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I want to ride my bicycle – I want to ride my bike

19 August 2020

Whether you have a life-long love affair with Lycra or have decided to use this time to swap four wheels for two, cycling-enthusiasts are being reminded to keep their bike safe.

Between March and June 2020 alone, Halifax Home Insurance had a 67% increase in claims for bike theft, with 110 claims received in June compared to 66 in March.

Tim Downes, Senior Claims Manager, Halifax Home Insurance said:“The country has gone crazy for cycling, with the wait for a new bike or a bike repair now stretching to several months.

“Although it’s great that more people are taking up the sport, opportunist thieves are resorting to robbery to get their hands on a bike and ride into the sunset with a new set of wheels.

“This passion for pedalling is likely to continue as the government develops more cycle lanes and people remain keen to avoid public transport. It’s therefore important to take the correct precautions to look after your bike, including having the right insurance.”

  1. Take photos of your bike and make a note of the serial number and model. If it does get stolen this will make it easy to identify to the police and insurers.
  2. When leaving your bike outside, make it harder for thieves to steal by locking it to a fixed object such as railings or bike rack, and use a sturdy lock that is difficult to cut through. A combination of a flexible lock, such as a cable or chain lock, and a shackle lock, sometimes called a ‘U’ or 'D' lock, gives you more security. Make sure the lock goes through the wheel, frame and fixed object so that it is properly secured. If practical, also think about removing some of the parts such as front wheel or saddle, making it less attractive to steal.
  3. Register your bike with a tracker website such as www.bikeregister.com or www.immobilise.com so that it can be traced and identified if stolen. Also think about security-marking the frame with an ultraviolet marker or even a GPS tracker so if your bike is stolen it can be easier to return to you.

Make sure your insurance policy covers your bike to the limits that you need. Different insurance policies vary, so it’s worth checking.

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