Bike Stolen :o(

jopari

My Dawes hybrid commuter has been stolen from my shed. Gutted.
Insurance should cover it, but I'm sure they'll try and weasel out of some of the cost.
I have some questions:
1. To buy a new version of the bike is £600, (I paid a fair bit less). I assume this isn't taken into account?
2. How long do insurance claims of this type take generally, and will it up my premium significantly?
3. Reccomend me some security upgrades for my shed! (it was padlocked and with a normal key lock also, but not locked to anything).
4. I've informed Aviva about all the lights, comps etc, but do they generally pay full price for these (one light was £100 for example).

Police have just been round and said it's actually quite rare round here, which is encouraging, but possible link to another theft a couple of streets away.

Graham

Gazzaputt

jopari wrote:

My Dawes hybrid commuter has been stolen from my shed. Gutted.
Insurance should cover it, but I'm sure they'll try and weasel out of some of the cost.
I have some questions:
1. To buy a new version of the bike is £600, (I paid a fair bit less). I assume this isn't taken into account?
2. How long do insurance claims of this type take generally, and will it up my premium significantly?
3. Reccomend me some security upgrades for my shed! (it was padlocked and with a normal key lock also, but not locked to anything).
4. I've informed Aviva about all the lights, comps etc, but do they generally pay full price for these (one light was £100 for example).

Police have just been round and said it's actually quite rare round here, which is encouraging, but possible link to another theft a couple of streets away.

Graham

1. Check you policy is it new for old?
2. Piece of string question.
3. Always lock the bike to something, alarm, ground anchor, remove external hinges, security lighting, gravel around the shed could go on and on!
4.No idea.

Phate

Depends if you are claiming on your house insurance or if you have seperate bike insurance!

If it is bike insurance then it will depend on what you insured the bike for and as for the accessories I'm sure you need to declare these before any claim!

veronese68

Sorry to hear that. When my bike was nicked the insurance company (Axa home insurance) were very good. Got a call from their agent (wheelies) they worked out a value for the bike and all of the accesories, even down to my spare inner tube and the lock. The valuation came out £200 more than my estimate and I could spend up to that amount with them. I opted for the money and they knocked about 20% off to allow for the discount the insurance company would have had.
6 weeks later I saw my bike on Ebay and pestered the police and they got it back for me. Declared it to the insurance company, they still haven't decided what to do. So I have 2 bikes at the moment.
Hope it all works out well for you

jopari

Veronese68 wrote:

Sorry to hear that. When my bike was nicked the insurance company (Axa home insurance) were very good. Got a call from their agent (wheelies) they worked out a value for the bike and all of the accesories, even down to my spare inner tube and the lock. The valuation came out £200 more than my estimate and I could spend up to that amount with them. I opted for the money and they knocked about 20% off to allow for the discount the insurance company would have had.
6 weeks later I saw my bike on Ebay and pestered the police and they got it back for me. Declared it to the insurance company, they still haven't decided what to do. So I have 2 bikes at the moment.
Hope it all works out well for you

This is just the sort of positive news I need right now ) The insurance have called me back and said their 'bike specialist team' will assess a suitable amount for a new bike (with same spec as mine apparently), and I'd be offered a voucher for that amount. Should I push for cash? I don't want to be tied to one bike shop/chain, and want full choice of which bike to choose at that price (I use it to commute and do a decent mileage each year).

Graham

MichaelW

The voucher you were offered covers a replacement of the same or equiv spec. The insurance company are not paying retail for the replacement so you and the ins company are both quids-in.
If you had a specialist bike you could reasonably request a cash settlement but a Dawes hybrid is pretty bog standard and easy to replace. Insurers dont get a discount on cash settlements (you can spend the cash how you like). Generally you can negotiate a better replacement with voucher than with cash.
Some insurers deal with several retailers so you may be able to get an alternate source but it is going to be a big, national, chain or mail-order outfit, not your LBS.

Do make sure you include all accessories eg any brackets for which you have the accessory (computer, pump, lights, child carrier, bar bag) or a replacement accessory. Pedals of the correct grade (ie other than the plastic space-fillers usually supplied.
Tyre of the correct grade (eg kevlar protection)

If you upgraded the wheel make sure the replacement wheel comes with all the bits (rim-tape etc). Sometimes it is assumed that you can use the cassette, inner-tube, tyre that comes with the bike's original wheel. These need moving to the new wheel and there may be a labour charge at your LBS.

jopari

MichaelW wrote:

The voucher you were offered covers a replacement of the same or equiv spec. The insurance company are not paying retail for the replacement so you and the ins company are both quids-in.
If you had a specialist bike you could reasonably request a cash settlement but a Dawes hybrid is pretty bog standard and easy to replace. Insurers dont get a discount on cash settlements (you can spend the cash how you like). Generally you can negotiate a better replacement with voucher than with cash.
Some insurers deal with several retailers so you may be able to get an alternate source but it is going to be a big, national, chain or mail-order outfit, not your LBS.

Do make sure you include all accessories eg any brackets for which you have the accessory (computer, pump, lights, child carrier, bar bag) or a replacement accessory. Pedals of the correct grade (ie other than the plastic space-fillers usually supplied.
Tyre of the correct grade (eg kevlar protection)

If you upgraded the wheel make sure the replacement wheel comes with all the bits (rim-tape etc). Sometimes it is assumed that you can use the cassette, inner-tube, tyre that comes with the bike's original wheel. These need moving to the new wheel and there may be a labour charge at your LBS.

