e-bikes not covered on 'bicycle' addon to household insurance.

TELLIT01

I was just reading about an insurance claim following the theft of a mountain bike and e-bike from the same property.  The insurer paid for the mountain bike but refused to pay for the e-bike because it is a motorised vehicle.  It doesn't affect me but may well be relevant to many other people.  Definitely worth checking the working of your insurance.

forgotmyname

Been with several insurers and they have all excluded motorised vehicles. Fairly normal I thought?

TELLIT01

forgotmyname said:

Been with several insurers and they have all excluded motorised vehicles. Fairly normal I thought?

You may think so, but I don't think a major newspaper would carry an article about it if it was common knowledge.  I can understand people not even giving it a thought when they buy "A bike with an electric motor". 

HP_Source

It's not as clear as suggested and seems to vary from insurer to insurer. I checked the position with my insurer, Hiscox. They confirmed that the bike was covered and that any third party claim arising from its use was also covered.

I can only suggest that it's something you need to check with your insurer.  

Aretnap

forgotmyname said:

Been with several insurers and they have all excluded motorised vehicles. Fairly normal I thought?

All home insurance policies will exclude motor vehicles, ie motorbikes, cars, vans etc, for which you need a specialist, Road Traffic Act compliant insurance policy, as well as a driving licence etc.

Electrically assisted pedal cycles (as opposed to fully electric motorbikes) however don't fall into that category; there is no need for a motor insurance policy and no reason why they can't be covered on a ordinary home insurance policy just like an ordinary bicycle. In practice some home insurers do cover them as bicycles, but some don't; it depends on exactly how the policy is worded. 

forgotmyname

Aretnap said:

All home insurance policies will exclude motor vehicles, ie motorbikes, cars, vans etc, for which you need a specialist, Road Traffic Act compliant insurance policy, as well as a driving licence etc.

Electrically assisted pedal cycles (as opposed to fully electric motorbikes) however don't fall into that category; there is no need for a motor insurance policy and no reason why they can't be covered on a ordinary home insurance policy just like an ordinary bicycle. In practice some home insurers do cover them as bicycles, but some don't; it depends on exactly how the policy is worded. 

My policies were worded as the OP mentioned  "Motorised Vehicles".   Think it may have mentioned mobilty scooters as an example

but that maybe poor memory.  It was not something I needed so took little notice of what exactly they excluded.

No reason they cannot, its just that my policies didn't so assumed it was standard.

carly

My Aviva policy covers ebikes and last year I had a Halifax policy which also covered my ebike.  

[Deleted User]

Half the ebikes I see are either illegally modified to give crazy speeds or allow the rider to be propelled without pedalling, should be considered alongside scooters imho, motor assisted riding, not riding.