Cyclists should ensure their bikes

Most of us would never dream of driving or even owning a car without insurance cover due to the risk of accidents, damage, or theft. However, many people who have bicycles fail to get their bikes insured, and this can prove to be a problem in the event that the bike is stolen.

A survey was carried out recently by M& S Money, and according to the results over twenty five percent of cyclists have had at least one bike stolen in the past two years, reflecting the high risk of theft for cyclists. The figures show that over three quarters of adults in the UK have a bike in the home, whether it belongs to them personally or to a member of the family.

The research indicated that the average value of these bikes was around £240. According to officials this makes these bikes a prime target for thieves, and with more and more people getting health conscious and more aware of the environment the number of people that own and use bikes could increase steadily over time.

Officials are now urging consumers to ensure that their bikes are insured so that they do not suffer financially in the event that their bikes are stolen. In many cases this can be done under a home insurance policy, and some policies also cover bikes as standard as long as they are within a certain value.

However, cyclists also need to ensure that they have cover that protects them if their bike is damaged or stolen whilst outside the home, and whilst this may come at an additional cost it will be well worth it in the event that something does happen to the bike.

Andrew Ferguson from M&S said: ‘Cycling can certainly be a popular activity, particularly as the evenings are lighter and the weather is warmer. It is important that if people have a bicycle already, or are considering making a new purchase, they make sure it is covered adequately by their home insurance policy.’

Tags: Insurance, bicycle, Cycling, insurance cover, bikes

Thieves get on your bike

Britain’s shift towards being a nation of green-minded individuals is being exploited by thieves.

That is according to new research which shows that bicycle thefts have grown by ten per cent in the last 12 months.

As more and more of us try to do our bit for the environment by ditching the car and peddling to and from work, thieves are capitalising.

Halifax Home Insurance has revealed that a bike is stolen every 71 seconds in the UK, with their being a total of 439,000 bike thefts every year.

Bike owners are now being advised to check their home insurance policy to ensure that their wheels are covered should they be stolen from a public place.

Figures from Halifax show that in 2006, 89 per cent of bike thefts occurred in a public place when the bike had been locked up.

“One bicycle theft occurring every 71 seconds is an astounding figure and should certainly make cyclists think more carefully about the level of security they use to keep their bike safe,” said Vicky Emmott from Halifax Home Insurance.

“With the majority of thefts coming from bikes that have been placed under lock and key, it may be worth considering spending a little more money for a high security lock that might stand a better chance of deterring a thief.”

London has been named as the UK’s bike theft hotspot and the average claim in the capital is for around £340.

Tags: bike theft, bicycle theft, bicycle, green-minded individuals, policy, United Kingdom, uk, lock and key