Bike insurance – avoid John Lewis Specialist

Hello all

I have had (and recommended on here) John Lewis Specialist insurance cover as they covered all our specified and unspecified family bikes, with no stipulations other than ‘in a locked outbuilding’. They would also cover my canoes, despite policy saying no canoe over 14′ (mine are 17′). I have a letter confirming both in 2015, and that there are no restrictions on locks, immoveable objects etc.

It transpires they have not covered the canoes for the last two years.
It also transpires that bikes have to be locked to ground anchor and with individual gold secure locks, and a shed that means a ‘robust level of security'(?).

I’m off to pedalcover asap, and asking them for premiums back as the cover changed (they cannot tell me when) and so it’s unlikely I was ever going to see any pay out if theft occurred. They cannot tell me any other cover specifics that have changed other than ‘there are some’.

I chose them, despite significant extra expense, as I thought the cover was far superior to others.

We’ve just changed to PC. They still won’t cover the canoes though. Ours is in with the BC membership. Didn’t realise about JL and their lock requirements.

could you not rely on the letter to provide cover?

According to two call handlers then letter = they would cover.
According to underwriters via another two call handlers = nope, the (new imposed) terms say no, so no cover and letter means nothing.

I cannot pay for a service that cannot confirm which is which – and a service I pay a premium for.

I’d highly recommend Hiscox. Covered at home, in the garden unlocked and elsewhere. Paid out no issues when my mtb was stolen as well.

Hiscox here as well, left John Lewis for similar reasons.

Thanks chaps. Hiscox has just given me a very satisfactory quote for the cover.

matt_outandabout – Member

According to two call handlers then letter = they would cover.
According to underwriters via another two call handlers = nope, the (new imposed) terms say no, so no cover and letter means nothing.

I cannot pay for a service that cannot confirm which is which – and a service I pay a premium for.

It’s always going to be the latter of those two. Letter correct at time of writing but you’ve renewed since then under the new terms.

Be sure to tell them why you’re switching and tell John Lewis why you’re leaving, the more companies realise that crap bike cover will cost them customers the more likely they are to offer decent cover and the less likely they are to cut the included cover the next time they look for savings.

the more companies realise that crap bike cover will cost them customers the more likely they are to offer decent cover and the less likely they are to cut the included cover the next time they look for saving

Except for the fact that bike claims are likely to cost them many years worth of premium, and insurance companies don’t generally want customers with expensive, easily stolen property, hence the limits on the policies in the first place! It’s not an accident, there’s no cost saving associated with a reduction in cover…

They are right though Matt – you had a letter, but then signed up to new terms when you renewed, if you had something which was directly contradicted in the docs then you’d have needed a new letter on renewal.

My Pedalcover renewal has just come around at £10 cheaper than last year. Only annoying thing is 2.5% premium to pay on a credit card, but they won’t be able to do that next year!

Thanks chaps. Hiscox has just given me a very satisfactory quote for the cover.

+1

Looks like they may have a new customer.

Is this specific to John Lewis Specialist[/i]? I (and several mates) use John Lewis (normal) specifically because they didn’t have these conditions. I’m pretty sure there’s nothing about bike locks/ground anchors etc in my policy docs (will double check though)

I’d be amazed if the Specialist cover is in any way inferior to the regular one!

Edit: just had a mega quick look at the policy docs and I can’t personally see anything on any of them which mentions the need for the bike to be locked when at home, just when out and about, and that the limit on the Specialist cover is £5k per bike unless specified.

cannot pay for a service that cannot confirm which is which – and a service I pay a premium for.

Just think though – you’ve been paying premiums which haven’t provided you cover, so surely a refund is due!
Lol! I jest – a refund? from an insurance company? 😆

You have, of course, had totally valid insurance, so I suspect you’re out of luck on the refund thing. The fact you chose the product specifically because it covered you for a handful of items is irrelevant really. It’s not like car insurance, where you may have a case if it turned out your car wasn’t actually insured all along.

Is this specific to John Lewis Specialist?

It was in my case, looking now it just says John Lewis Insurance on my documents.

I’m pretty sure there’s nothing about bike locks/ground anchors etc in my policy docs (will double check though)

There isn’t in my documents – speaking to them reveals there are restrictions, but it has taken four phone calls to go from ‘maybe’ an issue to ‘no, its fine’ through ‘no, you are not covered and we do expect locks etc’

I still have nothing in writing about the expectations of locks etc, despite starting this conversation with them a month ago, and ten days ago requesting a full policy wording. It feels like they are a) very busy and b) reluctant to give out the detail.

Just think though – you’ve been paying premiums which haven’t provided you cover, so surely a refund is due!

You have just been listening in to my phone calls. 😉

I am demanding extra policy cost for the named bikes in full, 50% of rest of premium as I used them for reasons that were false and I could have saved money elsewhere.

There isn’t in my documents – speaking to them reveals there are restrictions, but it has taken four phone calls to go from ‘maybe’ an issue to ‘no, its fine’ through ‘no, you are not covered and we do expect locks etc’

That’ll never fly, they can’t make up clauses that aren’t in the policy docs. That’s the point of the policy docs! Definitely on shaky ground.

I’d say it’s worthy of a complaint, but as you’re not actually claiming I’m not sure what you’d get. The best outcome would be that you have been insured the whole time, and thus definitely have no recourse for a refund!

I agree – hence waiting a call back from PedalCover and Hiscox…

I am also looking for how to email for refund – they only have a phone number it seems.

