travel bike insurance

Velosurance is a national insurance agency founded by two cyclists in response to the insurance needs of bicycle riders nationwide. We partnered with an A.M.Best “A” rated, US insurance company to provide a multi-risk policy offering protection to all types of cyclists.

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Bicycle insurance to protect your lifestyle

Velosurance was created with the sole purpose of giving our fellow riders insurance that actually covered their lifestyle. With our policy you get peace of mind that no matter what happens on the road or trail, there’d be a helping hand to get you back in the saddle.

Insured at Full Value

Your bike is worth more to us than it’s worth to you. Our policy never depreciates your bike's value, so in case of a total loss, you can get yourself a bike of similar value.

Crash Damage

Your bike is covered if it’s damaged in a crash. On a road or trail, a group ride, or a race, if it’s damaged in an accident, it’s covered.

Theft Coverage

If your bike is stolen from a locked location, including your home, car, workplace, or any other secure location, it’s covered.

What is Velosurance?

Velosurance is a national insurance agency founded by two cyclists in response to the insurance needs of bicycle riders nationwide. We partnered with an A.M. Best “A"-rated  US insurance company to provide a multi-risk policy offering protection to all types of cyclists.

Our cycling insurance policy is superior to any other similar product available in the insurance marketplace. There is simply no substitute.

We cover all types of bikes

Whether you ride the tarmac or shred the gnar, dodge pedestrians or cruise the beach, you're a member of a special club of people who appreciate the world in a primal way, on two wheels. To keep you rolling, we provide coverage that addresses the specific risks associated with your discipline.

Light and aerodynamic, equipped with skinny tires and optimized for long days in the saddle.

Electrically-assisted Class 1, 2, and 3 bikes with maximum assisted speed of up to 28 mph.

Commuter bikes

Simple, reliable bikes designed specifically for urban environments.

Mountain bikes

Rugged, resilient and incredibly fun. Equipped with suspension and designed to offroad, tackle technical terrain and jumps.

Gravel bikes

Drop bar bikes capable of going on both pavement and unprepared terrain, even mild singletrack.

Triathlon bikes

Exceptionally aerodynamic and lightweight, these speed machines are designed with one goal in mind: go fast.

Three-wheeled bicycles that are known for additional stability and versatility.

Recumbent bikes

Two and three wheeled bikes with a leisurely leaning back seating position.

Cargo bikes

The SUVs of the bike world, these bicycles are designed to carry heavy loads, including groceries and passengers.

Coverages and Features

Velosurance core policy offers must-have protection such as accidental damage, theft, or loss in transit. Each policy can be customized by adding additional coverages such as liability protection, uninsured motorist coverage, and medical gap coverage.

Total loss by theft

Bikes are very easy to steal and equally difficult to recover, and a hefty U-lock doesn’t guarantee that your bicycle will remain yours when you return. Velosurance provides peace of mind when your bike is stolen or damaged in the process.

Medical coverage

If you’re hurt and require medical attention, our policy's optional purchase medical payments will cover your medical bills, up to the policy limit. The policy medical payments are paid directly to you to supplement the deductible of your personal health insurance policy.

Any crash or accidental damage

Our policy will pay to replace the bike when it is accidentally damaged and beyond repair, including damage that occurs while being carried on or in your vehicle. If the damage can be repaired, the policy will cover all the costs associated with the bike's repair, including tax, labor, and shipping. Cosmetic damage that does not affect the bike's safety is excluded.

Damage or loss in transit

Bikes often get damaged in transit by personal vehicles, airlines, or courier services. Filing a claim with the airlines and courier services is a notoriously difficult process with a questionable outcome. Our policy covers the insured bike for loss or damage while it's on its way to or from your destination by air or road. Even if the bike falls off a vehicle bike rack or is hit in a rear-end accident, it is covered, no arguments.

Electric bicycle coverage

We cover all electrically assisted Class 1, 2, and 3 bikes with a maximum assisted speed of 28 mph. All coverages available for conventional bikes also apply to e-bikes.

