Insurance against theft - overnight/more than 12 hours

[helenh]

Hi all,

Wondering if anyone can direct me towards cycle insurance that will cover my bike if left outside overnight.

Most policies I've looked at, if you dig deep enough, say they won't cover a bike left outside a home/excludable area (even if locked) for more than 12 hours (either explicitly or under a term such as 'abandonment').

I live in a flat and have nowhere I can leave my bike inside, nor do we have any of the fancy in-house bike parking facilities that these sorts of policies seem to be tailored towards. ALL of the bike lockers and sheds near me are completely full (Southwark, London - I'm on heaps of waiting lists). I don't have access to private gardens, sheds, etc. I have no choice but to lock it up (with an excellent lock) outside. If my bike gets stolen it will most likely be in the middle of the night, so theft insurance is totally useless to me if it doesn't cover this eventuality

Has anyone got any suggestions? Thanks!

[mumbojumbo]

Use a cheap bike to deter theft and rig up a pir type light that comes on if bike is encroached.

[horizon]

helenh: this has been discussed on this forum before. My own off-the-wall view is that you are asking the impossible (having said that, someone will be no doubt be along in a moment to prove me wrong )

Insurance doesn't work like that: it normally covers a small risk of something cataclysmic. It doesn't cover a very high risk of even a small cost - no-one would be that stupid to offer that insurance. As you say yourself, "If my bike gets stolen it will most likely be in the middle of the night". You might as well just ask the insurance company to buy you a new bike for your birthday. AFAIK, there are firms out there that will offer that sort of insurance but the cost will be very, very high.

My way out of this is to suggest that you insure the bike yourself. You pay yourself a hefty premium every month (say, £50). if the bike gets stolen, you will have the cash towards a new one. On the assumption that it will be stolen once per year, if it gets stolen on the first night, you just keep on paying in. And if you think it might get stolen once a week, then you know why you won't find insurance for it.

PS There are lots of good threads about folding bikes on here and I personally think that could be your answer.

PPS Don't forget that claiming once (say on household insurance) is fine but claiming multiple times might be trickier.

[Cyril Haearn]

Keep it inside the dwelling, is that possible?

[Oldjohnw]

Keep it inside the dwelling, is that possible?

The OP wrote:

I live in a flat and have nowhere I can leave my bike inside,

[Jdsk]

Keep it inside the dwelling, is that possible?

The OP wrote:

I live in a flat and have nowhere I can leave my bike inside,

Would that imply that it isn't possible to keep it inside the dwelling?

Jonathan

[tatanab]

Perhaps a folding bike perhaps.

[Tigerbiten]

I'd forget about insurance unless you can get a folder that you can keep in the flat.
As another idea ....
Do you have somewhere local that fixes up old bikes and sells them dirt cheap.
If you do I'd be inclined to get one of them and keep it locked up outside.
The cost of the bike may be cheaper than the insurance premiums.
Then it's only the hassle of getting another one if it goes missing.

Luck ...........

[helenh]

Thanks all for your input. I did try to search the forum (and several others) but didn't find any discussion of this issue in particular - that said, if I've missed something please do link me up.

Use a cheap bike to deter theft

There are lots of good threads about folding bikes

Perhaps a folding bike perhaps.

I'm trying to insure the bike I currently have, rather than get a new one! But thanks for the thoughts. I appreciate the convenience of folding bikes but don't enjoy riding them.

Keep it inside the dwelling, is that possible?

Definitely not possible in our small flat, unfortunately.

rig up a pir type light

I like this idea but I can't do that to a property I don't own!

[PH]

I have my bikes insured with TSB Pick & Protect, it comes under their household insurance, though it's a stand alone policy. I haven't re-read the policy recently, but I don't recall any such exclusion, though it may be in there somewhere. In other respects I've been pleased with the cover, it's the cheapest I could find by quite a long way, I had cause to claim earlier this year and it was fair, straightforward and quick and that claim hasn't increased my premium.

[simonhill]

So we get an idea of the scale of the problem, what sort of bike is it and rough value?

Given that cycling is meant to be being encouraged: ask the police, then ask a local councillor, then ask TFL. Once these bodies admit that the streets are not safe, you may get something done, eg more lockers.

[horizon]

Helenh: thanks for the feedback!

1. You didn't mention the sentimental value of the bike (you wanted cash compensation). That's good - if you lose it, it isn't the end of the world.

2. There actually are ways to lock a bike, not 100% but perhaps enough to stop it getting stolen most of the time. Use two, different types of lock. Arrange the lock so that the cutter cannot get in under the bar. Remove the saddle and seatpost together. Remove the front wheel. Lock it to something (obviously). If you are leaving it for 12 hours, that amount of faff seems reasonable.

3. Where your bike is, is still important. Put it under someone's window and ASK THEM to listen out. Leave it in the light, under the lampost. Put a mirror on your window ledge so that you can see your bike from your bed.

4. Install a movement alarm. Install a tracker. Etc etc.

[Tigerbiten]

Plus if it is a "good" bike, how well is it going to survive a winter outside ??

Luck ..........

[helenh]

I have my bikes insured with TSB Pick & Protect, it comes under their household insurance, though it's a stand alone policy. I haven't re-read the policy recently, but I don't recall any such exclusion, though it may be in there somewhere. In other respects I've been pleased with the cover, it's the cheapest I could find by quite a long way, I had cause to claim earlier this year and it was fair, straightforward and quick and that claim hasn't increased my premium.

This looks promising - I need to have a closer look but a scan suggests I'd be insured for theft as long as the bike is 'securely locked to an object that cannot be moved', without mention of time limits etc.
Thanks!

[helenh]

So we get an idea of the scale of the problem, what sort of bike is it and rough value?

Given that cycling is meant to be being encouraged: ask the police, then ask a local councillor, then ask TFL. Once these bodies admit that the streets are not safe, you may get something done, eg more lockers.

It's a (conspicuously) brand new flat-bar hybrid, £700 (not a lot for some people, I know, but it's been a tough year...)

This is helpful, thanks. I did email Southwark a while ago to request new lockers on our estate but perhaps didn't target the right people: I got only a vague reply suggesting I apply to a community grants fund, which is not really what I was after. On reflection, I think this is a reasonable thing to bring up directly with my local councillor...