touring insurance

eatmorechips

I'm doing the London to Paris this summer and need insurance to cover accident (we're bound to crash into each other), sickness (we're bound to be struck down with food poisoning) and injury (we're quite old). Can anyone recommend a cycle insurance company that they've had to use when things have gone wrong.

andymiller

Touch wood I've never had an accident, but look at the policy document - a lot of companies use Mondial emergency assistance who are supposed to be good.

I've used Activcard in the past, but never had to make a claim with them.

If you go with general travel insurance make sure that there are no exclusions for cycle touring.

Don't forget to take your EHIC cards these are available free (avoid the websites that charge for them!). With an EHIC card you should be able to get hospital medical treatment on the same terms as a french person (ie you might have to pay a bit up front). Insurance companies will expect you to have these anyway.

While an EHIC card will cover most of the costs of medical treatment, insurance is still useful eg if you need medical repatriation etc.

for theft, you may be better off putting your bike onto your household contents insurance.

EnglishChris

I use Dogtag... specifically designed for those doing random sports, the cover is very transparent (in terms of what, specifically is covered) and you can increase the level of cover if you like to do more adventurous things... With your Dogtag number and name, anyone can log in to their website and see the level of cover that you have.

You also get some cool dogtags :-)

AlunP

I am a mountaineer -who does a bit of cycling to keep fit. As a member of the British Mountaineering Council (anyone can join - you don't have to you have a beard and know your krabs from your friends) and then get access to their insurance schemes which includes cycling. Check the website - they don't bugger about with exclusions which is quite handy as a guy on an expedition I was on in Nepal needed an urgent evacuation by helicopter to keep him from dying of HAPE. The premium suddenly seems really good value.
Alas no cool dogtags available - just a bit of plastic. And if a sharp bit of rock takes your fancy but you fall off, you're covered for that too

http://www.thebmc.co.uk/modules/insurance/Landing.aspx