Can you get insurance to ride your bike abroad?

Cycling abroad is an idyllic holiday for many, but you need to make sure that your bike is safe and insured. Otherwise, if it gets stolen while you’re away, you could find yourself out of pocket. Here’s what you need to know:

How to insure your bike if you take it abroad

You can get a bespoke bicycle insurance policy that includes cover for taking your bike overseas – but you might not need to.

Many bicycle insurance policies include 60 or 90 days worldwide cover as standard, meaning you don’t need to buy anything extra

This means you can use your bike abroad and you will be covered by your bicycle insurance for 90 days each year, either as one trip or several smaller ones.

If it is not included, you will either have to pay extra to add travel cover to the policy or buy bespoke insurance.

If you’re planning to travel with your bike, make sure you check the terms and conditions of your existing cover carefully.

Here is everything you need to know about bicycle insurance:

What is covered?

Foreign travel cover on a bicycle insurance policy means your insurance will be extended to protect you while you are away. This means you can be covered for things like:

• Theft, accidental damage and vandalism

• Personal accidents, for example if you are injured after a crash

• Third-party liability

• Damage or loss of accessories like your helmet

• Replacement bike hire

Some policies also offer new for old replacement if you need to claim for a new bike, and cover for cycle breakdown and recovery.

Some policies also offer additional benefits like:

• Cover while in transit: Your bike and bike box will be covered if they are lost or damaged while being transported

• Replacement bike hire: You can claim up to a set amount, for example £250, for a hire bike if yours is damaged during your trip

• Getting your bike home: If you are injured and need to get home, the cost of returning your bike separately will be covered

Not all insurers offer the same cover, so read the policy documents carefully to find out exactly what you are protected against.

Here is more information on what is covered by bicycle insurance.

What types of bicycle can you cover abroad?

Most bike types will be covered when you go abroad, for example road bikes, mountain bikes or electric bikes. Check the policy documents before you buy a policy to make sure your bicycle is covered.

Be careful of the single item limit on policies too - an expensive road or mountain bike can cost thousands of pounds, so might not be covered by a standard policy.

You can find out more about the different types of bicycles you can insure here.

What is not covered?

Check the terms and conditions before you buy a policy to see what cover is excluded,

For example, if you ride in the USA or Canada, many policies will not include third-party liability, which covers your costs if you damage someone else's property.

Other common bicycle insurance exclusions include:

• Any theft where the bike has not been secured using an approved lock

• Any theft when using your bike for monetary gain, for example as part of a courier service

• Any damage caused by general wear and tear

• Any damage caused during a competition, unless this cover has been added to your policy

• Racing - so be careful if you’ve signed up to ride in a sportive, even if you’re just there for the adventure

There is more information on what is not covered by a bicycle insurance policy here.

Why you still need travel insurance

As well as protecting your bike, you also need to make sure you get a suitable travel insurance policy to cover yourself.

Having travel insurance means you will be covered if you are injured while riding, but only if the policy includes the activities you want to do.

Many travel insurers define some types of biking activities as extreme sports, so you may need to pay extra to cover them.

For example, some will cover cycle touring holidays, but you may not be covered to do certain activities like mountain biking or racing.

Most travel insurance policies will not cover your bike, so you will need bicycle insurance alongside your travel cover for full protection.

Here is more information on getting travel insurance for a sporting holiday.