Cycle insurance options

ForumNewbie

I'm looking to take out cycle insurance to have cover for Public Liability, legal expenses etc. but don't need cover for my bikes as they are covered under my house insurance. I'm a commuter and leisure cyclist.

I have looked at the following options:

British Cycling Ride Member - https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/membership/ride - includes Third Party Liability Insurance and Legal Expenses, but no Personal Accident cover unless a Race member - £33 per year for non-race members

Wiggle cycle insurance 'Assist' - https://cycleinsurance.wiggle.co.uk/our-cycle-insurance Looks to have mostly what I want but doesn't seem to cover Legal Expenses, just legal advice from Wiggle legal. - £24 per year.

Cycle Plan - http://www.cycleplan.co.uk/options - unless I insure my bikes, I don't get the option of selecting legal expenses or Personal Accident cover, but very expensive if I insure my bikes as well.

Looking at these 3 options Wiggle seems the best one for me, but I'd appreciate your advice on those or any other recommendations.

rafletcher

CTC.

cq20

IIRC, somewhere in the small print, the Britishcycling insurance says it doesn't cover you if you are involved in a claim against another BC member (conflict of interest, I guess) which could be a problem. I didn't find the same exclusion clause when I looked at the CTC scheme.

ForumNewbie

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19691728#p19691728]cq20[/url] wrote:

IIRC, somewhere in the small print, the Britishcycling insurance says it doesn't cover you if you are involved in a claim against another BC member (conflict of interest, I guess) which could be a problem. I didn't find the same exclusion clause when I looked at the CTC scheme.

Thanks cq20, yes I noticed that about BC as well. I've had a look at the CTC site and I see that membership for £41 will get me the following as regards insurance:
- £10m third party insurance cover - Protects you on and off-road, including Sportives and Time trialling
- CTC Incident Line - CTC's Legal team is ready to support you in the event of an accident

Wiggle Assist Insurance for £24 will get me:
Public Liability £1m, Personal Accident £10k, Emergency Private Dental, Medical and Physiotherapy, and Free Legal Advice from Wiggle Legal

In some ways Wiggle looks better, but is it safer going with CTC as they have been around longer with a good reputation for assisting cyclists?

cq20

"You pays your money etc etc" but I opted for the CTC cover because they have been in the game for a while and have successfully taken on some high profile cases and won. The others may well be fine and there are aspects of the CTC, as a whole, that I'm not all that keen on but they looked like the safer option to me.

PS I think that BC small print clause is outrageous which is a pity because otherwise I would have been tempted to go with them.

johnmiosh

BC Liability insurance does not cover you in a claim where it is "One member against another in a cycling competition, race, time trial or timed event" Timed event could include a sportive.

These events would have their own insurance, but one race or sportive rider would have generally have difficulty proving negligence against another to gain a payout.

whoof

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19691919#p19691919]ForumNewbie[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19691728#p19691728]cq20[/url] wrote:

IIRC, somewhere in the small print, the Britishcycling insurance says it doesn't cover you if you are involved in a claim against another BC member (conflict of interest, I guess) which could be a problem. I didn't find the same exclusion clause when I looked at the CTC scheme.

Thanks cq20, yes I noticed that about BC as well. I've had a look at the CTC site and I see that membership for £41 will get me the following as regards insurance:
- £10m third party insurance cover - Protects you on and off-road, including Sportives and Time trialling
- CTC Incident Line - CTC's Legal team is ready to support you in the event of an accident

Wiggle Assist Insurance for £24 will get me:
Public Liability £1m, Personal Accident £10k, Emergency Private Dental, Medical and Physiotherapy, and Free Legal Advice from Wiggle Legal

In some ways Wiggle looks better, but is it safer going with CTC as they have been around longer with a good reputation for assisting cyclists?

I know of riders that have been involved in an 'accident' with a car and the CTC have taken up thier case and pursued the driver for damages as they were at fault. I've known of cases where that included the costs of Physiotherapy etc.
From what you have stated the Wiggle insurance offers legal advice. That might be, you have a good case and you should find someone to do so rather than them doing it.

pedders2019

I've just renewed with Pedalcover, great level of cover and has the added bonus of including home insurance. The guys there are also a great bunch and are actually cyclists! Highly recommend.
This is how they compare to others on the market - https://pedalcover.co.uk/compare-cycle-insurance/

kingrollo

I looked at cycleplan the other day

it came out at £24 pa - for that you get cover for anything you damage (3rd partly liability) - and personal cover in terms of benefits £25k payout if you get killed or loose a limb etc.

British Cycling £39 gives you (3rd party liability) - but not personal injury benefit - theres also various, discounts, access to sportives, information emails (lot of stuff I don't need)

I prefer the personal cover - as the payout is a benefit not a litigation case - if u get killed your depends get £25k - no messing - you can then also pursue a legal case.

