So I had my somewhat aged but much beloved voodoo djab stolen from inside the back of my van a few weeks ago. Manchester police seem unbothered, but that’s to be expected, and it’s unlikely to turn up now.

Looking to fund a replacement, I notice that my contents insurance with direct line may cover a little of the cost-only up to £250 though…

I’ve done a bit of research (never having made a claim for anything other than glass before) and it looks as if a claim shouldn’t push up my premium much, esp if I shop around (given that premiums are likely to go up anyway..)

Wondered of anyone had claimed in this way recently? How does it work?

Will insurance companies allow you to put the money towards parts/sh bike, or does it have to be something from a recognised outlet, claimed back with a receipt etc?

£250 isn’t much against a full brand new bike of similar quality, but at sh prices would be better than a poke in the eye…

Thoughts appreciated !

Cheers, Joe

Bump for the evening crowd-

Not the most riveting of subjects I know!

Have you got home insurance? Might be covered in under that, when our car got broken into we claimed on home insurance as it seems that attracts less of a premium hike

Thanks- no, no home insurance.

If it’s a van, do you have contents insurance? We don’t as it was additional on a van policy. We use our house insurance

Yes, van has contents to £250, which I’m considering claiming on. Just wondering if anyone had experience claiming on contents, and if they make you buy new then reclaim, or give you cash?

it will depend on many factors and you need to check what the policy says as some do some dont

What’s the excess?

£350

You do realise you’ve got to pay the excess before the insurer pays out? You’ll end up £100 down 🙂

The only way it would work is if you’re adding the contents into a bigger claim to fix the damage from them breaking in?

I would be careful. Usually, when you insure anything, it has to be within the value range stated, or you declare the value. If you have a bike that’s worth £1000 and you cover it with a limit of £250, they will say you’ve under-insured it by a factor of 4. By some quirk of mathematical logic, this means that only pay out a quarter of the actual loss, which would be £62.50 – that seems to me to be double counting, but that’s what I believe they do. Whether under-insuring the bike would affect the rest of the claim (if there is one) I don’t know.

Thanks Greybeard, that’s worth considering.

The bike itself wasn’t insured, I was just considering if it was worth making a claim against contents to soften the cost of a replacement.