Insurance? Bikes and international travel

[rustychisel]

Help please... from whom can I get insurance coverage for high end (ie expensive bikes x 2) travelling to America and Europe. Who do you use?

TIA

[rustychisel]

no-one?

[sparkles]

Help please... from whom can I get insurance coverage for high end (ie expensive bikes x 2) travelling to America and Europe. Who do you use?

TIA

Velosure or Real Bike Insurance can help you out

www.velosure.com.au or www.realinsurance.com.au/bike

[lukas]

I just added it to my travel insurance.

[sparkles]

I just added it to my travel insurance.

what provider did you use?

[lukas]

From memory I did it through NIB who I have my health insurance with. Pretty sure they outsource the travel insurance to another provider.

[sparkles]

From memory I did it through NIB who I have my health insurance with. Pretty sure they outsource the travel insurance to another provider.

mmm, qbe then. saw the retrictions in bike values - $6k limitation on itemised valuables may not be enough for some.

[rustychisel]

From memory I did it through NIB who I have my health insurance with. Pretty sure they outsource the travel insurance to another provider.

mmm, qbe then. saw the retrictions in bike values - $6k limitation on itemised valuables may not be enough for some.

Correct. I'm an expensive tart.

I wondered where this thread had gone... I was trying to post a plaintive plea and it 'phhttt' disappeared... I guess a mod moved it to a more appropriate cat at that exact moment. Looks like my only hope is to swap all my house & contents insurance to xxxx then bang the bikes value on that... 90 day worldwide coverage.

Most of the phone centre staff I contacted couldn't give a flat rat's f**k about either hearing me out or finding a SOLUTION. There is one specific cycle insurance mob who will allow large number claims on bike insurance but you have to take all your household insurance over to them too, I thought it was a bit 'standover'.

[lukas]

From memory I did it through NIB who I have my health insurance with. Pretty sure they outsource the travel insurance to another provider.

mmm, qbe then. saw the retrictions in bike values - $6k limitation on itemised valuables may not be enough for some.

Yeah I just took my Tarmac and had it insured for about 3k. I'm going again next year and will probably take a more expensive bike, so I may run into problems.

[sparkles]

Looks like my only hope is to swap all my house & contents insurance to xxxx then bang the bikes value on that... 90 day worldwide coverage.

Most of the phone centre staff I contacted couldn't give a flat rat's f**k about either hearing me out or finding a SOLUTION. There is one specific cycle insurance mob who will allow large number claims on bike insurance but you have to take all your household insurance over to them too, I thought it was a bit 'standover'.

both Real Bike Insurance and Velosure will offer you the same cover (90 days worldwide) and they are both stand-alone products (i.e. you don't need to move your household insurance in order to get the cover)

[rustychisel]

Yeah, finally got to the bottom of my home & contents, a company taken over by another, then taken over by another. Along the way they're screwed my special items cover and will not offer my bikes insurance, so when I get home it's back to dealing with that.

Meantime Velosure came to the party (one phone call, 3 emails on full cover to agreed amounts on 2 high end bikes). Costly, but couldn't be happier. Currently in NYC.

[hcpfaisal]

It good to go for adventure sports. playing with risk is a different story altogether. But one should take care his/her safety while trying new things and should protect himself/herself from the worst situation that can occur. So its always advisable to buy a Travel Insurance when you are on a adventurous trip.

-------------------------
Get best travel insurance deal with http://www.backpackertravelinsurance.ie

[onrbikes]

We're doing the Silk road and are looking at these 2.

Saw this one used on a crazyguy tour and they got good service in Iran. The insuring of the bike added a little extra.
http://www.insure4less.com.au

http://www.columbusdirect.com.au

[jemo27]

Is insurance while bicycle touring worth it because from what I have been quoted so far.
Either I can get no insurance while cycling in all general Travel insurance I have been able to find or

the one I have found will only cover the bike but not my luggage unless everything is stolen including the bike. I need a special lock with my bike secured in a private building which when bicycle touring is not very often.

