Best bike insurance: The best policies for cyclist
The best bike insurance can offer cover for cyclists from infrequent commuters to committed racers
The best bike insurance for you will depend on the type of riding you do. You can find bike insurance policies appropriate for everyone from the casual recreational rider to dedicated racers riding some of the best road bikes, best time trial bikes or best gravel bikes.
The best bike insurance doesn't just cover your bike if it's stolen, you can buy a policy to protect your bike from accidental damage and that will help you get riding again if you're injured. Most will offer you the option of third-party damage cover as well.
Bike theft remains a major hazard though and one that the best bike insurance will protect you from. Many insurance policies offer you a new-for-old option if your bike is lost.
You do need to show that you've taken steps to avoid or prevent theft though. Using one of the best bike locks and knowing how to lock your bike is important - if you're not doing both, you may invalidate your insurance.
Often an insurance company will specify the level of security that a bike lock must provide for your cover to be valid, although that might be met by even the best budget bike locks.
If you’re new to navigating the world of bike insurance, it can be overwhelming due to the sheer number of insurers and policies on offer, so we’ve rounded up the best bike insurance policies available today. Some of the criteria we have looked at are whether the policies cover multiple bikes, legal fees, public liability, travel and whether they offer new replacement bikes for old.
We've split this guide up into the best-tailored bike insurance, the best bike insurance for commuters, and the best bike insurance for racing. It's geared toward UK riders, with the companies listed below offering insurance to UK residents.
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At the bottom of this list, we've answered some of the most-asked queries in a section on how to find the best bike insurance for you.
Best tailored bike insurance policies
While some insurers offer a single blanket policy designed to suit most cyclists’ needs, there are several who offer tailored insurance policies for the individual. These may consist of three tiers to choose from, or actually form a bespoke policy where you can pick and choose the cover you need.
1. Yellow Jersey
Zero depreciation and DNA security marking
Multi-bike discount: Yes | Public liability: Yes | Travel cover: Yes | New for old: Yes (unlimited)
Yellow Jersey offers three tiers of cover: Essentials, Performance, and Ultimate. One of its greatest benefits is the Zero Depreciation offer, which means you’ll always be compensated for the original value of the bike when new, regardless of how old it is.
For commuters, urban riders and casual cyclists, Essentials offers cover for accidental damage (at home and while out riding), vandalism and theft, personal injury, physiotherapy, dental and public liability insurance. On top of that, you’ll also get DNA security marking to deter thieves (a clear liquid with a unique chemical fingerprint that you dab onto your frame in strategic places), family cover and a multi-bike discount, £250 of accessory cover and up to £10,000 for permanent injury.
The Performance package offers all this, plus travel cover in Europe, damage and injury cover while taking part in sportives and charity events, in-vehicle theft and in-transit cover, plus optional cover for extra wheelsets, plus permanent injury up to £15,000.
On top of all this, if you opt for Ultimate, you also get a 60 per cent multi-bike discount and cover for worldwide travel, crash damage, theft from a triathlon transition area, bike boxes, competitions, and the cost of a UK taxi back home following an accident or mechanical failing.
2. Bikmo
Tailored insurance that can be paid monthly interest-free
Multi-bike discount: Yes | Public liability: Yes | Travel cover: Yes | New for old: Yes (unlimited)
Bikmo offers bespoke insurance policies to cover you for whatever it is you need. Pick and choose from a menu of benefits, including (but not limited to) £ 2 million public liability insurance, accidental damage and vandalism, theft (you must adhere to Bikmo’s locking requirements), cover for bike boxes, accessories, clothing and headgear, emergency hire, £100,000 legal expenses cover and 24/7 cycle hangar parking.
Bikmo also offers up to 50 per cent multi-bike discount and, like Yellow Jersey, doesn’t recognise depreciation of value when estimating the cost of damages. Their team of bike geeks are on hand with specialist knowledge, and there’s an option to pay in monthly instalments, interest-free.
3. Wiggle Insurance
Promises instant action so you won’t be left waiting by the roadside
Multi-bike discount: Yes (Essential & Elite packages) | Public liability: Yes | Travel cover: Yes (Elite package) | New for old: Yes (Essential & Elite packages)
Wiggle’s insurance comes with three levels to choose from – Assist, Essential and Elite – and promises to be the fastest-acting provider of all. While most insurance providers will require you to provide proof of costs – whether it’s for a taxi home following a mechanical breakdown or dental treatment – before reimbursing, Wiggle promises to act immediately, providing instant medical care and transportation. It also offers interest-free monthly payments.
