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, bikes, bicycle, insurance cover, Cycling

The dangers of cycling

The Tour de France is set to kick-off in London on July 7th and that means cyclists will be out in force across the UK.

A major event such as this is likely to attract thousands of bikers to the roads but Cornhill Direct warns that many may not have adequate insurance.

The firm says that a number of people are putting themselves and others in danger by failing to ride their bikes properly and within the confines of the law.

Almost half of cyclists admit that they regularly ride on the pavement, despite the fact that it is illegal, while 14 per cent do not indicate when turning and 20 per cent regularly jump red lights.

All of this makes for a dangerous ride and 69 per cent of riders have fallen off their bike at some point, with 14 per cent being knocked off by another vehicle.

“Cycling is hugely popular in the UK and riders would be wise to make sure they have the right insurance cover,” said Mark Bishop from Cornhill Direct.

“If a cyclist were to injure someone they could face a bill of tens of thousands of pounds and if they were injured and unable to work it could cause them and their family real financial problems.

“While cycling can be great fun and good for you, it also carries risks and there is no excuse for riding recklessly and many cyclists admit to doing just that,” he added.

Tags: Recreation, Cornhill, adequate insurance, cent, bikes, someone, london, fact