E-bike insurance

[Cudzoziemiec]

My sister has bought herself a new, expensive and specialised (not Specialized!) e-bike. She wants to get it insured and it's over the item limit in their house insurance. Any recommendations? Or dis-recommendations?

[Paul H]

I was with Laka for a couple of years, paying on average £22 a month, a lot more than I pay elsewhere for my non assisted bikes of higher value.  I cancelled a couple of months ago as I'm no longer using the E-bike, immediately got an offer for a different insurance for half the price.  It's an option rather than a recommendation, the cheaper policy was called Core and at a glance would probably be suitable for most.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I've passed the name on to her, thanks.

[IanDG]

I use Yellow Jersey with initial discount as a CUK member and then discount on renewal. 4 bikes total value £7500 including 2 ebikes for £216/year

[robgul]

My e-bike is on the contents policy as a "specified item" at a defined value - adding it ddn't seem to faze them?

[orienteer]

Bicycle value limits on most household policies too low for my bikes, but M&S fine for me.

Most dedicated bicycle policies are so expensive I reckon it would be best to put the money aside each month towards eventual replacement.

[Kim]

Most dedicated bicycle policies are so expensive I reckon it would be best to put the money aside each month towards eventual replacement.

This.

[Cudzoziemiec]

That would be my attitude too, but my sister is the more prudent and prudential of us.

[Paul H]

Most dedicated bicycle policies are so expensive I reckon it would be best to put the money aside each month towards eventual replacement.

How much money are you putting aside? What happens if you have a loss in the first year?  Or multiple losses in quick succession? Nothing wrong with deciding not to be insured, but you can't self insure unless your losses are reasonably predictable.
My one modest claim, for an accident rather than theft, paid out the equivalent of 19 years premiums, I'd have needed to have put away £560 pa to cover that, rather than paying the £88 premium.
My E-bike insurance cost nearly £600 for just over two years, with no claims, that could be considered wasted money, but it bought a lot of piece of mind. I don't think I'd have been as comfortable leaving locked up in the city centre if it hadn't been covered.

[Flite]

Ours are with the house insurance as specified items as mentioned above. We set the value on the items.
One phone call to the local NFU office and items can be added and removed instantly. We get an invoice in the post to pay or get a credit later.
The NFU just make life simple - it's a system that just works.
And we have had major claims on the insurance - including two titanium mountain bikes many years ago.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Going back to the "setting money aside" idea, while most of us could just go out and find a replacement fairly easily, my sister has some special requirements which make that much harder. In fact I think the bike came from America! (certainly she had to pay import duties). 

[Cudzoziemiec]

Thanks for all the recommendations.

[Nutbeem]

I had a similar issue when a new bike purchase pushed us over the total value limit on our home insurance.

Most of the companies I got quotes from wanted extortionate premiums and for me to carry round a 3Kg lock, rather defeating the purpose of buying a lightweight carbon fibre bike.

The solution for me was TSB Bicycle Insurance; Insure your most expensive bike and all others in the house are covered, bikes need to be securely locked out of doors but there's no requirement for a specific standard of lock, premium was agreeable to me, and I found some positive reviews of users experience.

https://www.tsb.co.uk/insurance/sports-equipment-insurance/bicycle-insurance/

[Kim]

The solution for me was TSB Bicycle Insurance; Insure your most expensive bike and all others in the house are covered, bikes need to be securely locked out of doors but there's no requirement for a specific standard of lock, premium was agreeable to me, and I found some positive reviews of users experience.

https://www.tsb.co.uk/insurance/sports-equipment-insurance/bicycle-insurance/

Excludes e-bikes, thobut.

[Nutbeem]

Hadn't spotted that, doesn't help much in this case then does it

sorry

The solution for me was TSB Bicycle Insurance; Insure your most expensive bike and all others in the house are covered, bikes need to be securely locked out of doors but there's no requirement for a specific standard of lock, premium was agreeable to me, and I found some positive reviews of users experience.

https://www.tsb.co.uk/insurance/sports-equipment-insurance/bicycle-insurance/

Excludes e-bikes, thobut.

[Paul H]

The solution for me was TSB Bicycle Insurance;
https://www.tsb.co.uk/insurance/sports-equipment-insurance/bicycle-insurance/

That's who all my non E-bikes are with as well, by far the cheapest I've found and they were easy to deal with when I had a claim.

[Frank9755]

My e-cargo bike is on my home insurance with Admiral.  They cover it up to a value of £5k.  Cost in increased premium is a fraction of standalone policies with Laka, etc.  Would be worth considering when you renew.

[Nutbeem]

It was your post, picked up on a YACF search that pointed me in that direction

Thanks

The solution for me was TSB Bicycle Insurance;
https://www.tsb.co.uk/insurance/sports-equipment-insurance/bicycle-insurance/

That's who all my non E-bikes are with as well, by far the cheapest I've found and they were easy to deal with when I had a claim.

[aidan.f]

Our home insurers Nationwide withdrew our entire cover when we brought an expensive ebike and tried to add it to the policy. I suppose the concept of n+1 is only really understood here...