Bicycle insurance
Compare quotes for your cycle with i-Wonder[1]
Do I need bicycle insurance?
Despite its benefits to the environment and your health, cycling doesn't come without risks.
16,873 cyclists were killed or injured in reported road accidents in 2019[2] and more than 271,000 bikes were stolen.[3]
If you're one of those unlucky enough to find your bike damaged in a collision or stolen, bicycle insurance could prevent you having to cover the cost of repairs or replacement yourself.
You may be able to cover your bike on your home contents insurance, but you can also buy a separate policy that offers tailored protection for your cycling routine and bike.
Just make sure you’re not doubling up on cover by buying both, or you’ll be paying for insurance you don’t need.
Specialist bicycle insurance vs home insurance
Bicycle insurance
Home insurance
Specialist bicycle insurance offers a basic level of cover for things like damage and theft, as well as more extensive cover for keen cyclists.
For instance if you own an expensive bike, such as those used for races or competitions, specialist insurers are more likely to offer a level of cover tailored to your needs.
Specialist insurance will often include cover for:
- Personal accidents and collisions
- Replacement bike hire
- Replacement of vintage parts, clothing, helmets and accessories.
- Competition and race fees
- Third party liability
- Families and multi-bike households
- European and worldwide travel
- Commuting
- Commercial use
Things to consider
- Accidental damage, malicious damage and theft will be included as standard but you may need to add cover for competitions, public liability and personal accidents as optional extras. You can choose your cover options when you get a quote.
- Most policies will only cover the bike if it's in possession of the policyholder at the time of the incident, unless you select family usage.
- It may be worth getting a quote for specialist bicycle insurance and then getting a home insurance quote with your bikes added to the policy. You’ll be able to compare the policies and see which is more suited to your needs and budget.
Bicycles are often covered as standard by home contents insurance policies but it's important to check they offer the cover you need.
Home insurers will often only cover bicycles for accidental damage and theft. Your home insurance may not cover damages that occur away from the home.
If you need this cover, you can usually add it to your policy as an optional extra.
Be aware that there will probably be a single value limit for how much your home insurer will cover your bike for.
So, if your bike costs £1,000 and your insurer's single item limit is £800, you'll need to cover the remaining £200 yourself if you need to claim.
Things to consider
- If you already have home insurance, check your policy documents to see if your bike is covered and what it's covered for
- If your bike is worth more than your policy's single article limit, you'll need to list it separately
How much is bicycle insurancet?
Your actual bicycle insurance quote will be calculated based on your circumstances and takes into consideration what kind of bike you ride and its value.
Mountain bikes, pushbikes, road bikes, folding bikes, hybrids and electric bikes are all usually covered. If you’re riding a self-built custom bicycle, you can get insurance for your bike’s unique specification.
If you need to make a claim, it’ll reflect the true value of the bike. Just make sure your insurer’s aware of any modifications before you buy a policy, otherwise you might not be covered.
How to get an insurance quote for your cycle
Finding a quote for your bicycle doesn't take long. You’ll just need to fill out a few details about you and your bicycle first to get started. Here's what you'll need:
-
Details about your bike
The type, make and value
-
Standard cover requirements
Excess amount, accessories cover, replacement cycle and no claims discount
-
Optional extras
Do you need cover for personal accidents or competition use?
-
Security information
What locks and alarms you have installed
-
Your details
Your name, address and age
There were 271,000 incidents of bicycle theft between April 2019 and March 2020, according to the Crime in England and Wales Survey[3]
You can help protect your bike from criminal theft and damage when you take out bicycle insurance cover
Frequently asked questions
-
What cover options are available?
When insuring your bicycle, there are two types of cover available:
- New for old replacement cover – This is for cycles less than three years old and bought as new. You should ensure all sums insured represent the replacement costs as new, ignoring any discounts you received when you purchased the bike.
- Market value – If your cycle is more than three years old or purchased second-hand then cover is provided based on its market value.
-
Can I insure my bike for business use?
Yes, some bicycle insurance policies will cover you for commercial use. Just remember to select this cover option when you get a quote.
-
Can I insure children and young riders?
The minimum age accepted for specialist bike insurance is 16 years old. If you choose family cover as an optional extra, you may be able to cover young riders of 16 or above on your policy.
-
Is bicycle insurance mandatory in the UK?
You don’t need to be insured to be able to ride your bike on public roads. But if you take part in competitive or non-competitive races, then you’ll probably need to be covered. If you’re not sure, check with the race organisers.
Home insurance guides and tools
Page last reviewed: 28 July 2020
[1]Gocompare.com introduces customers to i-Wonder who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Gocompare.com’s relationship with i-Wonder is limited to that of a business partnership, no common ownership or control rights exist between us. Please note, we cannot be held responsible for the content of external websites and by using the links stated to access these separate websites you will be subject to the terms of use applying to those sites
[2]According to the Department for Transport, 16,873 cyclists were killed or injured in reported road accidents in 2019
[3]There were 271,000 incidents of bicycle theft between April 2019 and March 2020, according to the Crime in England and Wales Survey