Rental bike theft Tenerife

Conorj

Just been to tenerife and had my rental bike stolen and it appears thst i am liable for the full cost. Does anyone have experience of this? Will I have to bite the bullet and pay up? Bike shop offers no insurance for theft and my insurance wont cover it.

keef66

If you’ve signed anything you'll probably find you’ve agreed to be liable. Bummer ☹️

cooldad

Have you read whatever you signed?

wiznaeme

Googled rental bike insurance and found this.

https://www.yellowjersey.co.uk/top-tips ... e-holiday/

The article says they are the only company to insure rental bikes. I’m sure if this isn't the truth someone will post other companies.

sloppyschleckonds

Conorj wrote:

Just been to tenerife

Teide?

peteco

I have hired a bike a few times in Tenerife, and I always understood that I was liable for the full cost if it was stolen or I crashed it.
As above, it depends what you signed.

Pete

photonic69

Holiday insurance or Credit Card or Home Insurance 'may' cover you. Worth checking?

cougie

How did it get stolen ?

keef66

The cynic in me thinks it not impossible that it’s a scam and the bike shop gets the cash from you and the bike back from the “thief”

svetty

keef66 wrote:

The cynic in me thinks it not impossible that it’s a scam and the bike shop gets the cash from you and the bike back from the “thief”

Those untrustworthy furriners..... :roll:

chippyk

peteco wrote:

I have hired a bike a few times in Tenerife, and I always understood that I was liable for the full cost if it was stolen or I crashed it.
As above, it depends what you signed.

Pete

This.

roger_merriman

I think I remember reading the form when I hired before? It is quite harsh though I suspect not that uncommon when I hired all of the bikes seemed new (ish) and in good nic.

Last time I took my own bike which has its own risks

sloppyschleckonds

They can probably claim on your holiday or home insurance

fenix

Weird that the hire shops aren't plugging insurance ? I'd have thought they'd have got a nice return from the insurance company for that ? Are they missing a trick ?

sloppyschleckonds

Of course they offered it, the OP probably declined it

kingstongraham

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

Of course they offered it, the OP probably declined it

Just checked the website for Freemotion in Gran Canaria that I've rented from before, and they specifically say:

"There is no insurance against theft included in the contract: There are no insurance companies that provide insurance against theft for commercially used bikes.

Can I book insurance with the bike?
Yes. You can additionally book comprehensive insurance coverage for damage on the bike with a deductible; theft, vandalism and third party use are excluded. "

They make this very clear when renting.

fenix

OP - sounds like you will have to cough up - but to help other cyclists - how did it get nicked ? What should people be aware of ? Coffee stop or from your apartment ?

keef66

Svetty wrote:

keef66 wrote:

The cynic in me thinks it not impossible that it’s a scam and the bike shop gets the cash from you and the bike back from the “thief”

Those untrustworthy furriners..... :roll:

I'm not suggesting the Tenerife locals are any more or less reputable than Brits, indeed all my bike theft experiences have been at the hands of UK based scrotes. Just that to my warped mind it seems a good opportunity for a scam because as a tourist the instinct is not to take out insurance (I never have) because you think what can happen in 3 or 4 days? And if the bike goes missing you're not around for weeks while the police investigate so you just pay up.

That and where do the stolen bikes end up? Here it's easy to nick a load of bikes, chuck them in a van and take a ferry to Europe, or stick them on Ebay / Gumtree as whole bikes or stripped for parts.

Bit trickier to do from Tenerife, no? Or am I underestimating the size / population of Tenerife and the cost of shipping stuff, possibly by air?

ben@31

PhotoNic69 wrote:

Holiday insurance or Credit Card or Home Insurance 'may' cover you. Worth checking?

Good luck with that.

My bike insurance policy is only valid if I lock the bike up, say at a cafe stop or shop. And then it has to be a lock above a certain rating. I don't know how you'd explain to the insurance company that the thief defeated such a lock without attacking it with a power tool?
My bike insurance policy also states I can't leave the bike outside overnight.
I recently went to a popular cycling hotel in Port de Pollenca, where the hotel demanded I didn't keep the bike in the hotel room but in a communal cage. I noted that not once did the hotel reception check who took the keys to the communal bike cage. I did wonder if the worst happened and I had to make a claim, would the hotels policy be laughed at by the bike insurance company?
Not that the hotel would know you had the bike in the room, if you set off early before the room is cleaned.

I know its impractical to carry a gold standard bike lock on a ride, but you need to remember if you don't use one of these locks, it's done on risk.

Regarding home insurance, they only cover bikes upto a certain value. You have to specifically find a bike insurer for anything over that value. Plus I'd be surprised if a home insurance policy would be any different and cover an unsecured unattended bike.

Something else to think about... when I was on a club ride and witnessed some appalling / dangerous riding in close proximity. I was wondering if these guys clip a wheel or go into someone, causing a crash. Do these guys have insurance to pay for the damage they'd cause?

pblakeney

In addressing the above post.
Not all insurance policies are equal. My house insurance (Pedalcover) premium is based on the value of the most expensive bike and no maximum. I do have to lock my bike when outdoors but there is no specification for the lock.
All clubs are supposed to be insured. Either jointly as part of membership or a clause that the individual join BC or similar. This is a legal requirement for a club group ride IIRC.