Liability protection

Our policy optional coverage purchase will protect and defend you from your personal liability (injury, sickness, death, or damage to property, including fire damage) that you are found legally liable for. Coverage limits offered: $25,000, $50,000, $100,000, or $300,000 per occurrence.

Worldwide coverage

If your travels take you outside of the USA and Canada, our policy can be extended, at a small additional premium, to cover physical damage, such as a crash, and will also cover theft as well as loss or damage by an airline.

Our shop or yours

When filing a claim you’ll need to provide a repair estimate from a bike shop. We have a nationwide network of partner bike shops that are familiar with our process and can help you speed through your claim. If you prefer to work with your favorite bike shop, that works too.

Gear and apparel

If your insured bike is damaged in a crash, our policy covers the bike as well as your apparel, such as helmets, shoes, glasses, or riding kits, that were also damaged in the crash, and will pay up to $500 per accident and $1,000 per policy term. Spare parts that are not installed on the bike, such as a spare wheelset, are also covered for loss or theft up to $500 per loss and $1,000 per policy term.

Race coverage

Damage due to a crash while racing is covered with optional coverage. In the heat of a race, the focus on speed often outweighs concerns for safety, leaving little margin for error. In the unfortunate event of a crash, the racing coverage option will provide coverage for your bike.

Your choice of lock

We do not dictate what type or brand of a lock must be used to protect the bike from theft. You are welcome to use any lock that you trust. The best security is provided when securing an unattended bike with metal locks combined with a high-quality chain. Securing your bike to a solid and immovable object, such as a bike rack, with a high-quality lock will send a bike thief onto the bike secured with a more vulnerable lock.

No depreciation

Our policy never depreciates your bike's insured value. Depreciation is a hidden deductible that increases over time, and is applied if the bike is stolen or totalled. No one is ever happy with a depreciation (actual cash value) insurance settlement: the bike is first devalued and then a deductible is applied, resulting in a reimbursement that is far less than it takes to replace the bike. We pay what you paid, minus the deductible.

24/7/365 coverage

Our policy covers the insured bike(s) at all times, anywhere in the USA and Canada, and can be extended worldwide on request. There are no exclusions on time of day, or limitations on how long a bike could be stored away from home. 24/7/365 means every minute of every day, no matter where or when.

Standalone bicycle insurance

A standalone policy does not piggyback on coverage provided by the policies you may already have, such as home insurance. A claim against our policy will not reflect on your insurance score and will not affect your rates with other insurance carriers. With home insurance rates going up every year, it’s prudent to reserve your claim for when you really need it, because no matter how expensive your bike is, it’s a lot cheaper than a kitchen fire or a basement flood.

Why Velosurance is best for your bicycle

Not all types of insurance are created equal. Velosurance levels the playing field by offering a stand-alone bike insurance policy, where claims will not affect your homeowner or renters policy premiums.

Not all insurance policies cover bikes equally and it often takes a claim to find out that your bike isn't covered. We did the hard work and read all the fine print. To see the difference, see bicycle insurance comparison .

Customer Stories

Client satisfaction is our #1 goal. here's what our clients say about velosurance.

"Velosurance was speedy, responsive and very clear on claims procedures. I am writing this review with a sense of gratitude as service was beyond my expectations and the speedy reimbursement resulting from the claim helped me get back on the saddle. " Leonardo C Denver, CO

"I had my e-bike stolen 2 months after purchasing it. The claim process was straightforward and their customer service was phenomenal. I also love how easy it is to manage an account with all the information on their online portal. Highly recommended for bike owners! " Rema N San Francisco, CA

"These guys are the absolute best. Took care of the claim in no time. Covered everything. The whole process was as smooth as you could expect and hope for. Don’t think twice, this is my insurance company for my bike for life. " Phil H Miami, FL

Check out Velosurance reviews to see what else people are saying about us.

'Convinced yet? Let's make something great together. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with us.'