The Assist policy is extremely basic and only offers personal accident and public liability insurance, plus access to emergency medical, dental and physio treatment.
The Essential package is most likely to appeal to casual cyclists and commuters, covering you for theft and accidental damage on top of these.
Their most comprehensive package, Elite, offers all this, plus cover for global travel, sports and transition, as well as replacement bike hire.
4. Velosure
Discipline-specific insurance policies
Multi-bike discount: Yes | Public liability: Yes | Travel cover: Yes (optional) | New for old: Yes (unlimited)
Velosure offers insurance policies based on your chosen discipline and type of bike, with policies for road bikes, mountain bikes, urban bikes, electric bikes, sports bikes and leisure bikes. Standard cover includes accidental damage and theft, up to £ 2 million public liability, and new-for-old replacement. There’s also a multi-bike discount.
Depending on your needs, you can add optional extras to your policy, including European and worldwide travel, sports and competition cover, personal accident and accessories cover, and replacement bike hire, among others.
5. Pedalsure
Simple policy with a long list of customisation and personal cover options
Multi-bike discount: Yes | Public liability: Yes | Travel cover: Yes | New for old: Yes
Pedalsure offers a comprehensive tailorable quote system which enables the rider to pick and choose their required cover, including the option to add extra bikes with a 50 per cent multi-bike discount, as well as accessories, race cover, up to 60 days' travel cover, three tiers of personal cover, and more.
The standard cover is basic in order to keep the cost down, but the list of added extras is long.
Pedalsure’s policy provides personal accident cover, which includes the cost of physiotherapy and dental treatment, as well as theft, accidental damage and vandalism. If you need to hire a replacement bike while making a claim, they will reimburse you for up to £500 to cover this. Their insurance also provides you with legal protection and personal liability.
Best bike insurance for casual commuters
If your time on the bike is mostly limited to the daily commute, weekend leisure rides or the occasional holiday, you don’t need a super comprehensive insurance policy. The main things you should prioritise are accidental damage cover, personal injury, theft and legal protection if you were to make a claim.
1. Laka
Best for a personal touch
Multi-bike discount: Yes | Public liability: Yes | Travel cover: Yes | New for old: Yes (unlimited)
Laka’s insurance policies come with a personal touch. Two policies are available: Bicycle insurance and Recovery insurance. The former offers cover for your bike, helmet, clothing, GPS device and more, plus you’re insured against theft (including from a vehicle), damage and vandalism, and loss. In addition, they cover you and your belongings at races and triathlons, provide global travel insurance for up to 60 days per trip, and will give you £200 of emergency cash after an incident to help you rent a bike or get a taxi home.
While your possessions are covered by the Bicycle policy, Laka’s Recovery policy takes care of your mind and body. In addition to accident and injury cover (for home and abroad), you’ll gain access to sports specialists and virtual GPs to quickly diagnose and treat your injuries, performance coaching to improve your recovery, and have your physio, dental and mental health bills covered up to £1,500. They even include copies of Rouleur magazine, the hire of a turbo trainer, and nutritional advice from the pros, to help you recover as quickly and comfortably as possible.
2. Bicy
Great for casual cyclists and holidayers
Multi-bike discount: No | Public liability: Yes | Travel cover: Yes | New for old: Yes (2 years maximum)
Bicy’s insurance policy covers cyclists for accidental damage, theft and personal injury, plus it comes with up to £ 1 million public liability insurance and mechanical breakdown cover. If you’re in the habit of holidaying with your bike, then you’d benefit from worldwide cover for up to 60 days at a time, and Bicy offers new-for-old cover (meaning that they’ll pay out the original value of your bike when it was new, without taking any depreciation of value into account) – but unlike Yellow Jersey's unlimited offer, it only applies if your bike is less than three years old. Finally, Bicy has a legal team who are on hand 24 hours a day. If you’re making a claim, they can offer specialist advice, and even take over the claim where appropriate.
Best bike insurance for serious athletes
Whether you're entering crits in your home city or flying across the world to participate in cross-continental races, if you're a serious athlete you'll need a lot more from your insurance policy. Look for one that offers worldwide travel insurance, competition cover that includes lost entry fees, transit cover for bike boxes and a way of getting home if all goes wrong.
