When considering your outgoings, you may automatically prioritise your car insurance policy or home insurance/contents insurance. However, you may neglect insurance coverage for your bicycle to save costs. In fact, Cycle insurance, like a lot of other insurance policies can protect the cyclist against a significant financial loss, in the event of bike theft or malicious/accidental damage.
Choosing the right bicycle insurance policy to cover your cycling needs is very important if you are to benefit from this coverage. For this reason, we are transparent about what our policies do and do not cover. Here, we will look at a standard policy wording and explore the main policy exclusions and restrictions that apply. You will also learn whether ALA could provide the right coverage for your cycling activities.
Here, we explore some general policy exclusions on ALA Cycle insurance. If you cannot provide the following, you will not be able to take out an insurance policy with us, nor make a claim:
ALA does not cover bicycles exceeding £6,000 or incidents taking place in professional races. If you are a professional racing cyclist with an expensive bike, you may wish to look for specialist bike insurance for racers. Proof that the policyholder meets all these requirements is necessary each time a cyclist makes a claim.
Even if you meet the above requirements to buy a policy, there are other potential exclusions that could affect a claim. You will need to comply with specific security requirements to make a successful claim, including locking your bicycle with an approved lock or leaving in a secure location.
Your claim will also be rejected for everyday wear and tear, which does not alter the functionality of the bike. ALA does not cover malicious/accidental damage or bicycle theft while someone other than yourself or your immediate family was using your bicycle. ALA Cycle Insurance coverage also excludes damage which occurred during transit, if your cycle was in the care of a reputable transport provider. You will also be unable to claim for Cycle Insurance without a valid police incident number obtained within 48hrs of any crime taking place. Finally, your claim will be invalid if you cannot provide evidence of ownership at the time of making a claim.
Certain faults and malfunctions are also excluded from ALA coverage, such as manufacturing faults which fall under a valid warranty or if your bicycle suffers functional issues due to an electrical malfunction (relevant for e-bike insurance).
Your cycling activities may affect your insurance coverage. Your claim will be rejected if your bike/insured items are stolen or damaged while using your bicycle for professional races or for business/trade purposes.
Even if your claim is successful, you may discover restrictions on your particular insurance policy. Damage to or theft of tyres is not covered – though an exception is applied if the insured bike has been stolen or damaged at the same time as your tyres were impacted. The policy excess will also not be covered. Any coverage in addition to malicious or accidental damage cover and bike theft will not be covered unless selected at the time of purchase, up to the appropriate cover limit (stated below):
Additional coverage can be selected, such as:
If you are seeking comprehensive Cycle Insurance or a generous standard bicycle insurance policy, ALA can help. We offer malicious/accidental damage and bicycle theft cover; we even cover bicycles outside of the UK (for 30 consecutive days) on our standard plan. If you are looking for a tailored yet comprehensive plan, get a quote today or read our recommended plans.
Find a plan to suit your specific needs. Whether you are cycling locally or travelling with your bike, you can protect your bike for as little as £21 per year. With ALA Cycle Insurance, regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, you can have the additional peace of mind that your bike is protected from various eventualities. You can finally start to enjoy the money-saving, environmental and health benefits of cycling.
While you may assume that your bicycle will be covered under your home insurance or travel insurance, this may not always be the case. Also, losing or damaging your bike can impose a financial strain and a significant inconvenience, particularly if you commute daily. If you are cycling in a busy city or participate in riskier cycling activities, you may want to consider specialist Cycle Insurance particularly.
To claim your insured bike, you must check that any damage or theft is covered on your policy – learn about avoiding rejected claims here. Then visit our claims handler with your policy number, police incident number and proof of ownership to hand. Any additional information that you think may be useful for your claim can include images of bike damage or evidence of correct storage.
Aesthetic damage to your bicycle is currently not covered under ALA’s Cycle Insurance policy, as these issues do not impair the functioning of the bicycle. If scratch and dent insurance is important to you, it may be worth looking for another insurance provider who may be better suited to your needs.
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