What has been your experience?

[onrbikes]

We always use travel insurance.
Not so much for the bikes, but for us if we get hurt.

3 weeks ago the wife got side swiped in China and went to the hospital for full x-rays etc and got her dislocated index finger 'relocated".
Bike fork was damaged but fixed it and back on the road.

I wanted to use the travel insurance but the large Chinese hospital were good. All free!!! Unreal. Try that in Oz.

Oh, the bikes. Thorn ravens with Rolhoffs, Ortliebs Tubus racks. You do the sums. The bikes are ALWAYS in sight, or in the room or locked up in a hotel.

I'd never count on an insurance company to cover them.
You're right. They want a $80 lock that weighs 3 KG etc etc. They should be more concerned of you wearing a helmet.

Insure4less covers while cycling and you need to pay extra if you want the bike insured. I know a couple who used them while cycling in Iran and he broke his ankle. They payed up quick and they were reliable.

If ur concerned of the bike, lock it and leave it with someone while sightseeing and pay them a little money on return

[jemo27]

Medical insurance looks suited for cycle touring but all the luggage/valuable insurance including the actual bicycle isn't really suitable for someone not necessarily staying in a building every night.

Insure4less at least provides coverage if you are actually cycling unlike others that will not cover you if you get hurt while cycling, from what I have read and talked to insurance providers.

[jemo27]

Insure4less quoted me $50 extra to insure bicycle but I would need one of those heavy locks.

So basically I would have to pay $130 extra to insure the bike and always lock it.

Not sure that I will be in locations to always lock bicycle according to how they require and I would prefer not to carry such a heavy lock.

Normal insurance with insure4less does cover my medical when cycling which is what I am more worried about.

[chriscole]

We're doing the Silk road and are looking at these 2.

Saw this one used on a crazyguy tour and they got good service in Iran. The insuring of the bike added a little extra.
http://www.insure4less.com.au" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.columbusdirect.com.au" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have used Insure4Less (underwritten by Lloyd's of London) multiple times for overseas trip both for general travel insurance and for specific insurance to cover xc ski racing, etc. (which falls outside the usual limitations of travel insurance) and they have been very straightforward to interact with on all occasions. I suspect that even if their standard options don't provide for coverage of uber-expensive bikes abroad, you could arrange it on a case by case basis. They were happy and helpful to arrange specific for ski racing cover, and provided an extra letter from one of their senior management folk detailing the specifics, in case a claim was necessary.

Cheers,
Chris

[chriscole]

Additionally:

I'm currently chatting with them about organising the same for an upcoming cycling holiday around UK/Ireland/Europe... will let you know how it all comes out in the wash (price, cover, conditions).

[Maken_09]

I approached Go insurance comapny to get bike insurance when I visited to US. Actually, I got a travel insurance plan from same insurer, but my plan was not covering my bike. Therefore, I get separate insurance policy for my bike.

[onrbikes]

Be careful as many insist that if the bike gets stolen you need to prove you have a locked the bike with a lock worth $100. That's sure to weigh an extra 1kg. 2 persons means 2 locks.
Then there is the depreciation as nobody will pay more than what you paid for it. They won't replace it. Then there is all the little extra's you purchased. Racks, pedals, speedo, etc.
You'll need receipts for everything.
We did get ours stolen and never got reimbursed.
From now on will have different ways. ie remote sensor alarms.
Take a look online on how to steal a bicycle and will soon realise its a lost cause.
If they want the bike, they'll get it.

Recently started looking again and wanted many of the things removed. Such as car rental, computer, jewellery in exchange for the bicycle component. No Deal!

[chillimagnum]

Anyone had any experiences recently? Looking for travel insurance and specifically to cover all (or a large portion) of all the touring stuff, bike, racks, bags, electronics.
Anyone else had to make a claim on a lost bike? As this is built from parts the entire bike could be about 20 receipts.