Who has insurance.....

[ColinJ]

I know that you are asking about insurance, but I think that I should tell you something ...

When my stepdaughter went for her interview at Sheffield university, I went with her for moral support and to have a bit of a day out.

We walked up to the university from the station and past some bike stands in front of one of the university buildings. What I saw made me shudder ...

There were wheels locked to the stands, with the rest of the bikes missing. Bikes locked to the stands, with wheels missing. Bikes which had been locked up properly had parts missing, and/or had been jumped on and generally trashed!

It convinced me that leaving bikes outside universities in big UK cities is probably not a great idea, no matter how you lock them up.

A couple of years later, a mate's son also went to Sheffield university. His mum bought him a new mountain bike which he was always careful to lock up when leaving it. It was stolen within 2 weeks ...

My advice would be to spend the insurance money on a cheap and nasty 'rat bike' for university duties and treat it as disposable. Lock it up close to more expensive bikes and hope that they distract the thieves and vandals!

 

[Black Sheep]

I know that you are asking about insurance, but I think that I should tell you something ...

When my stepdaughter went for her interview at Sheffield university, I went with her for moral support and to have a bit of a day out.

We walked up to the university from the station and past some bike stands in front of one of the university buildings. What I saw made me shudder ...

There were wheels locked to the stands, with the rest of the bikes missing. Bikes locked to the stands, with wheels missing. Bikes which had been locked up properly had parts missing, and/or had been jumped on and generally trashed!

It convinced me that leaving bikes outside universities in big UK cities is probably not a great idea, no matter how you lock them up.

A couple of years later, a mate's son also went to Sheffield university. His mum bought him a new mountain bike which he was always careful to lock up when leaving it. It was stolen within 2 weeks ...

My advice would be to spend the insurance money on a cheap and nasty 'rat bike' for university duties and treat it as disposable. Lock it up close to more expensive bikes and hope that they distract the thieves and vandals!

The bikes that I used to see outside university buildings with parts missing etc were ones that had been parked there for weeks.

I did used to see a number that had been locked with just a D lock through the front wheel around the forks - as such the QR is simply released and a front wheel stolen from a near by bike secured only by it's rear end.

I never had any parts stolen from any of my bikes in the 7 years I was at university. All my wheels were either bolt up or allen key skewers instead of quick release, I did take my lights off normally when parking and would often park near a badly secured bike.

 

[CommuterBen]

I use a bike bay which is policed every hour or so by security! I have 2 d locks and a thick chain lock which I link through each other as well as both wheels frame and the bar in the bay remove my lights and any other accessories! Don't see the point in having a £300 bike to go on leisure rides when I'm a busy student an am keepin this as my commuter bike! My parents house insurance doesn't cover my bike (so they say) I feel they just don't want me claiming if the worst should happen!

 

[byegad]

In high risk areas the only answer is a crappy looking BSO, that you can afford to replace regularly. I run three expensive recumbent trikes, the insurance would cost me the wrong side of £800/annum, which is plain stupid. Given I'm unlikely to have all three go at the same time, (They are securely and separately stored at home and well locked in that storage.) I have so far saved enough in premium to cover the loss of the most expensive one, replacing it with a brand new trike. Frankly the premium on my most expensive trike is slightly more than my car insurance, and the car is worth considerably more! Although a mite harder to lift into the back of a van.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I use a bike bay which is policed every hour or so by security! I have 2 d locks and a thick chain lock which I link through each other as well as both wheels frame and the bar in the bay remove my lights and any other accessories! Don't see the point in having a £300 bike to go on leisure rides when I'm a busy student an am keepin this as my commuter bike! My parents house insurance doesn't cover my bike (so they say) I feel they just don't want me claiming if the worst should happen!

have a look out for any security cameras as well. that may help if the worst happens. I am lucky with the 2 colleges I commute to on my Triban 3. both have dedicated cycle parking, though neither seem well used, but they also are both covered by security cameras and at least one of those colleges it has to be on 24/7 because the same camera covers the back door to the college. I just make sure I park my bike where it is really clear to the camera with an unobstructed view. (The one and only time we had our car stolen it was parked in the one area of a car park that was not covered by cameras). I only use the 1 D lock, ensuring rack, rear wheel & frame are involved (front wheel would be a pain but, but for me it is a quiet campus with little risk) - but I still remove everything including my pump (which is often a good measure of safety IME - get a really cheap & tacky one and see if it walks)...

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

In high risk areas the only answer is a crappy looking BSO, that you can afford to replace regularly. I run three expensive recumbent trikes, the insurance would cost me the wrong side of £800/annum, which is plain stupid. Given I'm unlikely to have all three go at the same time, (They are securely and separately stored at home and well locked in that storage.) I have so far saved enough in premium to cover the loss of the most expensive one, replacing it with a brand new trike. Frankly the premium on my most expensive trike is slightly more than my car insurance, and the car is worth considerably more! Although a mite harder to lift into the back of a van.

I looked into insurance as well for our tourers and given I need to insure 2 with Rohloff hubs came back thinking provided I only loose 1 every 2 years it would be cheaper not to insure either of them and that did not include the other 4 bikes (2 of which are £299 jobs...) We have now had them 2 years before anyone asks! and don't mention the car insurance because going off to cycle around the world screwed up our no claims bonus and only 1 company would even consider allowing us to keep any of it, our old company and that still cost £££'s

 

[ASC1951]

I don't have any insurance at all for possessions, apart from my house. Despite two burglaries in 30 years I have saved a fortune.

 

[GetAGrip]

Yes - Third party through CTC and for theft,We have them added to the house/contents.