Cycle Guard
How to Choose the Best Bike Insurance
Bike insurance isn’t a legal requirement for cyclists, but it’s highly recommended for a variety of reasons. And just like there are different bikes for different needs, there are different bike insurance policies too.
In this post, we break down the benefits of bike insurance and the different types of cover available. Keep reading for top tips on how to get the best deal for your bike!
What Is Bike Insurance and What Does It Cover?
Just like any other insurance policy, bike insurance involves paying a regular fee in return for a financial payout (or other assistance) in the event of an incident. An ‘incident’ could be theft, accidental damage, injury, or even missing a race due to illness.
Theft
As we’ve mentioned before, bike thefts are on the rise in the UK, and you’re at even greater risk if you have a specialist model such as an e-bike. There’s evidence to suggest that electric bicycles are three times as likely to be stolen as regular bikes.
Of course, in an ideal world you’d never need to make a claim for bike theft. You can dramatically reduce the likelihood of it happening by investing in a secure bike storage solution for your home. But your bike is still vulnerable to theft when you’re out and about, and a good bike insurance policy gives you peace of mind. It’s reassuring to know that if your bike were stolen, you’d be able to replace it quickly and get back on the road.
Accidental Damage and Personal Injury Insurance
Even the best cycling pros have accidents. Whether it’s a crash on your commute or you lose your balance at the traffic lights, anyone can fall and damage their bike.
A good bike insurance policy will help you to repair or replace not only your bike, but any damaged accessories too. This could be your helmet, bike computer, or ripped clothing.
If you cycle a lot – and particularly if you cycle competitively – it’s also worth considering insurance that offers add on features such as public liability and personal injury cover. Cycling accidents often result in chipped or broken teeth, for example, and you may need help to cover an expensive dentistry bill. As always, you should be sure to check the small print: some policies may only cover you in certain scenarios, or if you’re wearing protective clothing.
What to Look For from Your Bike Insurance Provider
If you already have home and/or contents insurance, it’s likely that you’ll be able to add your bike to your existing policy. This might be the right option for you if your bike is fairly inexpensive and you don’t take it out very much.
BikeRadar suggests, however, that most cyclists would benefit from specialist cycle insurance instead. Adding to an existing contents policy may be easier in the short term, but there’s likely to be narrow limits on what your provider will pay out for.
When choosing a specialist provider, check that they can cover your specific type of bike in every circumstance you need. That might be competitive racing, taking your bike abroad, or simply locking it up on the street.
Get 10% Off Specialist Bike Insurance With Trimetals and cycleGuard
At Trimetals, we’ve been helping cyclists keep their bikes safe for decades with our market-leading metal storage solutions. Now, we’ve teamed up with Thistle to offer 10% off their specialist cycleGuard insurance policies – so our customers can protect their bikes, wherever they are.
There’s a cycleGuard policy for almost every type of cyclist. From road to mountain, folding to electric, cycleGuard can offer you specialist support and cover for your bike. Click the link below to access your 10% discount, exclusive to Trimetals.
