Whether you're an experienced cyclist or just starting out, there's nothing quite like owning a new (or new to you) bicycle.
Your bike can serve as your pride and joy or be a vital mode of transportation. Whether you're seeking a socially distant commute, ride for relaxation, quality time with loved ones, the simple pleasure of exercise, or use it to rip your mates legs off, every cyclist has a special bond with their bike, or bikes. The joy of owning and riding a bike does come with certain risks. Gladly these risks can be mitigated by getting the right type of insurance coverage.
Important: Do not assume that you are adequately insured. If you rely on normal homeowners or renters insurance, you likely have very limited coverage. Read on for more information.
According to statistics from the online bicycle registry, Bike Index, bicycle thieves have been on a roll since 2020.
It's no secret that bicycle theft has always been common, particularly in urban areas - and it's only getting worse.
With the demand for bicycles skyrocketing since the start of the pandemic, the USA's massive cycling boom has led to a 24% increase in bicycle theft between 2019 and 2020.
Many cities across the USA have also seen dramatic spikes:
While these figures are alarming, they're nowhere near the real numbers.
According to Project 529 Garage, another online bicycle registry, only a fifth of bicycle thefts in the United States are reported to authorities.
A danger that's even less reported is malicious bicycle damage, either by thieves attempting to steal a secured bike or by vandals.
Accidental damage or crash damage generally isn't reported. Still, these can also be costly incidents that may leave you unable to ride your bicycle until you can repair or replace the damaged parts - and without insurance, that would come from your pocket.
Homeowners & renters insurance is usually grouped together, but they’re actually two totally different types of insurance policies.
Homeowners insurance is designed for those who own their homes. It covers their personal belongings (and possibly the structure of their home) in the event of things like fire, flooding, theft, or natural disaster.
Because the policy is focused on the home and its contents, items stolen or damaged away from home are usually not covered.
Renters insurance is similar, except that it will generally only cover personal items or, in some cases, living expenses in the event of income loss.
Neither type of policy is custom-designed to protect items you regularly take out of the home, particularly bicycles - which face a range of common risks while riding or locked in a bike parking rack.
Here's how homeowners & renters insurance compares to specialized bicycle cover.
*Dependent on selecting worldwide or racing & event coverage **Not available in NY
There are a couple of misconceptions about bicycle insurance.
Some believe it's prohibitively expensive, designed for serious cyclists, or only worth buying if your bike costs over a certain amount. We're pleased to tell you that none of this is true with Sundays Insurance.
Unlike many other specialized bicycle insurers, Sundays Insurance doesn't provide pre-packaged coverage options. Instead, your cover is fully personalized to your needs and can be tailored to suit almost every budget.
See how Sundays compares with other policies available in the market - https://lp.sundaysinsurance.com/welcome.
What does that mean? You get the coverage you need and don't pay for coverage you don't. Simple.
Along with the standard and optional coverages in the table above, you can also choose extra coverage additions to suit your needs.
If you cover your bike within 60 days of purchasing it new and choose lifetime new for old, we'll replace your bicycle, item or part with a new item of the same make and model or the nearest equivalent, with no depreciation applied.
With Sundays Insurance, you can insure custom parts fitted to your bicycle, such as upgraded carbon handlebars or a dropper seat post.
Additionally, accessories such as your GPS cycling computer or headlight can be covered up to the value of $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.
Choose racing & event coverage, and we'll cover your bicycle if the damage is caused by a specific incident, crash, impact, or road hazard while taking part in a race or event.
If you don't participate in races and don't want your coverage to extend to them, you don't need to choose or pay for this 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 15+ years of cycling insurance data to offer customizable coverage for professional cyclists, weekend warriors and commuters alike.
Despite our global footprint, our close-knit vibe ensures you always feel like 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*.
It is hard to distinguish the differences in coverage between the different bicycle and e-bike insurance providers. We created this handy link to help - How we compare
*Sundays Insurance is available in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. More states following soon
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/14/nyregion/bike-thefts-nyc.html
https://www.bicycling.com/news/a28846575/project-529-bike-theft-data/
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