MTB Insurance

geomickb

Hi,

Does anyone have any insurance tips/experience/advice?

Should they be insured with the contents or separate policy?

Cheers,

Mick

larkim

I had success (in the sense that the claim outcome was good) with an AA policy for outbuildings that covered all contents i there up to £3000. Had three bikes nicked (total claim about £1500), all paid within about 3 days once the crime reference number was in.

For "out and about" cover, I've not got anything in place.

steve_sordy

My household buildings and contents policy covers as many bikes as I may have with any one bike up to £5k. After that I have to provide details.

The focus on the max value of one bike when I had several that added up to more has always puzzled me, because if they break into my garage, surely they would take all of them? But that's the insurance business for you. Anyway I only have the one bike now.

The policy covers loss or damage for replacement value. When transporting, my car policy is expected to cover whatever bike is in transit. When on the trails, I'm covered for theft or damage incurred whilst theft is being attempted. But not for accidental damage whilst out riding (the most likely in my opinion!)

Edit: Apologies, but I just noticed that I'd missed off the "£5k" figure in the first sentence. Dunno how that happened.

larkim

I should add, my AA policy included new for old, so my 4 year old £400 plus upgrades £200 bike was replaced with a £650 brand new one. I considered that very effective!! I'm a stickler for being legit about these things too, so I made sure I had receipts for it all, and I can 100% vouch for the whole claim. I was surprised at the new for old element on the theft, but the claims handler who dealt with it even recognised the location of my bike in the photo I had sent as evidence of the upgraded forks being on that bike, so he clearly knew his stuff!

steve_sordy

larkim wrote:

........... I'm a stickler for being legit about these things too, so I made sure I had receipts for it all, and I can 100% vouch for the whole claim. ........

Honesty is the best policy when dealing with the insurance companies. They have access to an absolutely massive amount of information on claims like yours (and you no doubt). They probably have an AI bot working away sniffing out spurious claims for the investigator to look at.

larkim

Agreed. Hence why I'm a stickler for it!!

tom_howard

A separate policy is always very expensive. Protect my bubble quoted £1500 a year for my lot, but would only go to £5k each...

Most home insurance will do any number of bikes to any value, as long as none are over £5k, that’s normally not horrendously priced, around £20 a month extra iirc.

I’ve had to insure my lot as fine art (really!) under a specialist policy with our home insurers. Not cheap, but loads cheaper than a specific, separate policy.

geomickb

Just called my current insurer (Sainsburys).

The have extended my garage contents cover to 5k which covers the bikes.