Does Travel Insurance Cover Bicycles?

If you're going on a cycling holiday, you might be wondering: does my travel insurance cover my bike, and if it does bike? And, how extensive is this coverage actually?

The short answers are sometimes, and it depends.

The answer is not straightforward, but typically, standard travel insurance does offer some protection that's aimed at hobbyist and amateur cyclists, rather than trips taken for the sole purpose of intensive cycling.

What Does Travel Insurance Cover?

Most travel insurers will cover things such as trip cancellations, emergency medical expenses and lost luggage - normal things that could go wrong on holiday.

Bikes might fall under a category such as 'personal belongings' or 'luggage', but you will need to check your travel insurance policy documents. If your bike is covered, you then need to verify what the limitations of the coverage are and whether you are happy with them. Some limitations could include:

• Low bicycle value limit that doesn't reflect the value of your bike
• No cover for competitive or non-recreational cycling
• Exclusion of bicycle accessories or components
• Emergency medical exclusions for injuries related to 'high-risk' or 'adventure sports' which certain types of cycling might fall under

Under travel insurance, your bike is likely to be treated the same way as your luggage. If you take cycling seriously and are travelling for a sportive or race, you are likely to want more protection.

Specialist Bicycle Insurance Coverage Abroad

If you have plans to bring a valuable bike abroad or your time away will be focused on cycling, then a specialist cycle insurance policy is a smarter choice. With a dedicated cycle insurance policy from Eversure, you'll be covered for the following:

• Theft: Bike theft is included as standard in our Eversure cycle policies.


• Accidental Damage: Accidental and malicious damage are covered as standard


• Worldwide Cover: With an Eversure cycle insurance policy, you can add worldwide cover for up to 30, 60 or 90 days.


• Public Liability and Legal Expenses: Public liability and legal expense protection are more add-ons you're unlikely to get with travel insurance.

This cover is designed to meet the individual needs of cyclists, so you and your bike are properly protected abroad.

How Do I Deal with Bike Damage or Theft Abroad?

As most travel insurance policies treat your bike as regular luggage, it means that the insurer is unlikely to cover accidental damage or theft to your bike in the same way a cycle insurance policy would.

If your bike is damaged or stolen whilst abroad, then the first step should be to report the incident to the local police and obtain a crime reference number. You will need this documentation when you make a claim. Then you file a claim with us, providing all the relevant details and we'll get back to you.

Travel Insurance and Bicycle Insurance

If you're planning to cycle abroad, you should consider combining both travel insurance and bicycle insurance. Travel insurance will mean you have general travel issues like cancellations, lost luggage and medical bills covered; bicycle insurance will ensure you're bike is properly protected.

Final Thoughts

Travel insurance does offer some limited protection for cyclists, but it's rarely sufficient on its own if you're taking a high-value bike or cycling is the base of your holiday. Investing in cycle-specific insurance will mean you can travel with your bike confidently, knowing you're properly covered.