Insurance - France Tour

[Foxy]

Hi

I'm looking for some cycle touring insurance a holiday in France I've looked at about five cycle insurance policies and they don't cover what I need , if you look at the print.

The key things I need are:
1 Recovery to a station or my next overnight stop, if I damage the bike, since I might be miles from where I need to get to.
2 Reimbursement in case I have to curtail my holiday because I or the bike are damaged.

I've found one that covers '1' but only up to 30km.
I've found several that cover '2' but only for returning home in case of things like a family bereavement etc.

My bike's about 16 years old and cost new c£750, so most policies won't cover it if it's lost or stolen, so insuring the bike is not my priority.
I already have 'normal' travel insurance, but it doesn't cover '1' and '2'.

Anyone know of some insurance that fits the bill? I'm a bit fed up with seeing headlines features that look great only to find that anything useful is not included in the detailed policy!

[For reference: I've done a lot of touring in France but usually with someone else and without pre-booking so many hotels, trains and a return trip so I'm a bit concerned if I have to abandon and re-book everything!]

[gaz]

viewtopic.php?f=26&p=1316469#p1316469


Please note that gaz is not FCA regulated and cannot assess individual needs for insurance. You will not receive advice or recommendations from gaz about them. Please direct your queries to your chosen insurance provider, who may be either vaguely reassuring or reassuringly vague in their response (wonderful phrase, my thanks to mjr for providing it on another thread). Your home may be at risk if you leave the gas on whilst touring in France. Posted on a forum that contains track nuts and cannot be guaranteed track nut free.

[ANTONISH]

The two eventualities you describe are possible but not likely to happen - you probably cycle a fair bit in the UK without thinking what you would do if you can't continue.

In the case of needing to be picked up and transported from somewhere in the French countryside you have the problem of making contact.
I suppose that with the advent of smartphones you can find and contact a taxi service or perhaps even a garage - there is also the possibility that some kind soul will stop and help. Obviously there is the cost but is the not very high risk worth insuring against ?

As for having to abandon your holiday - my attitude is that I have already paid out so I regard money paid for a holiday as a loss I have already sustained and although it may be a disappointment I'm not really worse off financially.

So all in all I insure against accident ,illness and theft etc but I don't worry about the things you mention - of course there are cycle recovery schemes similar to AA and RAC but the only one I've ever subscribed to (never used) was the ETA.

[mjr]

I suppose that with the advent of smartphones you can find and contact a taxi service or perhaps even a garage - there is also the possibility that some kind soul will stop and help. Obviously there is the cost but is the not very high risk worth insuring against ?

It depends if you can afford it, of course... but then for something like a holiday, should one go on holidays that cost more than one can afford?

But generally, I'm with you: I have fallback plans (alternative, contingency and emergency) rather than insurance.

So all in all I insure against accident ,illness and theft etc but I don't worry about the things you mention - of course there are cycle recovery schemes similar to AA and RAC but the only one I've ever subscribed to (never used) was the ETA.

I think that insurance is currently not available while ETA look for a new insurer. https://mobile.twitter.com/ETAservicesl ... 094529?p=v

[simonhill]

I agree with mjr - this should be part of your usual contingency planning. Its not really an insurance problem.

You seem worried about your bike breaking down. My advice is to get it (or do) properly serviced. Don't scrimp if something is part worn, eg tyres, chain, etc. Carry a few spares in case. Plenty of people on this forum will constantly be tweaking their bike while on tour - personally, I get it set up before I go and apart from air and oil I very rarely touch my bike during 2 plus month trips. Bikes are very reliable nowadays, no need to worry.

A smartphone, or just waving down a vehicle that could carry you (not such a problem in the remote, presumably agricultural regions you fear). Plenty of people cycle in far more remote areas, I don't think anywhere in France could be so labelled.

If you book your hotels, etc on a site like Booking.com, you can cancel sometimes as late as the morning of the booking. This means you would only pay for maybe one booking.

It sounds like this is your first solo trip - don't worry about it, you'll have a blast.

[Foxy]

Hi All

Thanks for all the responses.

I'm slightly irritated that many insurance policies appear to cover what I wanted, but when you read the small print it excludes anything useful; hence the post.

I have been solo cycling before and on the second day (out of ten) I damaged my knee but managed to get 50 miles to a station, re-route, take a day off and get back en-route. The problem this year is that I've made it so damn complicated that if I miss a day I lose my hotels, trains etc. All due to overplanning!

I'm more than happy with the bikes reliability, having done c10 years holiday tours on it, but there's always the possibility of coming off on a track, hitting a kerb or a van and buckling a wheel (I've fitted a new chain and have spare links etc). I have great faith that some rural frenchman/woman would pick me up, but would ideally like to have the onwards cost covered!

Hotels all booked through Booking.com, so yes, I should be able to cancel some/most.

Thanks for the reassurance!

[Ivor Tingting]

Hi All

Thanks for all the responses.

I'm slightly irritated that many insurance policies appear to cover what I wanted, but when you read the small print it excludes anything useful; hence the post.

I have been solo cycling before and on the second day (out of ten) I damaged my knee but managed to get 50 miles to a station, re-route, take a day off and get back en-route. The problem this year is that I've made it so damn complicated that if I miss a day I lose my hotels, trains etc. All due to overplanning!

I'm more than happy with the bikes reliability, having done c10 years holiday tours on it, but there's always the possibility of coming off on a track, hitting a kerb or a van and buckling a wheel (I've fitted a new chain and have spare links etc). I have great faith that some rural frenchman/woman would pick me up, but would ideally like to have the onwards cost covered!

Hotels all booked through Booking.com, so yes, I should be able to cancel some/most.

Thanks for the reassurance!

Crikey, you are definitely a glass is half empty kind of guy. Not my idea of a holiday.

[MrsHJ]

I’ve had a couple of problems where I needed help- one major mechanical failure in an urban area and I walked for help to a bike shop and then got a taxi to my overnight destination (they then gave me a lift to the bike shop I was getting it fixed at next day)- a train would also have been an option.

Other time I crashed out in the countryside in Spain. We got going again and dropped into a remote health clinic in the next village but (probably the tetanus jab plus heat and cycling and crashing) made me pretty ill (sick and very wobbly) later in the day. My friend waved down a local van and they gave me a lift to the campsite (we contributed to a beer in the bar).

Generally I think that’s the pattern- people in the countryside will help a stranded cyclist and in the city you have options.