1. Sundays
Two policy options, with a 10% discount for both
Multi-bike discount: Yes | Public liability: Yes | Travel cover: Yes (optional) | New for old: Yes (3 years maximum)
Similarly to Laka, Sundays offer two different policies - Bicycle and Cyclist - so you can choose to either insure just your bike or your body or opt for both with a 10 per cent discount. Bicycle insurance covers you for accidental damage, crash damage, malicious damage, theft, domestic in-transit and cycle hire. There’s even a specific cover for damage caused to a bike while on a roof rack. Sundays has a three-year limit on its new-for-old offer, and you can add extras like worldwide travel insurance, competition cover, and extra wheelsets cover.
Paid Strava subscribers get a more limited range of included benefits through Sundays, covering GPS device damage, running race entry and a taxi home if you're stranded by a cycling accident or mechanical.
2. CycleGuard
Comprehensive insurance for risk-takers
Multi-bike discount: Yes | Public liability: Yes | Travel cover: Yes | New for old: Yes
CycleGuard’s insurance policy is pretty comprehensive and offers a multi-bike discount with a maximum of 10 bikes per policy. Your bike is insured against accidental damage and theft, including theft from a vehicle, and you can insure up to £2,500 worth of accessories. 30 days of EU travel is also included in the standard policy, alongside 24/7 roadside assistance, new-for-old replacement or compensation, family cover for the same address, and bike hire for up to £500.
Serious athletes may want to opt for some of the extras available, including global travel insurance with £300 cover for bike box transit damage, personal injury cover up to £25,000, including dental treatment, broken bones, physiotherapy and more, and £ 5 million public liability (excluding North America). There’s also competition cover available, which helps you recover lost race fees, travel and accommodation, and – like Yellow Jersey – it is looking out for triathletes with cover for clothes lost in a transition area.
3. Cycleplan
Insurance for racers, teams and coaches
Multi-bike discount: Yes | Public liability: Yes | Travel cover: Yes | New for old: Yes
Cycleplan is a subsidiary of Ripe Insurance (providers of specialist insurance cover), offering cover against accidental damage, vandalism and theft, whether at home or away. They also offer an additional policy for worldwide and European travel, which includes competitive cover. Other benefits include public liability insurance, personal accident cover, including medical expenses, physio or loss of income, and replacement bike hire. You’re also covered for legal expenses, should you need to make a claim.
As part of Ripe Insurance, you can also get special insurance for race teams and coaches, via Insure4Sport (another Ripe Insurance subsidiary).
Cycleplan currently has a 40 per cent introductory discount, and they also offer a free downloadable cycling training guide.
4. British Cycling Membership
Best for multiple discounts and benefits
Multi-bike discount: Yes | Public liability: Yes | Travel cover: Yes | New for old: Yes (unlimited)
While this isn’t technically an insurance policy recommendation, membership to British Cycling does come with the added benefit of third-party liability insurance up to £ 20 million, as well as legal support and assistance if you need to make a claim. If you opt for the Race membership, you’ll also be entitled to personal accident insurance. Travel insurance isn’t included with British Cycling membership but, as a member, you’d also get discounted access to Bikmo insurance (mentioned above), as well as priority access to tickets and a racing licence, and a whole host of discounts at Evans, Halfords, Science In Sport, Chain Reaction Cycles, TrainingPeaks, Muc-Off, and more.
How to find the best bike insurance for you
Insurance can be complicated, although the insurance companies we've listed above strive to make details of their cover more accessible to the buyer. So here, we've broken down the key questions that you need to ask to find the best bike insurance for your needs. Consider your budget and insurance requirements, make a list and see which insurers meet your needs at the most competitive price.
Which type of bike insurance is best?
The best bicycle insurance policies for you, like most things in life, will depend on your personal needs. The perfect cover for someone else may not suit you. Consider what your needs are and what the nice-to-haves might be. The more of these you add to a policy, the more expensive it's likely to become, so remain realistic and remember you can always adjust your cover down the line.
Is there any benefit in being covered for racing for a year just in case you decide to join a race? Probably not. Are you hoping to do a sportive later in the year? Consider adding that cover to the policy then, rather than now. Additionally, if you never let your £10k carbon race bike out of sight, then you mightn't need to add away-from-home theft cover.
Consider the true value of replacing your bike should it be damaged or stolen. You might have bought your bike for £2,000 in the sales, but replacing it with a like-for-like replacement today might cost you twice that. Many insurers account for this by offering a like-for-like replacement guarantee - especially useful if your 2015 carbon wheels are totalled and are no longer available.
Is bike insurance worth buying?
