Ebikes are not pedal cycles on home insurance

A PSA for anyone with an ebike insured by RSA home insurance (who also underight a lot of other policies such as Nationwide).
RSA denied an insurance claim for bike theft saying Ebikes are not covered under “pedal cycles”.
I wonder if other insurers think the same?

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/experts/article-9368121/ASK-TONY-did-home-insurer-slam-brakes-900-e-bike-claim.html

Clearly just trying to exploit, and until someone takes them to court where an independent judge rules they are pedal cycles as they cannot be driven forward without the pedals being used to supply the initial power/drive then they shall keep on exploiting this now grey area.

Your policy excludes motorised or mechanically propelled or assisted vehicles other than garden machinery and motorised/electric wheelchairs.

A possible get out for them, if cycles are classed as vehicles.

Their stance on E-bikes will no doubt be based around the ones that are in the £3-8k range, not the cheap end, so I can fully understand why the exclusion is there. It’s exactly the same as it is for bikes over BSO prices.

My policy is with Nationwide and every renewal I phone up to check that my bikes are still on there correctly as listed items due to their value. The last 2 years they have asked me directly if they are E-bikes or not as that attracts a further premium as stated in the terms they send you. I only have the policy to cover my bikes, everything else is too low value for me to pay the premiums rather than take the hit, so I make damn sure they’re covered fully. The people in the article probably should have done the same thing as it does change the risk level for the insurer, especially as bike thefts are on the rise.

E-bikes are not covered on the standard home contents in the policies the company I work for sell, however, if you select the Pedal Cycles cover they will be covered both in the home, and away from the home. I’m not here to defend/justify/explain how it works, just what some insurer’s policies cover. If it helps, the additional premium gor adding pedal cycle cover for my bikes (its not based on cycle values as its blanket cover) was £25. My bikes (not e-bikes) are covered in the home on my contents cover, but I always want cover away from the home anyway so I’d be paying for that additional cover regardless.

We are with Santander . When I bought an ebike I rang up to ask if it was covered under the extra I pay to include pedal cycles. They said fine as long as the value didn’t exceed my top limit for all cycles. It doesn’t so all should be well. However this was three years ago so it might be worth another call to check nothing has changed.

Just checked my aviva policy and it specifically says they are covered.

We are with Saga 🙄 Just checked, quote ” Motorised bicycles designed to travel over 15.5 mph unassisted are not covered.”

After my experience with RSA business insurance I wouldn’t touch them with a barge pole.

I would’ve thought, just like every policy I’ve had in the years I’ve had expensive bikes, you cover them as Specified Items.

With Aviva you don’t need to specify them, just a max £5k value on any one bike

Motorised bicycles designed to travel over 15.5 mph unassisted are not covered.”

Legal ebikes do not fall under this.

I have Nationwide home insurance and checked the wording. It’s underwritten by Royal and Sun Alliance apparently. I’ve got my emtb on there as a specified item, just due to value. I presume it’s also necessary to include the Bicycle Cover option, but that’s pretty obvious!

Bicycle Cover
We cover your bicycles (as well as electrically powered bicycles and even tricycles and unicycles) and accessories like pumps and lights, whether you’re at home or for up to 90 days a year anywhere else in the world. You can choose Bicycle Cover if you’ve selected Contents Cover.

So that seems fine to me.

A possible get out for them, if cycles are classed as vehicles.

Can’t see how they wouldn’t be. Definitely a wake up call to all ebike owners, but if any action is to be taken, it going to have a lot more clout if the bike industry gets behind having it covered.

This is pretty much going to void everyone’s policy as I dont see other insurance groups neglecting to take advantage in future claims from this incident. Could well be the policies were changing within moments of that announcement being made.
I think people should now seek clarity with their own insurers.

Motorised bicycles designed to travel over 15.5 mph unassisted are not covered.”

Legal ebikes do not fall under this.

Yes they do – legal eBikes are UNassisted over 15.5 MPH.

Heh good spot 😳

Heh good spot 😳

The wording could be better I have to say. Lots of people might think they are covered reading that. 🙁

The wording could be better I have to say. Lots of people might think they are covered reading that. 🙁

I’d suggest they probably are – that the assistance to which they refer will be pedal assist not motor assist. I’m not an underwriter mind and would be looking to get it clarified