What Is Cycling Insurance? Everything You Need To Know

Insurance for you and your bike. Guide to types
of cycling insurance. Do you need insurance, and
how to claim?

Road cyclists climbing hills in guide to cycling insurance

Cycling insurance: Everything you need to know

As cyclists, we know how rewarding it is to get out on our bikes and enjoy the time we have with friends and clubmates. However, we’re aware that cyclists are at a greater risk of injury than others on the roads. Pedalsure’s cycling insurance doesn’t just pay out for the most serious cases like lost limbs or death – as is the case with many other insurance companies – we’ve got your back and will give you the support to get back in the saddle as soon as possible.

Here you’ll find everything you need to know about cycling insurance and understand how Pedalsure insures you and your bike when you are out enjoying yourself on two wheels.

What is cycling insurance?

Pedalsure cycling policy

Cycling insurance is specifically designed for cyclists, unlike home insurance. Let’s start by looking at what Pedalsure covers and how it differs from home insurance . We cover both the bike and the rider, with insurance for five bikes up to a total value of £30,000 allowed on one policy. Each individual bike can cost from £400 to £15,000. We cover personal injury claims up to £50,000.

Pedalsure insurance covers you at home, when your bike is in a garage or shed, any accidental damage or theft when you are away from home, overseas use up to 60 days, plus we also cover accessories, like bike computers and helmets, and our insurance even extends to use in races and sportives – something rare even among specialist cycling insurance providers.

Home insurance on the other hand is designed to cover your possessions if they are stolen or damaged at home, with some, more comprehensive policies, also protecting possessions away from the home. In either case, there’s usually a value limit on bikes which is unlikely to cover pricier carbon bikes and, crucially, personal cover - for personal injury and personal liability against third party claims - is unlikely to be included.

If that isn’t enough, cycling insurance covers loss of earnings, dental and physio costs, personal injury, personal liability should a third party make a claim against you, and legal expenses. It’s incredibly comprehensive and designed for all types of road cyclists, from newbies to experienced racers.

Do you cover my type of bike?

Mountain biker with Pedalsure

Riding on the road is the riskiest form of cycling because you are at the will of other road users. If you use a bike on the road on a daily basis, comprehensive road bike insurance is crucial to help you feel protected.

We cover all types of road bike , with values from £400 to cover your most trusted entry level commuting machine right up to £15,000 to cover your full carbon, hyper aero superbike.

Pedalsure insures road bikes for endurance cycling, sportives, time trials and triathlons – and you’ll even be covered for up to 60 days abroad if you fancy testing yourself on the legendary climbs of the Tour de France or Giro d’Italia.

Do cyclists have to have insurance by law?

Pedalsure legal policies

While the coffees and tea cakes at the café stop may be considered fuel, with a good strong espresso having much the same effect on a rider as a litre of high octane diesel would on a car, cycling insurance is not a legal requirement because pedal bikes (or ‘push bikes’) are not motor-powered vehicles.

That being said, it is recommended to have cycling insurance so you are covered whenever you use your bike outside your property, particularly for any accidental damage to your bike, for theft and for personal liability should a third party make a claim against you.

As you develop as a cyclist and invest more time in the saddle, personal injury cover for you should also become a consideration. Cycling insurance from Pedalsure will give you and your family peace of mind and allow you to do the thing you love, knowing that you and your bike are covered.

Aren’t I covered under British Cycling insurance or CyclingUK membership?

Pedalsure racing cycling policy

No. In fact at no stage of any of their Race Gold, Race Silver or Ride Memberships do they cover you or your bike. British Cycling’s third party liability insurance only covers the damage you do to others, so it is worth thinking about cycling insurance in advance of your next British Cycling event.

Cycling UK’s members’ insurance is the same thing, they cover you for third party liability – the damage you do to others – but not for anything that happens to you or your bike.

Types of cycling insurance

Types of Pedalsure cycling policies

You may think that your bike is adequately covered under your home insurance and although this is probably the case when it is inside your home or secured in a shed or garage, home insurance does not always cover the bike when you need it most, when you’re out and about, or leaving it in public areas.

By comparison, Pedalsure gives you a more comprehensive package that covers you wherever you go, plus accessories and possessions, competing in cycling events, foreign travel, loss of earnings, personal cover and personal liability. All the things cyclists actually love doing.

Multi-bike discount

Pedalsure commuter

We understand that many cyclists have more than one bike because you can never have enough... ‘n+1’and all that. With Pedalsure you can insure up to five bikes up to a total value of £30,000 (with individual bikes from £400 up to £15,000), more than many other insurers. You also get additional coverage for accessories, foreign travel, loss of earnings and competition cover.

Considerations when buying cycling insurance

Pedalsure have the answers on cycle insurance

A big thing to bear in mind when getting cycling insurance is your own security setup. After all, it would be heartbreaking to find out the lock you used to secure your beloved two-wheeled machine was not actually one approved for use under your policy. You can find our approved lock list here.

Claims can also be denied if you leave your bike locked in a public place out of your sight for too long – often a 12 hour window is stipulated. With our policies your bike would be covered, so long as it was secured to an immovable object through the frame with an approved lock. However, this isn’t true for every insurer – even if you used a really good lock, the insurance firm might not cover it.

In our case, Pedalsure does not cover personal injury if you were drunk or on drugs while riding your bike. It’s never a good idea to ride under the influence, and this is just one more good reason not to.

The biggest consideration of all is to know what you are and are not covered for. And if in doubt, you can call us to discuss the details of our policy by visiting our Contact Us page.

How much does cycling insurance cost?

Affordable Pedalsure cycling policy

The cost of cycling insurance will depend on a number of factors, including the value of your bikes and personal accessories, so it really depends on the ‘fleet’ of bikes you’re looking to cover.

As for personal cover, Pedalsure has a Gold, Silver and Bronze system. If you’re insuring just yourself as a cyclist, bronze cover costs £4.83 a month, silver is £9.66 a month and gold is priced at £14.50 a month.

How to claim on your cycling insurance

Claiming with Pedalsure

Should you need to make a claim on your insurance, we strive to make the process as simple and stress-free as possible. As part of our ‘Payout Promise’ we also aim to assess your claim within 24 hours to get you back out on the road as quickly as possible.

To make a claim, just give us a call on 0800 888 6745 or drop us an email to claims@pedalsure.com. In either case, we’ll send you a claims form to fill out and return to us together with any supporting information requested.

How common is bike theft?

Pedalsure covering theft

Bikes are an extremely attractive prospect for thieves. In 2017 the Office for National Statistics recorded that 276,000 bikes were stolen in the UK.

According to recent crime stats, London, Cambridge and Oxford are the worst places for bike theft in the UK. The Metropolitan Police alone received 21,945 accounts of stolen bikes and the BTP reported 6,395, which shows that train stations and other hubs are the riskiest places to leave your bike.

Tips to prevent your bike being stolen

Pedalsure lock and security

Lock your bike to an immovable object inside your property or shed/ outdoors when leaving it at work. A lock that matches the cost of your bikes is recommended, for example if you have a top of the range bike you should look to purchase a lock that would match the requirements and keep the bike safe and secure at all times.

We’d also advise keeping the bike within your line of sight as much as you can, even when it’s locked up. And leaving a bike out in public for a long period of time – days or even weeks – is not advised either.

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