Thanks for the clarity, interesting. I was going to replace my bike at some point with a Kona Honky Tonk, I assume I could add to the voucher amount to make up the difference?
I didn't add pedals and tyres to the claim, as didn't think they'd replace standard bits that I'd upgraded (as opposed to lights etc which are additional). Oops.

fossyant

As for security, get some sort of ground anchor - even a screw in one (through shed floor) will make it difficult to remove bike as they won't be able to unscrew the anchor.

A neighbour had 2 x specialist BMX's and his own custom Downhill MTB stolen from his garage - they went through the roof to get them.

ride_whenever

Keep all bikes in the house with a wall anchor, the best option. And practical if you're prepared to make the sacrifice!

Personally I like qr pedals so you can hang it of the picture rail easily!!!!

jopari

I've had an offer from the insurance, which is higher than I thought (£769 for the bike not including accessories), but I can only spend the voucher at Halfords! Ahhh!
I have my eye on what I want (steelie road bike), and Halfords can't fulfil my needs.
It seems weird because you can't actually buy the Dawes Discovery 601 from Halfords, yet that's what they are offering.
So if I can buy that, surely I could buy something else?

Graham

g00se

I recall a similar thread where someone couldn't get an identical bike from the shop the insurance scheme partnered with. If you badger them enough that Halfords don't supply the same type of bike you lost, they may go for a cash settlement to shut you up...

jopari

Thanks everyone for the advice on this btw.
I've called Halfords and they can order in the bike I'm after (kona honky tonk), so should be good to go (although I hope they build it well). However, I'm really lusting after the 2011 model (dark blue with brown seat/handlebar tape) rather than the 2010 red one. Ho Hum, choices!

Valy

Andrew N

Graham - glad it's resolving itself now. What a bore!

I was surprised to find out that the vast majority of bikes stolen are taken from people's homes...i blogged about this earlier this week.

http://www.goinggoingbike.com/blog/keep ... e-thieves/

jopari

Got my Halfords voucher through, and it says 'not for use on the Boardman range of bikes'!!
So, if I can't order a bike in (which I've been told I can) I'd be stuck with Halford's own makes only!! I find this unacceptable, and will defenitely be changing my bike insurance supplier from Aviva.

g

The Rookie

Not sure how you spend £769 on a bike from Halfords without it being an order in special or a Boardman for the type of bike you are looking at anyway!

The only road or hybrid over £500 (other than a Boardman) is the £1K Voodoo!

Simon

jeremyrundle

jopari wrote:

Got my Halfords voucher through, and it says 'not for use on the Boardman range of bikes'!!
So, if I can't order a bike in (which I've been told I can) I'd be stuck with Halford's own makes only!! I find this unacceptable, and will defenitely be changing my bike insurance supplier from Aviva.

g

Before you do that remember you do NOT have to accept a first offer, tell the insurance company you want to use the value on a bike of your choice, point out that the one stolen was NOT and HALORDS bike.

jopari

jeremyrundle wrote:

jopari wrote:

Got my Halfords voucher through, and it says 'not for use on the Boardman range of bikes'!!
So, if I can't order a bike in (which I've been told I can) I'd be stuck with Halford's own makes only!! I find this unacceptable, and will defenitely be changing my bike insurance supplier from Aviva.

g

Before you do that remember you do NOT have to accept a first offer, tell the insurance company you want to use the value on a bike of your choice, point out that the one stolen was NOT and HALORDS bike.

Hmmm...I tried that, but was told there was no other option available. Also, at that point I hadn't recieved the voucher with this extra stipulation about Boardman bikes on it.
It just seems to be one limitation after another.
Are you saying I can definitely get a cash settlement rather than the voucher?

Graham

jeremyrundle

I lost a Dawes three years ago and was with Moreth>n, now I am not saying all companies are the same but I said I am not happy with what Halfords offer as I do not want their "range" I complained in writing as a formal complaint and said I will take it to the Ombudsman.

They wrote back saying that they would be happy to allow "any bicycle" that Halfords were able to procure"" I got a Saracen.

The Rookie

I should imagine that for 98% of stolen bikes (BSO or BSO+) a Halfords voucher wokrs fine, for something over £500 it gets harder, especially if they intend to rule out 75% of the stock over £500 (Boardmans).

You'll get a better deal accepting the voucher if you can find what you want, why not see if Halfords will take the voucher for the Kona, if not get onto the insurer and point out that what you agreed to you didn't get (no Boardman stipulation) and point out you cannot get a replacement bike from Halfords and ask how they intend to resolve it!

Simon

Valy

Wow, hope you can get more choice as this is not on.

jeremyrundle

Also remember rarely does a cyclist stick with a standard bike, I bought a saracen, but replaced the suspension, wheels, brakes, bars, riser and more, so I would not take a voucher.

Blandiblub

I got my Specialized through Halfords on the Cycle2Work scheme. They essentially took the voucher (I had to send it to them, rather than visit a store) and arranged for a third party supplier to deliver the bike.

So, Halfords have the ability to procure a fairly wide range of makes/models so surely the same principle could apply here??

That's assuming insurance companies and common sense work well together. Hmm...

flappy8

The insurance company are obliged to put you in the same position as you were before the loss (subject to the exact terms of 'new for old' etc.) Just because they have done a deal with Hafords which gives them a nice discount does not mean that you have to accept it. They cannot enforce a supplier or a manufacturer unless they are supplying you with an exact replacement.

Go to a proper LBS and get a quote and send that to the insurance company. Inform them of your rights and you will be rewarded.

Its all to easy to feel pushed around by insurance companies but you are the customer. make them realise that you know your rights and they will back down.