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Bicycle insurance

Get insured before you get on your bike

Cover your bicycle with your home contents insurance
Take out specialist insurance
Tips on how to keep your bike safe
See our bicycle insurance comparison site

As the weather heats up it's a great time to get some exercise and sunshine - such as riding a bike. It's much cheaper and greener than using a car or public transport plus it will keep you in good shape. However, bicycles are often an easy target for thieves and the more expensive the model you have, the more important it is for you to protect your bike with insurance.

Bicycle insurance can be really cheap, and with a bike stolen every 65 seconds in the UK it's definitely worth taking out a policy.

Bicycle cover included in home insurance

Step one: check your home contents insurance

Your bicycle may be automatically insured under your existing home contents policy. Alternatively you may be able to extend the cover you already have to include your bike for an additional premium. This might work out cheaper than buying a separate policy just for the bike.

Step two: questions to ask

Do I need to buy an approved lock for the bike? Almost certainly, yes. Companies won't pay if they think you have made it an easy target so you will need a good lock. Check with your provider to see which ones they accept.

Is my bike only covered if it is stolen from home? Many companies will only insure your bike if it is stolen or damaged whilst at home. If you want more protection then you will need to pay extra.

Is there a limit on the amount I can claim for? With insurance there is almost always an excess to pay or a limit to the amount you can claim. So if your bike is expensive you need to check that you can claim the full price on your policy. Be aware that some companies may only replace your bike at a depreciated value.
What is in the small print? You need to understand exactly what the policy covers. There are always exclusions, for example some companies will not pay out if your bike is stolen between certain hours (usually late at night), so you need to look at the policy exclusions really carefully.

Step three: how does it work?

Most home contents policies will cover a bicycle when it is in your home, an outbuilding or garden. Bikes are covered for full replacement value provided their value is included in your total sum insured.

To cover your bike away from home, you will probably need to add 'personal possessions cover away from the home' to your policy. There will be a limit to how much you can claim per bicycle, so if your bicycle is worth more than that it will need to be classed as a 'specified item'. The 'cover away from home' section should provide cover for the bike when temporarily removed from your home - at Marks & Spencer they will also have cover for your bike when it's taken abroad.

Step four: get the best deal

Keep an eye out for special offers and discounts like these:

If you buy Tesco Home Insurance online between now and 21 June 2008 you will get one third off plus a further 10% discount off the reduced premium online.
Nationwide is offering to beat whatever customers who want to switch from another company paid for their home insurance last year, or refund the difference up to £100. Check out the website for full terms and conditions.
Direct Line are also offering a third off when you buy both building and contents cover together, plus at least 10% off your premium when you buy online.

Don't forget to check our home insurance comparison table to see whether another provider can beat your current premium.

Specialist bicycle insurance

Step one: do you need it?

Cycles are pretty easy to steal and resell because they don’t have the security that cars benefit from. Specialist or stand-alone insurance policies are particularly aimed at more serious cyclists who have expensive bikes or take part in competitive cycling. Clearly the more you cycle, the more likely theft, accidental damage or road accidents are.

These will cost you more (often double the price) but will include much better cover.

Step two: what should it cover?

Third-party or public liability - the costs of causing accidents to other road-users and their property

Damage to your bicycle following an accident
The cost of a replacement bicycle if yours is stolen or damaged
Help to get home if you break down mid-journey
Cover whilst abroad

Step three: how it works

Specialist companies tend to offer different types of cover which you can choose according to your needs, whether simply for leisure, commuting or competitive use. The two major providers of specialist bicycle insurance are Cycleguard and E&L.

At Cycleguard you can choose one of four policies including one for kids, one for roadside recovery alone and one for triathletes, so there is lots of variety and flexibility.

E&L offers both leisure and competitive cycling insurance. Their Leisure Plan covers bicycles used for day-to-day leisure and road-based time trials and the Compete Plan covers bicycles used for racing and competitions for semi-professional cyclists.

Step three: get the best deal

E&L are offering 5% premium discount for cyclists aged between 14 and 18 and over 50 and an online discount of 5% too. They also promise that if you find the same cover cheaper anywhere else they will refund you the difference. E&L's Leisure Plan costs from just £2.45 per month and their Complete Plan costs from £3.50 per month.
Don't forget to use our comparison service to get the best insurance for you.

Keep your bike safe

Here are our top tips to avoid your bike being stolen:

Don't leave your bike in an isolated area.
Always lock your bike up even if you are leaving it for a short time and can still see it.
Use special bicycle racks where possible but in an area that is busy and well-lit.
If you have a garage keep your bike locked inside it when it's not in use.
Use a good-quality hardened steel lock that won't be broken easily. This website will tell you which locks have been safety-certified. You can buy these locks at place like Halfords or try your local bike store.
Lock your bike through the frame and always attach it to something immovable.
Use an ultra-violet pen to write your postcode on the frame.
Write down the name, model and serial number of the bike and take photographs of your bike (which you can give to the police if it's stolen).