While cyclists aren't legally required to have insurance, it's a good idea to protect yourself in the event of an incident. Even if you aren't concerned about damaging your bike, you can be liable to cover the costs of damage to another person's property, should you be found at fault – so insurance can protect you in that scenario. If your bike is stolen, insurance will cover the financial blow that will come as a result of replacing it.
But don't assume that insurance is your get-out-of-jail-free card and let your guard down. Many insurers stipulate rules around how to lock your bike – and what with – to maintain cover against theft. If a thief happens to take your bike off your hands because you left it unlocked and unattended "just for five minutes", your insurer is unlikely to pay out.
Make sure you read the fine print!
Does bike insurance cover damage?
Many bicycle insurance policies are tailorable, meaning you can choose your level of coverage when first taking out the policy. Many even offer an insurance dashboard on which you are able to adjust your policy at any given time.
The most basic policies will cover third-party damage – so, damage to someone else's property. Others add theft protection and accidental damage to your own property, while the higher levels of cover add competition insurance, should your bike become damaged during a race or sportive.
Does my car insurance cover me on a bicycle?
Usually not, but there are rare instances where bicycle insurance is given as added value to a policy. Of course, this purely depends on the individual policy and insurer in question. Our advice would be to check your policy and, if unsure, speak with your car insurance provider.
Does home insurance cover bike theft?
If you’ve taken out home insurance, then you’ll likely already have some cover, but there’s a reason specialist bike insurance exists in the first place. With home insurance policies, there can often be a low maximum claim (some are as low as £350/$450), and you might not be covered if your bike is stolen while locked up in a public space.
Specialist bike insurance policies, on the other hand, offer several benefits that you won’t get with home insurance. For example, some will offer discounts for multiple bikes, while others may include travel cover. You can also insure accessories such as helmets, locks and lights, which is especially useful if they get damaged or stolen.
Specialist insurance often also includes personal accident cover, and public liability cover in case you injure someone else or damage property. Finally, if you’re a dedicated racer, it’s worth looking for an insurance policy that covers damage during racing, lost race fees, and personal accident cover. It’s more expensive than home insurance, but you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck.
What do I do if I'm uninsured, but already been involved in a cycling accident?
If you’ve already been involved in an accident, but you're not covered by insurance, you're not without options. Many cycle accident solicitors operate on a no-win-no-fee basis and can help you make a claim to recover your costs.
Online cycling retailer Wiggle has set up a branch called Wiggle Legal for this very purpose, and other similar companies, including Cycle SOS and Alyson France, can help you claim against the local council for potholes or guilty parties in road traffic collisions. Of course, it's not guaranteed that you'll win, and if there's no guilty party to claim against, you may come unstuck.
Should I report a stolen bike?
Absolutely. While the likelihood of recovering a stolen bike can often be quite low, it's even lower when not reported. It should be reported to the police, who will log it into their database. Should the bike ever be recovered, they will know its owner and reunite you with your steed.
If you've not already had your bike stolen, then the first thing we'd recommend doing is noting down the frame's serial number, as this is unique to each bike. Then, if the bike is ever stolen, you can provide this serial number to the police and give them concrete proof that the bike belongs to you.
It's common practice for a bike shop to attach the serial number to any bike transaction. Therefore, if your bike has already been stolen and you didn't write it down yourself, check your receipt. If that's lost, contact the shop where you bought the bike, they may be able to help.
Do you legally need to have insurance to ride an e-bike?
This largely depends on your local laws, as they differ from country to country. Most commonly, however, if your bike complies with local laws pertaining to pedelecs – the details of which you can find in our best electric bikes guide – then from a tax and insurance standpoint your e-bike is classed as a bicycle and doesn't require insurance.
However, as with any bicycle, it's a good idea to ensure you're covered in case of accident or theft. With electric bikes usually faster and heavier than standard bikes, there's more likelihood that you will cause third-party damage or injury in an accident.
Thieves are attracted to electric bikes for their higher value as well.
As the Tech Editor here at Cyclingnews, Josh leads on content relating to all-things tech, including bikes, kit and components in order to cover product launches and curate our world-class buying guides, reviews and deals. Alongside this, his love for WorldTour racing and eagle eyes mean he's often breaking tech stories from the pro peloton too.
On the bike, 32-year-old Josh has been riding and racing since his early teens. He started out racing cross country when 26-inch wheels and triple chainsets were still mainstream, but he found favour in road racing in his early 20s and has never looked back. He's always training for the next big event and is keen to get his hands on the newest tech to help. He enjoys a good long ride on road or gravel, but he's most alive when he's elbow-to-elbow in a local criterium.
