Bike Insurance

grant.smith

Hi,

Unfortunately some friends of mine had their bike stolen at the weekend at Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire. Their bike's were secured to the roof rack, all locked, and the thieves just ripped them off the roof rack? Don't fully understand how, they must of caused a lot of damage to the bikes in my opinion.

So this got thinking and I checked with my insurance company, direct line, and I was surprised to here that I would not be covered under this circumstance.

At this point I feel very lucky as I would normally be with them and as such my bike would have been secured to the roof rack.

So, does anyone know of any insurance companies that would cover this circumstance. I ask as this is pretty much the only time my bike is outside and left alone.

Thanks...

Stuck on a Giant

Grant, I've always covered bikes on the house contents insurance. My old insurer, can't remember who, would insure my bikes if locked to a bike rack, but not if they were locked inside the car! Given I could use a £10 cable lock to meet the former requirement, but had a car with a Thatcham 1 (or whatever the top rating is) locking system, it seemed rather silly.

Now insured with M&S who only require you to specifically list items including bikes if valued over £4000, make no mention in their policy conditions as to how they have to be stored.

If they haven't already, get your friends to check what their policy document says on this matter - that is what counts - some companies will try to wriggle out of a claim whenever possible, so your friends have to make sure they have failed to comply with the policy wording.

grant.smith

Until this-morning my bike was an addition to my home contents insurance. However, I rang them to see if my bike would be covered under the circumstances of my friends. They said it would not be covered as the bike was not attached to a solid object, regardless of it being locked to a car?

Thus I cancelled the policy and I now need a new one. You may want to check your policy.

Sadly for my friends they have fallen foul of this insurance floor.

pedlad

Sorry to hear about your bike - was it from the main visitors car park at eastnor or an event over on the deer park?

Seems odd as Eastnor is such a gentile sort of place, out in the countryside. Also a bit worrying if bike thieves are specifically targetting as I'm going there next weekend for mountain mayhem ...