coincidences.
Cycling trip protection
If you're planning a trip overseas with your bike, it's important to consider whether professional travel insurance is a better choice than non-professional travel insurance.
If you expressly state that you will be riding a bike while on vacation, non-specialist travel insurance policies may cover you, but they won't if the trip is not a cycling vacation. It's possible that such programming will completely stop including any racing or mountain biking.
Most travel insurance plans may not even cover the cost of a rental motorcycle if your own motorcycle is damaged while being transported.
The only way to guarantee you are covered if you are racing is with specialised motorbike insurance plans, which are more likely to cover such situations.
Check the details of your plan before travelling overseas to compete in an ultra-endurance race because some events have length or distance restrictions.
Some home insurance policies that protect your motorcycle from theft or damage while you're gone from home may even have limited coverage abroad.
Make sure to pay close attention to the details of your insurance policy, paying special attention to the coverage for theft and unintended damage while in transportation.
The majority of specialized carriers give short-term programmed, similar to racing coverage.
Membership to specific biking golf tools will also provide coverage for a few international trips.
coverage of a personal twist of destiny
Should you suffer a serious motorcycle injury, personal insurance will provide you with cash assistance.
If your injuries prevent you from working, some policies will pay you a lump amount to help with medical expenses like physiotherapy and dental work.
Make sure to tell your insurer about any pre-existing medical problems you may have because failing to do so may also void any coverage.
In comparison to a specialized bicycle insurance policy, a dedicated private coverage coverage will provide a far more complete level of coverage.
Even though wearing a helmet is no longer required by law, most policies from either a specialised personal insurance company or a professional biking insurance issuer may still stipulate that you must do so in order for your coverage to be legitimate.
However, since most products offer some level of personal coverage protection, it's worthwhile to compare what's on offer because it can help you decide between two plans if you're undecided.
Cycle insurance for third parties
Third-birthday celebration and civil obligations Coverage is entirely different ballgame.
0.33-birthday party coverage will cover you for damage to others and their property as well as legal fees if you have a severe accident and injure someone else.
Given this, it may be necessary for you to think about getting liability insurance to protect you in the event of a serious turn of events.
Naturally, insurers are unlikely to take your claim if you are breaking the law when the accident is caused (don't do that).
Motorcycle insurance versus home insurance
Should I use my domestic insurance or buy specialised cycling insurance?
Specialist bicycle insurance may seem like just another cost, but if you want the best chance of receiving a payout in the case of a claim, it's almost certainly your best bet.
Remember that a cycling-specific insurer will likely better identify and possibly be more sympathetic for your capacity claim than a home coverage issuer, despite the fact that it may seem ridiculous to mention it.
It can be frustrating to tell a domestic coverage expert that your bike should probably cost more than anything else you own when you're trying to set up your coverage.
Having said that, putting a motorcycle on domestic insurance may also offer better value for the money if you're looking for basic protection against theft for a cheap motorcycle and don't plan on travelling abroad or participating in racing.
Finally, the same guidance applies to all carriers, but be sure to pay close attention to the details. The insurance business wouldn't be as successful if vendors paid out in every circumstance, so make sure you won't be left out by any sneaky loopholes.
club participation
You might not know this, but club membership frequently comes with protection.
Precisely what level of insurance is offered varies from membership to membership, but the majority at the very least offer third-party and liability coverage.
The most well-known organisation that provides discounted insurance is British Cycling (that is now provided through Bikmo).
Cycling UK Club offers riders up to £10 million in worldwide third-party liability protection for just £4 per month (apart from Canada and the USA).
A few alternatives to golf equipment may have protection that could protect users of other outdoor activities.
The Austrian Alpine Society is a well-known option. Depending on the circumstances, it may be able to cover you if you are hurt while travelling abroad, though it will never provide coverage to the same extent as a dedicated cycling insurance policy.
What information is required for motorbike insurance?
