E&L Cycle Insurance - Not good

[wiggydiggy]

Has anyone had any experience making a claim on a stolen or damaged bike through Direct Line?

I'm considering switching to them as they are they only people who are willing to ensure a custom bike in a shared property.

Try Endsleigh as well - I used them for many years whilst sharing.

Not got any DL experience though sorry

Got a quote from my home insurers that is good, adding the bike as 'named item' is better than simply ticking the box for their bike insurance so its gone on that at £3.20 p/m, roughly £40 a year (what E&L got). Its fully covered in accessories to £1k, removeable accesories are also covered away from the bike e.g. someone mugs me for my bike bag which doubles as my work bag - I'm covered.

Just need to ask E&L to refund the £20 they have offered now....

 

[thnurg]

Eeek! I'm with E & L. If I decide to ditch and switch whom can people recommend?

 

[Jezston]

Try Endsleigh as well

Endsleigh won't insure a custom bike. They insist on a make and model that's on their list.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Eeek! I'm with E & L. If I decide to ditch and switch whom can people recommend?

Well I've gone with Halifax as I had their contents already, they quoted me £4+ for 'bike insurance' but instead adding it as a 'named item' cost me £3, and its all covered - I treble checked lol!

I fed back that the 12 hr rule effectively makes the insurance useless for commuters, I completely understand they may wish to discourage people from abandoning their bikes for weeks and then claiming but they are using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Endsleigh won't insure a custom bike. They insist on a make and model that's on their list.

Hmmm shame, I always had good experiences with them when I was sharing and indeed when I wasn't. Its only this year they stopped being cheapest for me....

I tried Cycleguard and Protectmybubble for quotes, can they help?

 

[Arjimlad]

I just called the AA today to ask about how my bike is covered under my household contents insurance. Individual items taken out of the home only need specifying if worth more than £1500.

It is covered at home, and for theft whilst away from home if I have locked it to a fixed object through the back wheel & frame.

No specification of lock is given but as always, the condition is that I must take reasonable care.

It is covered for accidental damage at home and away from home but, importantly, not whilst "in use". So if I crash, it had better be the fault of an insured driver, preferably !

Overall I think it is enough cover. All this is standard with my policy, and AA were pretty much the cheapest known insurer on a price comparison exercise I did on renewal.

 

[wiggydiggy]

........
No specification of lock is given but as always, the condition is that I must take reasonable care.

It is covered for accidental damage at home and away from home but, importantly, not whilst "in use". So if I crash, it had better be the fault of an insured driver, preferably !..........

That was the same from Halifax, no lock spec but just must be to an 'immoveable object'. They did also mention the 'in use' clause and I made sure that I AM covered for in use. I specifcally asked if I had an accident (I didnt specify car or anything else) that damaged or destroyed my bike and I am covered. Most likely (touch wood it doesnt happen) in case of an accident I'd fix the bike myself to protect no claims and only claim if 'destroyed'.

I also got the British Cycling member insurance and a separete personal injury policy through my union.

 

[thefollen]

Insured a camera with E & L years ago before I really had an understanding of insurance policies. Massive excess, pointless. The E & L stands for 'Equine & Livestock'; 'nuff said really.

 

[Linford]

Insured a camera with E & L years ago before I really had an understanding of insurance policies. Massive excess, pointless. The E & L stands for 'Equine & Livestock'; 'nuff said really.

I had an E&L policy on one of my horses a few years ago. They have a very bad rep amongst the Horse owners as well if this is of any consolation.

Bunch of shysters

 

[dellzeqq]

That was the same from Halifax, no lock spec but just must be to an 'immoveable object'. They did also mention the 'in use' clause and I made sure that I AM covered for in use. I specifcally asked if I had an accident (I didnt specify car or anything else) that damaged or destroyed my bike and I am covered. Most likely (touch wood it doesnt happen) in case of an accident I'd fix the bike myself to protect no claims and only claim if 'destroyed'.

I also got the British Cycling member insurance and a separete personal injury policy through my union.

I asked the Halifax whether I would be covered if I took a Colnago to Beirut and crashed it. They said yes. (I did take the Colnago to Beirut, but, happily, didn't crash it)

 

[dellzeqq]

one thing.........I know that I gather affiliate members for the CTC, so put what I write next in whatever box you want, but having third party insurance gives you the ability to fight off a counterclaim. As in car hits you, car driver's insurers write 'you reversed in to our customer's car at 30mph, here's a bill for £x000'. It's worth checking that your household insurance gives you 3rd party cover and of what order

 

[wiggydiggy]

one thing.........I know that I gather affiliate members for the CTC, so put what I write next in whatever box you want, but having third party insurance gives you the ability to fight off a counterclaim. As in car hits you, car driver's insurers write 'you reversed in to our customer's car at 30mph, here's a bill for £x000'. It's worth checking that your household insurance gives you 3rd party cover and of what order

Thanks for the tip, for me I'll check but I definately have it through British Cycling. I might swap to CTC when my BC membership expires, no real reason but thought I may as well try both?

 

[Chutzpah]

When I looked at E&L (and other insurers) I found their terms unwieldy. Here's what their policy says:

1. Premises housing insured items must meet the following requirements.
(a) A lock approved to British Standard 3621 or a mortice deadlock, of at least five levers must be fitted to all entrance doors;
(b) Key-operated security devices must be fitted to all opening windows, openings, skylights and the like on all floors including basements;
(c) When Your household has retired for the night (or in any event between 9pm and 6am) the bicycle must be kept inside Your home and all external doors and windows must be secured as above, except occupied bedrooms on the first floors or above which may have one window locked ajar for ventilation. Any alarm system must be fully operational and ’set’.
(d) Be constructed of brick, stone, slate or tile.
2. If the Bicycle is stored in a communal hallway it must be locked by means of an Approved lock to an immovable object.

Well, my wife doesn't let me keep my bikes in the house, so they're in the shed. I wouldn't be covered by E&L at night.

It also wouldn't cover me at work:

7. Bicycles in premises or areas open to the public or at private premises between 6am and 9pm and not being used or supervised must be left where any potential theft can easily be seen and locked to an immovable object by an approved lock or kept in a separate and secure area not accessible by anyone other than the insured, and secured by a five lever lock to British standard BS3621.

The couple of us who cycle to work leave our bikes in a small room at the bottom of the stairway that leads up to the office. I keep a lock at work but there's nothing to attach it to, so it's used more to stop an opportunist (I usually lash all the bikes together, due to the geometry of the room you wouldn't be able to pick them up and carry them out).

It wouldn't be "easily seen" either, unless someone was having a fag at the front door.

So basically, E&L insurance is pretty useless in general.

Full details : http://www.eandl.co.uk/documents/security-requirements/cy-security-requirements.pdf

 

[PaulSB]

M&S insure home and away up to £2500 - 3000 per ITEM and don't require bikes to be specified. Having £6000 worth at replacement cost this important to me. I've checked it twice with M&S by phone and read the policy carefully.

We chose M&S partly for the bikes, the overall service, the unlikely bad attitude if we claim and their reasonably competitive quote - quality does cost!

CTC membership for all other insurance cover.

 

[DCLane]

I've just insured my 3 with Churchill - a total of £15 for all 3 away from the home. They were already covered under the current insurance for where they're stored.

 

[classic33]

E&L have an odd way of deciding if your locks are upto scratch. Locks that they said were good enough for a Honda Goldwing, were of no use in securing a £500 bike.

Once considered their photographic equipment insurance, but the restrictions placed on their use & storage, went way beyond what I'd consider acceptable. Lockable steel container in the house, with me having the only key. They'd to be informed if another was cut.