recommendations please: I want a policy that will replace my bespoke but ultimately relatively low end hardtail.

Cheers,

'Rocket

M&S cheaper for me to insure all my house contents plus all risks insurance on all my bikes than to do one bike with a bike specific policy

M&S, but ring to check the small print. Cover my bikes anywhere in the UK and abroad.

M&S were so frikken expensive when I asked that it made moresense to just bank the cash and buy a new bike myself if it got pinched.

We have Lloyds and are covered for £7500 for £12 a month!

Coffeeking – £200 for contents and bikes all risk here – cheap – especially as my commuter got nicked and its being replaced with something of many times the value

£800 from M&S here.

Greenbee (John Lewis group) were £532 for a better policy.

Hmmm.
The problem i've found in the past that generic home ins policies claim processes don't understand bespoke bikes & the expense of building a rig around a £500 frame & £500 forks.

I had a rockhopper comp nicked a few years ago, the replacement offer was fine – a new rockhopper comp from the latest range. However when I explained I'd like the money to get a bespoke unit the subcontracted claim company didn't get it at all. I later found out that none of the mainstream claim companies could replace anything that wasn't sold as a complete bike. in fact, I've since struggled to make new business consultants understand that my bikes are made of a collection of high quality parts and the make and model just doesn't give enough information about the replacement cost.

Anyone else solved this problem?

When I made the recent M&S claim I had two ways of solving this – show them that the bike they offered was not an acceptable equivalent and then get full cash value or accept a cash settlement that was discounted.

In the end I accepted a bike but it would have been easy to have got cash – have a series of good photos for proof of componentry

There are various reasons why insurance companies like to deal with complete bikes. One is if it's a scam. The fraudster likes to get cash rather than a bike they have to sell on. Second, they often have deals with suppliers so they get a discount – £1000 bike to you, £x00 to them. I would suggest you keep pictures, receipts etc. of your bikes and take it from there if there's a claim.

Similar to white goods, tv's etc. in that it's better to an insurance company to replace with goods rather than cash.

I was hoping for a suggestion of an insurance co. that would insure/replace what I had rather than what suited them.
I guess there isn't one. Perhaps there is a gap in the market….

M&S / wheelies will do so. You might have to argue a bit but either they replace with like for like, an acceptable equivalent or yo get a cash settlement equal to the new value.

Cycleguard for one do Theft and Accidental damage insurance, there are plenty of others though a google search will reveal plenty.

Most will also quote for third party liability and even breakdown recovery. Its a growing market with quite a few companies providing cover.

Expect to pay over $100 (sorry never figured out where the pounds is on this mac) for a years cover.

They quoted more for my 2k bike than I pay for my cars, so there is definitely a market for some competition.

I've just gone with M&S cos they were cheaper than Lloyds, £250 for buildings & contents, & items while away from home also. I called to confirm that my bikes would be covered, & they said yes, up to £4.5k, & that if they were all stolen they wouldn't regard them as a Set or Collection. I asked how they would handle a claim & they said I'd just have to list each part & its replacement value. I mentioned getting a bike shop to value it, but they said it wasn't necessary, & likewise having receipts for every part on each bike.

When I got a quote from M&S for buildings and contents to include 2 x 1.5k bikes it was way more pricey than some of the above.
After trying a few quotes cheapest was with Zurich through a local insurance broker.

ETA, at ilovemybike.com (I think) cover for loads of stuff, and personal injury, 3rd party europe and world travel as well as racing. Say their "ethical" too. specialist bike cover for custom builds so should hopefully be less faff in case of a claim (I hope!!)

For M&S contents you don't need to specify any item worth under £4k. They also ask Wheelies to value your bike after you specify parts on a custom build. After they value it and it's approved by M&S you can spend the pot on any bike/build that Wheelies can get in (Note – they don't do SC) and add to it if you go over the amount.