Mountain bikes were designed for shredding flowing trails , and you’re likely to encounter scenarios your homeowners & renters insurance won’t cover.
Mountain biking originated as a sport in the 1970s, and since then, it has gone from a fringe sport to a popular activity attracting cyclists, daredevils, and nature lovers from all walks of life. By 2020, there were 9 million mountain bikers in the USA, and the sport is only getting more popular.
We know that no one buys a bike to ride it around their garden - and that’s even more true when it comes to mountain bikes. They’re designed to be as tough as you, but even the most rugged MTB has its limitations when it comes to squaring off against Mother Nature. Specialist bicycle insurance is purpose-built to protect your mountain bike in a range of cycling scenarios that are unlikely to be covered by your homeowners & renters insurance. Here are our top five reasons why your mountain bike deserves customized insurance.
Riding a mountain bike means going up against the terrain (which is also where the thrill of it lies), so it inherently places more demand on almost every part of your bike.
While mountain biking, you’ll encounter some tricky surfaces, like gravel, rocks, ditches, jumps, or mud, that minimize traction. You may even find yourself in the air from time to time, and that can make it difficult to keep control of your bike - which unfortunately makes crashing an inevitable part of riding a mountain bike.
Because you go quicker on downhills, you’ll hit obstacles with more force - and when things go wrong, they also go wrong quicker, and you come down harder. Some of the most common reasons for mountain bike accidents include:
Overestimation of abilities - or “running out of talent” as the saying goes
Loss of control
Poor trail conditions with surprising obstacles
Off-camber curves
Bad landings following jumps
While homeowners & renters insurance usually won’t cover accidental damage to your bike, we do! As cyclists ourselves, we know that life sometimes throws a spanner in the works. Not only do we cover your bike for accidental damage, but we also won’t increase your premiums when you submit a claim.
When you go mountain biking, you’ll need to ask yourself some questions like, “Will there be cell phone reception?”, “How far am I from civilization?”, “What will I do if I encounter a mechanical problem that can’t be fixed or an injury I can’t ride through?”, and if you’re riding alone, “Do people know where I’m riding, so they know where to come look for me?”
These are important questions to ensure you are prepared for your ride with specialized kit, GPS, additional wheelsets, and a host of other custom parts and accessories unique to you and the terrains you ride.
With Sundays Insurance, you can choose to insure custom parts fitted to your bicycle. Additionally, accessories such as your GPS cycling computer or headlight can be covered up to the value of $250, $450, $750, or $1,000. You can also add additional wheelsets to your policy so you can swap them out to suit your ride with total peace of mind.
Have you ever experienced that sinking feeling when you drive into the garage, forgetting that your mountain bike is on the roof rack? Ouch.
If you regularly transport your bike on your roof and you haven’t yet, statistics show there is a very good chance that you will someday! Don’t worry, we cover your bicycle when you transport it on your car.
We also cover your mountain bike for loss or damage during transit anywhere in the US, and if you want to go on the ultimate adventure, you can select our optional worldwide coverage to extend your coverage for up to 90 days abroad.
Mountain biking is already a technical sport, and adding in the element of competition can make it even more exciting - but it can also put your bike at risk.
If you want to take part in a race or stage race over several days, you can select our optional racing and event coverage, and we’ll cover your mountain bike if the damage is caused by a specific incident, crash, impact, or road hazard while you’re taking part in a race or event.
If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having to back out of a race or event that you’ve entered and can’t compete in due to physical injuries that you sustained in a covered loss to your mountain bike, our optional racing and event coverage will help in reimbursing you your entry fee up to $500.
If you have a homeowners & renters insurance policy, you might want to add your mountain bike to that policy under your personal property or contents because you’re under the impression that specialist mountain bike insurance is more expensive - but this isn’t always the case.
While insuring your mountain bike under homeowners & renters insurance is an option, it’s likely that your coverage limits will be much lower than a specialized bicycle insurance policy, and many of the common out-of-home cycling scenarios we cover are unlikely to be covered by your homeowners & renters insurance.
Here's how homeowners & renters insurance compares to specialist bicycle coverage:
Insurance premiums are usually calculated annually and divided by 12 to give you your monthly premium. Many specialist bicycle insurers require that you pay a portion of the annual amount upfront, but we don't. Enjoy simple monthly payments with no upfront or minimum premium*. Plus, you can cancel your coverage at any time without penalties.
We draw from 13+ years of cycling insurance data to offer customizable coverage for serious and casual cyclists alike.
Despite our global footprint, our close-knit vibe ensures you always feel like a part of our Sundays Insurance cyclist family.
Try our policy for 14 days and get your money back if you cancel within 14 days and did not claim. No questions asked, no penalties*.
*Only available in selected states.
Does homeowners or renters insurance cover my mountain bike?
It can, but coverage limits are usually much lower than a specialized bicycle insurance policy, and common out-of-home scenarios like trail crashes, transport on a bike rack, and racing are unlikely to be covered.
Does mountain bike insurance cover crash damage?
Yes. Specialist coverage like Sundays Insurance covers accidental damage - and your premiums won't increase when you submit a claim.
Can I insure my mountain bike accessories and extra wheelsets?
Yes. Custom parts fitted to your bike can be insured, accessories like a GPS cycling computer or headlight can be covered up to $250, $450, $750 or $1,000, and additional wheelsets can be added to your policy.
Is my mountain bike covered while racing?
With optional racing and event coverage, your bike is covered for damage caused by a specific incident, crash, impact or road hazard during a race - and if injuries from a covered loss stop you from competing, your entry fee can be reimbursed up to $500.
Is my mountain bike covered on a bike rack or abroad?
Yes. Your bike is covered while transported on your car and in transit anywhere in the US, and optional worldwide coverage extends protection for up to 90 days abroad.
References and resources
University of Utah Health — Mountain biking tips to prevent injuries
healthcare.utah.edu
Mountain Bike Experience — Is mountain biking dangerous?
mountainbikeexperience.com
Statista — Mountain and non-paved surface bicycling participants in the US
statista.com
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