Conorj

Thanks for your replies everyone. Much as I thought. To answer some of your questions bike theft insurance wasn’t offered, just damage. The bike was stolen from inside my car. I stopped to pick up my wife on the beach and it was gone within 15 minutes. I was never more than 200 metres from the car so they obviously had look outs etc. Very efficient opportunistic thieves. Fairly certain I locked car but maybe I hadn’t. They were in and out very quickly so just don’t take your eyes off your bikes, and don’t leave it in a car!

The rental company have it on the website under FAQs and T+ Cs. They don’t mention it when you pick it up or have any anti theft tips. Just be more wary than I was and read the small print.

Tips
Check what your insurance covers before you go
Don’t leave bikes in a car for even a few minutes
Consider getting specialist bike insurance specifically for rental bikes.
Beware beach car parks
Bring your own bike instead and have it insured - would decrease the risk if there was any scam
Don’t take your eye off it and lock it up even when it’s inside your room.

I can’t get the scam idea out if my head but maybe I’m being over suspicious. I’ll just have to pay up and as a personal protest never go back.

orraloon

Not that it's much help to you post event, others may benefit. Last year in S Africa we were warned specifically to always check the car was locked when leaving it, you know how you press the fob button and assume doors lock. Local scrotes there were using electronic jammers to disrupt the signal to prevent the doors locking. Rife in tourist areas, shopping mall car parks and the like. Experienced a couple of events where shadies in nearby cars watched us keenly then drove off when they realised we were hanging back and checking doors.

Perhaps the learnings have been shared to other holiday spots.

pblakeney

No car contents insurance?

apreading

PBlakeney wrote:

No car contents insurance?

That was my thought when I read it was in a car when stolen.

mallorcajeff

I used to work in a bike hire shop in mallorca. We offered insurance for 35 euro but that covered damage but if the bike was stolen it did not cover that. Its very clear in the agreement. If i had a bike and it was stolen i would feel its my repsosibility snd just pay for it, after all its not their fault and if it was youur business would you not feel the same? Guy has a bike stolen no bother mate i will get this? Dont think so. Just pay for it and next time take your own always a better bike and far less hassle and risk. I could never understand people hiring bikes for 300 euro a week? Better to take your own and you know its been looked after and safe, some of the 5hit bikes i used to hand over were embarrasing at times

shimanobottombracket

Just piss off back home without paying. If you left a means for them to get the money from a bank account, empty that bank account before they take your money. Or do whatever is needed to block payments to the bike rental company. You paid them for the hire, and unless you were negligent then its not actually your fault the bike got stolen. Sod em.

First.Aspect

ShimanoBottomBracket wrote:

Just wee-wee off back home without paying. If you left a means for them to get the money from a bank account, empty that bank account before they take your money. Or do whatever is needed to block payments to the bike rental company. You paid them for the hire, and unless you were negligent then its not actually your fault the bike got stolen. Sod em.

Ignore this man. The nurses allow him 20 minutes of internet a day.

mouth

ben@31 wrote:

Something else to think about... when I was on a club ride and witnessed some appalling / dangerous riding in close proximity. I was wondering if these guys clip a wheel or go into someone, causing a crash. Do these guys have insurance to pay for the damage they'd cause?

Not having insurance doesn't mean you're not liable for any costs incurred. You could literally just ask the OP. Unfortunately in the situation you describe, even with cover you need to convince a third party that wasn't present that someone was being negligent or wilfully acting dangerously and their actions being outside the accepted level of risk associated with whatever sport you're playing at the time. On a sanctioned club ride, as others have said there should be a level of cover in place but how many rides are "....me, Dave, Steve and Tarquin are meeting at the dog and duck at 7am for 20 miles. who's in?"

haydenm

mallorcajeff wrote:

Better to take your own and you know its been looked after

Hmmm, I can see a flaw in this

When I hired from Bikepoint in Tenerife they were very very clear about the fact that I was responsible if they got nicked. As others have said, you'll have to check the car/holiday/ any other insurance you may have

pblakeney

HaydenM wrote:

mallorcajeff wrote:

Better to take your own and you know its been looked after

Hmmm, I can see a flaw in this

When I hired from Bikepoint in Tenerife they were very very clear about the fact that I was responsible if they got nicked. As others have said, you'll have to check the car/holiday/ any other insurance you may have

There is no flaw as if you take your own it will be insured.
You do have your bikes insured?

pblakeney

Mouth wrote:

On a sanctioned club ride, as others have said there should be a level of cover in place but how many rides are "....me, Dave, Steve and Tarquin are meeting at the dog and duck at 7am for 20 miles. who's in?"

That example is not a sanctioned club run and the riders do so at risk. But then you will know and trust “Dave, Steve and Tarquin”.