Obtaining a bicycle insurance quote is a fairly straightforward process. You might be asked in your proposal that you:
- Age
- Address
- The cost of your bicycle
Even other insurance providers might demand the following from you:
- Bike make
- Model
- Bike kind
- Serial number
Whether it has particular parts or custom parts
Even if your motorcycle is an electric-powered motorcycle, you'll probably need to declare it. Ebikes are covered by the majority of laws, but there are also specialized electric powered motorcycle insurance laws available.
Strategies to help you stay protected
As we've already mentioned, insurers will expect you to exercise due care, so failing to heed these advice should cost you when the time comes to file a claim.
If all of this seems excessive and problematic, we strongly advise you to put up with the minor inconvenience right away because dealing with the authorities and filing an incomplete insurance claim could be much more stressful.
You should keep in mind that giving out on a claim costs money for insurers. It would no longer be a viable business model to pay out on every claim, so demonstrating that you have done your due diligence will make your lives much easier. Additionally, you run the risk of the authorities treating you seriously.
How to secure a motorcycle
If you choose to secure your motorcycle away from home, be sure to do so in a busy, energetic, and ideally, CCTV-equipped area.
This will not only reduce the probability that thieves will target your bike, but it will also simplify your life should you need to file a claim.
To ensure you don't become a victim of robbery, we have an entire manual on how to lock a motorcycle correctly.
Otherwise, it's important to know that some insurance providers provide a list of approved mechanisms that must be used. To give one example, Bike definitely needs that:
- A minimum Sold Secure Bronze lock is used to secure bikes with a worth of up to £1,000.
- A Sold Secure Silver or Gold lock is used to protect bicycles with a price between £1,001 and $2,000.
- And Sold Secure Gold locks are used to protect motorcycles costing more than £2,000
- The use of something else in this particular situation might make your insurance invalid. The website of Sold Secure has a catalogue of approved locks.
Even if your insurance policy doesn't mention a particular model, you should still invest in a dependable and stable lock. For more information, read our buyer's guide to the best bike locks.
Last but not least, check the fine print to make sure there are no provisions regarding the circumstance in which you lock up your motorcycle.
As Bike Radar reported back in 2008, one insurer insisted that a student's claim was nullified because they had not taken off their saddle and front tyre when their bike was stolen.
As far as we can tell, there hasn't been anything similar in recent memory, but it can't hurt to double-check.
Abandonment
When a motorcycle is locked up outside of your house and left unattended for a predetermined period of time, it is considered abandoned.
Although the majority of insurers define abandonment as 24 hours without being attended, some vendors will describe a bicycle as abandoned after only 12 hours.
You might no longer be protected if you leave your motorcycle for longer than this, especially against unintentional harm or vandalism.
why bike registration is important
It is recommended to register your motorcycle with one of the well-known agencies.
When attempting to identify a stolen bike, the police in the UK use the most common service, Bike Register.
A logbook will also be accessible online, assuming the motorcycle has been registered through the programme, making it possible to determine whether or not a used motorcycle has been the victim of theft.
Capture pictures
On a similar note, it's also a good idea to snap regular clear pictures of your bike, especially if you upgrade any stock components.
It's a good idea to take a picture of your motorcycle's frame number, which is usually but not always stamped under the frame's lowest bracket shell. In the event that your motorcycle is stolen, it may also be a key factor in getting it returned to you.
Most people shouldn't have a problem with this in our obsessively Instagram-documented world, but if your bike is taken, having clear, accurate photos and receipts will make things much easier for you.
If someone else drives it, is your motorcycle insured?
The specifics vary from policy to policy, but you are generally covered if a close family member utilises your bike.
Conclusion
Now that you are an experienced insurance professional, you can make a logical decision about who will offer the best coverage for you.
Fortunately, we've done some of the legwork for cyclists and, along with some of the company's major providers in the UK, have compiled a list of the top motorcycle insurance options on the market.
In the meantime, feel free to share any thoughts or stories—no matter how gruesome—in the comments. We'll do our best to respond to your inquiries.
Also Read : Car Accident Lawyer | 5 Advices for Making the Best Decision
