Help with bike price comparison for claim

[AJDJ]

Hello,

My bike was crushed by a truck the other week, luckily I jumped off before I was seriously injured. I'm making a claim to get the cost of the bike back, unfortnately my bike was an old West German make, Heidermann and I've not been able to find any available online for a price check, I picked it up second hand for £175.00.

Has anyone ever done a comparative price check for a claim like this and can advise on the process of what types of bike I should be looking at to use as evidence of compartive price?

Thanks in advance.

 

[MichaelW2]

I used to work in bikes insurance claims.
In the case of a no-name or unknown brand, we tried to get the specs and make a match to current models in accordance with our rules. You don't always get the same, ie you may get an aluminium framed hybrid, unless it was a custom-made steel frame.
Can you post any specs on:
Frame material/grade
Transmissions type/spec
Material of seatpost/stem/bars/rims.
List of accessories above a bare-bones bike.

 

[Nibor]

Take it to your LBS and ask them for an insurance quote for a replacement they are likely to be very helpful if you are going to get the replacement from them

 

[Cubist]

Ring Wheelies. They'll probably be handling the claim anyway, and will do their best to match spec like for like, new for old. In my case they were replacing the frame on a custom bike and offered a couple of alternatives.

 

[mjr]

Comiserations to the OP and I'm sorry I cannot advise, although I'm quite glad I've never been through that mill.

In the case of a no-name or unknown brand, we tried to get the specs and make a match to current models in accordance with our rules. You don't always get the same, ie you may get an aluminium framed hybrid, unless it was a custom-made steel frame.

Who makes such rules up? Alu frame could be seen as a downgrade from steel in many cases and a modern bike probably won't be as good as a vintage and near-vintage bike like the OP's.

 

[MichaelW2]

Comiserations to the OP and I'm sorry I cannot advise, although I'm quite glad I've never been through that mill.


Who makes such rules up? Alu frame could be seen as a downgrade from steel in many cases and a modern bike probably won't be as good as a vintage and near-vintage bike like the OP's.

You have to be realistic and admit that the market has moved on. If you had a custom steel tourer or racer in Reynolds 531, you can replace with the same/similar. If you had a cheap steel sports bike, the replacement will not be steel. Even a mid-market hybrid bike from 1990s in chromoly, has no mass market steel replacement.
The rules are that you should never get a bike of lower specs, where you can define a spec, eg number of gears. It should be of the same type where possible, so racer/tourer/everyday hybrid/MTB FS or HT. Since we developed the system, we wrote the rules to be what a knowledgeable and reasonable customer might expect.