Guide discussion: Bicycle insurance

wake≈turbulence

Bicycle Insurance is one thing, cycling insurance another.  Here are some things to think about:

[1] Wear bright coloured clothing.  If you like dark clothing, so take a change of clothes so you can wear bright colours on the bike.  At night, reflective clothing is a big safety booster, as are lights visible not just from the front and back, but from the side too, and we are entering the Northern Hemisphere winter months now

[2] Think about what parts of your body you should protect most both from the point of view of an accident, but perhaps even more important, life after the accident, what will hamper you most, torn up hands (wear gloves), injured ankles (wear boots) if for instance you work on your feet, and your head is so important.  Concussions and cuts can be very problematic. Today helmets are available that have self contained rechargeable lights that also feature L/R signalling and even braking.  Very lightweight helmets may be convenient, but your head is arguably the part of your body you'll most want to protect and there are two things you can do to make things safer.  A ski helmet will typically provide better protection. SIPS helmets are worth considering, and those that cover the head better and some have sliders that allow ventilation to be shut off when the weather is cold or it is raining.  Some helmets provide ear protection in winter that can be removed during the summer months.  A minimal helmet may make you legal, or you feel safe wearing something, which is certainly better than nothing, but may not provide much protection.  Always be ready to support better protection for cycling, like no motorised vehicle zones, and bike lanes.  Removing the centre line of the road means motor vehicle drivers can less easily judge that oncoming traffic is going to miss them, and that concern or fear tends to cause drivers to slow down, but the existence of a cycle lane does not mean drivers will not encroach into the reserved bike lane space, which is why a kerb between cars and bikes is a great idea, but many roads are still horse and carriage wide lanes that cannot accommodate two car lane widths, a cycle lane on both sides of the road and protective kerbs between traffic and bikes, which is why two way one side of the road bike lanes are a not uncommon feature these days.  Regardless of the attitude of some drivers that they pay annual fees to DVLA, so they should have privileges cyclists do not, that is just a pay money entitlement attitude, whereas scratched
up paintwork is a bit sad, but a cyclist with lifelong injuries is potentially a tragedy that can cost NHS a lot, and/or increase insurance costs, and as long as we have fossil fuel powered vehicles, which may be for a long time with heavy goods vehicles, they are paying for their air quality impact and greenhouse gas emissions quite apart from the greater repair costs for motor vehicles wear and tear, and the fact that two bicycles going in the opposite direction require very little space.  Motor vehicles require much more space and durable surfaces and and sub-surface support, and it's also the case that the price of food is to some extent higher, because cars and vans require large adjoining car parks that are a cost factor that gets figured into food pricing 

[3] Home contents insurance may be better than nothing, but it tends to be quite limited cover.  Bespoke bicycle insurance is becoming cheaper these days, and several bikes can be covered for the price of a single bike just 5 years ago.  Consider all the different insurance components before choosing, not so much based on price, but on a what if basis, what if I have an accident, what might I be facing, and some components can be added for less than £10 each sometimes less than £5 each, things like public liability, legal representation and personal accident that does not cover treatment, but does cover loss of fingers, limbs, eyes and so on.  Consider also accessories and clothing damage that might be covered at £100, but for a small amount more can be raised to £2000 or to 10% of the total package value.  An accident may render a helmet and water- resistant or waterproof clothing unusable afterwards.  Another thing to consider is accidental damage and vandalism, usually a joint category.  What if someone tries to steal your bike, but is unsuccessful, so you cannot claim for the theft of your bike as you still have it, but what if in trying to steal your bike, the taker damages it

[4] Finally, for now, any lock is not to be sneered at, but some locks are very expensive.  Insurers often require at least a silver rated locking system, but could also require it be either gold or diamond depending on bike value, diamond being the top class of locks today.  Read rating reviews that cover things like how long does it take to cut through a locking system with an angle grinder, but also think about what you are locking the bike up to.  If your lock is very durable, but what you are locked to is a bit on the flimsy side, it may prove easier to cut through what you secure your bike to.  It may also be worth thinking along lines like a typical inverted U-shape securing station might be cut through without attracting a lot of attention, but a signpost or similar vertical post might be far more obvious, and anything with electric wiring also potentially means cutting live wires.  If you lock your frame to a secure anchoring point, you have probably not locked your wheels