insurance for cyclists
tonymod
Posts: 2
Just read this article onthe BBC news webpage, but what struck me most about it what some someone called Malcom Tarling of ABI claims that "230 cyclists are killed or seriously injured every month on the roads"...he doesn't say where..I mean UK wide, EU, around the world? Morevoer, where has he got this figure from? What are your thoughts on this article everyone because if this figure is fact and is UK only, I am really shocked!
Cyclists 'urged to get insurance'
Comments (3)
By Maleen Saeed Business reporter, BBC News
Bicycles Many cyclists take to the road without considering insurance
Continue reading the main story
Related Stories
Drivers uninsured in fraud scam
The critical cost of uninsurance
Not having a comprehensive insurance policy could prove costly, cyclists have been warned by the Association of British Insurers (ABI).
It says those hurt in an accident, or found responsible for causing one, may face bills of thousands of pounds.
Department for Transport figures show accidents involving cyclists rose by 12% in the first half of 2011 compared with the same period a year earlier.
Cycle use is now around 20% higher than it was in the late 1990s.
Rising costs
Pepe Tozzo ended up in hospital after colliding with a car while cycling home from work in South Wales.
He recalls how he collided with the side of a van that emerged from a side road, as he was riding down a hill.
The driver of the vehicle involved in the collision had no insurance or driving licence. With no personal injury or legal cover, the costs for Pepe were soon spiralling out of control.
He recalls spending a week in hospital, three months off work, and a year recuperating to get his leg back to normal.
Pepe Tozzo Pepe Tozzo says that a collision led to months spent recovering
"There has been a long lasting legacy," he says.
"It probably knocked my career back by one year."
It is not compulsory for cyclists to have insurance. Cycle use in the UK has been increasing in recent years, up about 20% compared with the late 1990s.
With the number of accidents also rising, Malcolm Tarling, of the ABI, says there is now a strong case for all cyclists to have personal injury and third-party cover.
"If you are a cyclist and you are involved in an accident the chance of you being injured are quite high," he says.
"Some 230 cyclists a month are killed or seriously injured on the roads so there is a good chance you are going to be off work for weeks, if not months, so some sort of insurance to cover you for loss of income makes sense."
He says cyclists often underestimate the risks they face when they are on the roads, in particular if they are in an accident where they are found to be at fault themselves.
"If you are a cyclist and you are involved in an accident and you are at fault for causing it you could be sued for damages," he says.
This could amount to hundreds or thousands of pounds, he claims.
"If you are cyclist you should always have some form of liability insurance. It is essential."
Lower premiums
However, many cyclists do not have comprehensive cover.
Tom Bognanowicz, from the London Cycling Campaign, says many think they are fully covered by their household contents policies but these do not always go far enough.
Tom Bognanowicz Tom Bognanowicz says specialist insurance policies are available for cyclists
"Household insurance policies are general insurance. They do not provide specialist cover that you might need whether it's for theft or for third party," he says.
"So if you go to a specialist insurer or to a cycling organisation to get that sort of cover specifically aimed at cycling, that is what the policy is designed for and you benefit from that."
Although cyclists may be more vulnerable on the roads, statistically they are less likely to be responsible for an accident than a motorist - and that is reflected in the premiums.
A specialist policy can cost £30 to £40 a year. This typically provides third-party or public liability cover - the costs of causing accidents to other road-users and their property.
It also usually covers damage to the bicycle following an accident and the cost of a replacement bicycle if it is stolen or damaged.
Cyclists 'urged to get insurance'
Comments (3)
By Maleen Saeed Business reporter, BBC News
Bicycles Many cyclists take to the road without considering insurance
Continue reading the main story
Related Stories
Drivers uninsured in fraud scam
The critical cost of uninsurance
Not having a comprehensive insurance policy could prove costly, cyclists have been warned by the Association of British Insurers (ABI).
It says those hurt in an accident, or found responsible for causing one, may face bills of thousands of pounds.
