I’ve had an attempted theft and it has shaken me up. I have 3 bikes that need insuring none of them were bought as whole bikes so there isn’t a simple valuation on them.

Who is the best to get these insured with?

I am guessing I will need photographs of current spec and maybe even valuations from a bike shop?

Mine are just done through my contents insurance; they know that they’re custom built so I pulled together a spreadsheet to tot up the total value and then told them how much each bike is worth. I think for all three of mine addd about £180 for the year, the Banshee did the most damage because its worth the most.

Just spec the frame and all the individual components then state the value.

Thanks guys.

Any other options/opinions out there?

OK Looking at M&S cover as our home insureance is up too.

Does the below mean that it is covered in a locked shed?

• Pedal cycles
Loss or damage
a) to any pedal cycle worth over the
unspecified pedal cycle limit shown
in your policy schedule unless it
has been specified in your policy
schedule
b) to tyres and accessories unless the
pedal cycle is lost or damaged at
the same time
c) by theft of any unattended pedal
cycle, unless in a locked building
or secured by a suitable locking
device to a permanent structure or
a motor vehicle

Is the shed classed as a locked building or a permanent structure? Would I have to sink a substantial ground anchor into a lot of concrete for it to be considered a permanent structure?

I’ve just insured mine, I added to the contents insurance that we have with Bradford & Bingley, 3k equates to £4 a month increase, my bike is covered as long as it’s locked up ie. behind a locked door and this includes the garden shed.

They are almost half the price of M&S. I wonder what they are like when it comes to paying out.

1. Figure out how much you’re willing to spend on insurance
2. Gamble that amount on a horse

Santander. 3 bikes covered for £18 a month.

I think they may say that a shed is not a building (assuming that like all insurance companies, they would want to wriggle out of it). There have been a fair few threads over the last few weeks about people moving away from M&S insurance – I haven’t read them, but I wonder if this is because they are not as good as they used to be.

I have never paid much attention to the M&S threads but I wish I had now. Going to have a little search.

I’m pretty sure how I’m going to improve the security of the shed. Short of having a steel cage made up I don’t think I will be able to improve much on my initial plans.