OP , please can you clarify if your JL policy was their standard cover or their bespoke option?

I will dig out full policy when I get home and confirm – I took it out originally as Specialist.

However I am now not trusting a word that they say.

Thanks, we are with their bespoke service and may have to do some checking to see if we are getting the cover we think we are paying for.

When you say Speicialist – was it normal premier cover and then the ‘high’ value bikes etc were extra?

That’s what we have but I don’t recall anything about the specifics of certain locks.

Sorry to go OT but can anyone recommend a bikes-only policy? I don’t control the house insurance but I know it doesn’t adequately cover the bikes…

I have John Lewis Premier home and buildings insurance. According to a customer service adviser they don’t need to be secured if in a locked garage and they don’t stipulate what type of lock needs to be used when away from home. This is also what is written in the policy document. I presume this is a different type of policy from what is mentioned above. Hiscox was more expensive for less cover for me.

M&S insurance used to be great for bikes and other home insurance, with cover at work and on holiday. But sadly the premiums got a bit silly for us at north of £300 per year without ever making a claim, so when the financial crunch hit (and things like bikes got a bit older, not worth as much etc.), M&S had to go.

Not very good situation with terms changing without making you aware by written notice in this thread case though, pretty awful in fact!

Sorry to go OT but can anyone recommend a bikes-only policy? I don’t control the house insurance but I know it doesn’t adequately cover the bikes…

I was looking at Barclays, the terms seem very good. Covers multiple bikes, including away from home, no obtuse lock requirements. Much much cheaper than the specialist bike insurers I looked at.

Ask whether they are covered by financial Ombudsman service. If they are then ask that they give you a final complaint response with referral rights. It focuses the mind of the Complaints team from an economic perspective as all complaints cost them £500+ from FOS to investigate regardless of outcome.

Policy – It started as a ‘Specialist’ policy but was changed (not by me!) to a Plus policy. I am yet to understand the difference in them.
I have now got an email and sent it all in writing as I was promised a call back this morning that has not happened.
I am basically left confuzzled about what changes JL have applied, and what I am or am not covered for, other than it is not as comprehensive as it was when I took out policy.

I called Hiscox –
– bike theft from garage or outbuilding is only 50% payout.
– £10k total value of bikes away from house at any given time (I am right against this with a family of 5…).
– no cover in use (e.g. if I get ‘bike jacked’).
– must be locked to immoveable object at all times, and a car rack does not count, only inside a car.

Pedalcover do seem to cover everything in one go – without the limits from outbuildings or garages, they do cover locked to a car rack. Pedalcover do limit total away from home cover to £16k, but this should be enough for all our bikes, camping kit etc in one go.

I was looking at Barclays

Personally, wouldn’t trust those bastards.

(Do I come across as bitter on insurance threads? Barclays is why)(and Legal & General) (think that’s all 😆 )

Do I come across as bitter on insurance threads

After playing ‘see you in court’ with Churchill a few years back and seeing mrs_oab left at the roadside after an accident as it was Sunday by Budget insurance, and now this, I do not trust them either.

Surprised that Hiscox is 50% cover, they paid for my replacement bike in full (4K). Better double check the latest policy documents but when I claimed they were excellent, covered the full cost of bike, tools, clothing (the bastards took riding gloves) and the cost of fixing locks.

Just looked at the Hiscox website, no mention of a 50% payout at home? Says this;
Broader cover for your bikes when kept inside the home
We cover bikes whilst kept in the home up to your contents sum insured, valued up to £15,000 for any one bike. If you need cover for a more expensive bike just call our insurance experts on 0808 1150 696 to discuss. Cover for bikes in outbuildings (Where most of these are likely to be kept) is limited to £10,000.

sometimes I think this whole insurance malarkey is a con and the rules keep changing depending which customer assistant you get on the phone!

whilst kept in the home

Cover is limited to £10k and according to chap on phone today limited to 50% of value.

Not the case, no where does it say that in my policy and I have claimed 100% of the cost on one occasion since first taking out the policy.
#Edit#
Just phoned up Hiscox to query this,my bikes are covered up to 10k whilst at home (total). They are covered up to 3.5k whilst away from the home. Not sure where the 50% of the value comes from because this is not what I have been told or experienced!

More follow up.

First phone call back from John Lewis since August on this matter.

Supervisor insisting that I was fully insured, no locks needed on bikes in shed, and that if I have letter about canoes I was insured for those too. This is opposite of what two people told me last week, after speaking to underwriter.

I’ve asked for all this in writing. They’re reluctant it seems, having not answered last week’s email directly asking that all future contact is via email.

Total b*lls up it seems.

I have had intervention from a more senior person.

At no point should I have been told that bikes were not covered in a shed, and they should not need locking to other items.
JL should never have covered my canoes, and I should not have a letter to say so, as they have no note on system.
I still do not have a written detailed breakdown of what has changed policy wise, or indeed clarity on what they *will* cover bike wise, where and how locked. Its an ambiguous ‘we will cover’ still.
JL still cannot explain why my renewal did not happen back in May.

Overall I want to trust them – but frankly I am paying £500 a year for insurance of specific items that they took 4 months to confirm they would/would not cover, and still I don’t have written confirmation of things. In the event of a claim JL are Royal Sun Alliance and underwriters, and much of the ‘honest we would pay’ will not be up to them… I am out.

Pedalcover on the other hand provided all this information immediately…shame it costs more.