Department for Transport figures show accidents involving cyclists rose by 12% in the first half of 2011 compared with the same period a year earlier.
Cycle use is now around 20% higher than it was in the late 1990s.
Rising costs
Pepe Tozzo ended up in hospital after colliding with a car while cycling home from work in South Wales.
He recalls how he collided with the side of a van that emerged from a side road, as he was riding down a hill.
The driver of the vehicle involved in the collision had no insurance or driving licence. With no personal injury or legal cover, the costs for Pepe were soon spiralling out of control.
He recalls spending a week in hospital, three months off work, and a year recuperating to get his leg back to normal.
Pepe Tozzo Pepe Tozzo says that a collision led to months spent recovering
"There has been a long lasting legacy," he says.
"It probably knocked my career back by one year."
It is not compulsory for cyclists to have insurance. Cycle use in the UK has been increasing in recent years, up about 20% compared with the late 1990s.
With the number of accidents also rising, Malcolm Tarling, of the ABI, says there is now a strong case for all cyclists to have personal injury and third-party cover.
"If you are a cyclist and you are involved in an accident the chance of you being injured are quite high," he says.
"Some 230 cyclists a month are killed or seriously injured on the roads so there is a good chance you are going to be off work for weeks, if not months, so some sort of insurance to cover you for loss of income makes sense."
He says cyclists often underestimate the risks they face when they are on the roads, in particular if they are in an accident where they are found to be at fault themselves.
"If you are a cyclist and you are involved in an accident and you are at fault for causing it you could be sued for damages," he says.
This could amount to hundreds or thousands of pounds, he claims.
"If you are cyclist you should always have some form of liability insurance. It is essential."
Lower premiums
However, many cyclists do not have comprehensive cover.
Tom Bognanowicz, from the London Cycling Campaign, says many think they are fully covered by their household contents policies but these do not always go far enough.
Tom Bognanowicz Tom Bognanowicz says specialist insurance policies are available for cyclists
"Household insurance policies are general insurance. They do not provide specialist cover that you might need whether it's for theft or for third party," he says.
"So if you go to a specialist insurer or to a cycling organisation to get that sort of cover specifically aimed at cycling, that is what the policy is designed for and you benefit from that."
Although cyclists may be more vulnerable on the roads, statistically they are less likely to be responsible for an accident than a motorist - and that is reflected in the premiums.
A specialist policy can cost £30 to £40 a year. This typically provides third-party or public liability cover - the costs of causing accidents to other road-users and their property.
It also usually covers damage to the bicycle following an accident and the cost of a replacement bicycle if it is stolen or damaged.
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Comments
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came here to post also, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15892074
Whilst i might get insurance just to aid with the replacement of my bike should anything happen, i dont' agree with the style of the report.
Also, i though 11 people had died from cycling this year?0 -
Pepe had a road accident with an uninsured driver. For him there exists a body called the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB), which is a fund set up by all insurers (read part of your and my car insurance cost) to pay claims made against uninsured drivers. The MIB will try and recoup any claims payout from the uninsured driver. They act just like any insurer and will fight a claim, so its not just a piggybank but Pepe should not have been in any worse off position than if the guy had been insured. In that way, this article was misleading and sensationalist.1997 Gary Fisher Big Sur
2009 Scott Spark 60
2010 Ghost 5000
2011 Commencal Ramones AL1
2012 Commencal Meta AM10 -
What are the best companies for insurance purposes?
Thinking about it to cover myself a bit tbh.www.fitjamescrossland.blogspot.com Check it out!0 -
The third party clause in my House Contents Insurance covers me while on my bike. I specifically checked.0
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I've got mine bespoke on my house insurance for the full cost of my bikes, legal & liability cover. £7 a month on top of my regular premium. M&S seem v cycle friendly
I've had to claim via MIB for a car v uninsured car crash, just like claiming against a regular insurance company (i.e. A long PITA process)0 -
I'm covered with my CTC membership for third party insurance.It\'s not what we own, but what we value that makes us rich.0