Insuring the bike I just found to expensive - close on £200 pa

Also be aware that most budget insurance is only 3rd party. I know of people who are members of British cycling who think there insurance covers them against loss of earnings, damage to bike etc .....read the small print.

harry-s

I've had mixed results when using the legal cover from both BC and CTC.
Bear in mind these organisations don't have an in house team of solicitors, they refer you to a firm of general solicitors that they have a contract or agreement with. You're just as likely to deal with a solicitor who can't tell one end of a bike from another, as you would anywhere else. Or you may get lucky. From my experience the firms of solicitors are happy to take on a case if it's fairly straightforward, with witnesses and other supporting factors, but if it looks like it may be protracted and involve a lot of man time, then for simple in house economic reasons they will turn it down.
Having said all that, I'd agree cover is worth having, legal costs can quickly escalate, but it's a case of if it looks to good to be true, it probably is.

kingrollo

Harry-S wrote:

I've had mixed results when using the legal cover from both BC and CTC.
Bear in mind these organisations don't have an in house team of solicitors, they refer you to a firm of general solicitors that they have a contract or agreement with. You're just as likely to deal with a solicitor who can't tell one end of a bike from another, as you would anywhere else. Or you may get lucky. From my experience the firms of solicitors are happy to take on a case if it's fairly straightforward, with witnesses and other supporting factors, but if it looks like it may be protracted and involve a lot of man time, then for simple in house economic reasons they will turn it down.
Having said all that, I'd agree cover is worth having, legal costs can quickly escalate, but it's a case of if it looks to good to be true, it probably is.

Interesting - so if you don't have BC membership - could you not approach a solicitor on a no win no fee basis - If they don't fancy it - that to me speaks volumes. Same with British cycling they don't have to take up your case. - although I have heard many good reports.

I am sure they that many people out there pay British Cycling s £39 - and think they are insured to the hilt, bike, loss of earnings, personal injury etc

Jon777

Insurance is a necessary evil these days, whatever activity you do these days seems you need to take out insurance cover. Britishcycling insurance clause that’s states it doesn't cover you if you are involved in a claim against another BC member is a bit odd. It’s no from a conflict of interests perspective as it would be the same as a motor insurance provider not covering claims against another of their insured. Seems they just limiting their exposure as cycling insurance is not a legal requirement whereas motoring is.

harry-s

Jon777 wrote:

Britishcycling insurance clause that’s states it doesn't cover you if you are involved in a claim against another BC member is a bit odd. It’s no from a conflict of interests perspective as it would be the same as a motor insurance provider not covering claims against another of their insured.

I think it goes a bit further than that, and also includes their sponsors and partners. So, if for example you were injured during a race/event that was sponsored or organised by one of BCs sponsors, then they wouldn't be able to help with a claim (against the sponsor or organiser).

webboo

pedders2019 wrote:

I've just renewed with Pedalcover, great level of cover and has the added bonus of including home insurance. The guys there are also a great bunch and are actually cyclists! Highly recommend.
This is how they compare to others on the market - https://pedalcover.co.uk/compare-cycle-insurance/

:roll:

andyh01

Excluding "competition" use, most household legal cover extension will cover in the event of you incurring liability either defence litigation costs/legal fees as well as any awards up to policy limit. TBF cyclist unlikely to cause significant tp damage , on the rare occasion cause death, then it becomes a question of whether criminal or civil liability...

If TP at fault usually be motorists who's insurer would then be responsible and no win no fee agreement can be entered into. Following the moj reforms mainly to contail fraudulent whiplash claims in low impact collisions, cyclists could now have their awards payout reduced to pay legal fees. Although technically the initial payouts be higher to take into account the legal fees but onous on claimant to ensure their legal fees are reasonable, which one could argue reduces volunerable road users access to justice.

I've looked for theft type cover and AssitAssure? AssisAssit?? seem reasonable standalone policy which also provides legal cover and other optional extras

kingrollo

Had a word with my brother who works at quite a senior level in insurance. In his opinion who underwrites the policy is they key factor.
The wiggle one is underwritten by a company in Gibraltar - he advised me to steer clear of that. Cycleplan is underwritten by Royal sun alliance who he said are a decent company - So I went for that one. - Just insured my noggin & 3rd parly liability - not the bike. £24 with £25k death benefit & injury cover - hope I never need it - but Mrs KR seemed very interested. !!!!

andyh01

To transact insurance within the UK you need to be authorised and Regulated by the FCA who require you to hold sufficient reserves to meet the lexposure/iability. Following the crash and stress testing the reserves have been increased under solvent 2 requirements.
If selling on as a broker, the broker will have a duty to declare if the financial rating is below that of 'A'
I would look at % of claims and the security rating of the brackets.
Just another thought if you have life insurance policy this may also provide cover
As benefits policy and not based on indemnity you can have as many policies as you like.

pilot_pete

pedders2019 wrote:

I've just renewed with Pedalcover, great level of cover and has the added bonus of including home insurance. The guys there are also a great bunch and are actually cyclists! Highly recommend.
This is how they compare to others on the market - https://pedalcover.co.uk/compare-cycle-insurance/

I’m another one insured through PedalCover. But also have BC membership which provides some cover. What I really like about PedalCover is what pedders says above - they are cyclists who work in the insurance industry to provide a niche product - home insurance alongside fantastic cycling insurance.

What makes it fantastic? The sensible approach to the actual risk, as interpreted by people who understand both industries. They cover £24k worth of my bikes, which are insured at home, when riding, when travelling (including in transit, say on an aeroplane in a box), for all risks - theft, accidental damage, including ALL kit and accessories, such as my Garmin 1030, helmet, shoes clothing etc. I get legal cover, £15k of personal possessions cover, individually Itemised bikes worth £10k+

Oh, and on top of that unlimited buildings and contents insurance for our home, including accidental damage. All for £470 a year. It has a £600 excess, but they got me an excess cover policy which covers up to £600 on any policy in my name, so car, pet etc etc. That reduced the policy by over £200 and was included in the £470 fee! So in effect no excess, oh and of course when I renew my car insurance I just increase the excess to £600 to reduce the policy cost...

I think it is a bargain, considering I had no cover before for my bikes, paid £300odd in house insurance and was quoted £400pa from a specialist cycling insurer to cover a £3k Pinarello as a stand alone bike...

PP