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Velosurance was created with a sole purpose of giving our fellow riders insurance that actually covered their lifestyle, peace of mind that no matter what happens on the road or trail, there’d be a helping hand to get them back in the saddle.

Nationwide coverage

Velosurance provides our policyholders with nationwide service when a damaged bike needs repair or replacement. Our policyholders are free to choose their preferred service location.

Velosurance story

Velosurance is a national insurance program founded by two avid cyclists, Dave Williams and Denis Voitenko in response to the insurance needs of bicycle riders nationwide.

It all started over tacos

One very rainy day at a local taco joint in Fort Lauderdale we started discussing how badly home and renters policies insured bicycles. We knew there had to be a better way so we set about finding out how we could take a traditional piece of insurance and make it better, much better. On that wet day over tacos, Velosurance was founded.

We partnered with Markel American Insurance Company, an A.M. Best, A rated, US insurance company, and a leader in recreational insurance, to offer a multi-risk bicycle insurance policy providing protection to all types of cyclists, and with none of the silly restrictions that other insurance wants to place on riders.

Our mission

The Velosurance mission is to be fair to everyone involved, and to offer our best advice to clients so they can make an educated decision about their bicycle insurance coverage. We also like to ride as much as possible.

We are riders too

Bicycle prices increase every year and cyclists who are serious about their sport are spending big money on high value bikes. Other forms of insurance, like homeowners and renters insurance, do a poor job insuring high value bicycles so we founded Velosurance to fix that.

Velosurance provides a stand-alone, no bike value depreciation, bicycle insurance policy to replace the cobbled together, sub standard coverages offered by traditional insurance.

We are cyclists just like you, and we understand that when your bike gets damaged in an accident you want the shortest possible downtime. We make it our mission to see that your claim check arrives before the repair parts do and you get back pedaling as soon as you want to.

Most popular articles

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Velosurance discounts.

Members of USA Cycling, USA Triathlon, and International Mountain Bicycle Association (IMBA) receive discounts on Velosurance bicycle insurance products.

Velosurance provides bicycle insurance policies in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.

Cycle Touring Insurance: What You Need To Know and the 6 Best Insurance Providers

Finding a good travel insurance policy to cover you for a cycle tour is really important. The risks of cycling in foreign places are generally higher than cycling at home, and being stuck with a huge medical bill is something you really want to avoid.

And while it’s important to be covered for your trip, finding good cycle touring insurance can be quite the headache.

Most travel insurance providers will only cover cycling if it’s incidental to your trip, i.e. if you hired a bike for a day during your two-week vacation, but not if the primary purpose of the trip is cycling. As you can see, cycle touring is not covered under these grounds.

Many travel insurance providers see cycle touring as an “extreme sport,” which means they usually won’t cover it in their policies. Cycle tourists, therefore, need to find a travel insurance policy that explicitly includes cycle touring as an activity. This can make the search for cycle touring insurance a little challenging.

In this article, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about choosing a cycle touring insurance policy and show you 6 providers that I recommend.

Bicycle insurance vs cycle touring insurance

Remember when I said that finding good cycle touring insurance can be a headache? Well, one of these headaches is that most travel insurance policies won’t cover the theft of your bicycle. This is because bicycle insurance and cycle touring insurance are two different things.

Bicycle insurance covers theft, damage and vandalism to your bicycle .

Cycle touring insurance is travel insurance that will cover you for medical expenses, personal liability etc while you are cycling abroad.

Most insurance providers will either protect you or your bicycle, but very few will protect both under one policy. Those that do usually only cover a bike worth £1,000 or less. If this is you, then great! But if you’re the proud owner of a £1,000+ touring bike, this might not be good enough.

SportsCover Direct is the only provider I’ve been able to find that will allow you to add over £1,000 of equipment cover onto your travel insurance policy. They allow a whopping £5,600 of sporting equipment (bikes included) to be added to your plan, but you will pay through the nose for this.

If you want your bicycle to be covered as well as yourself, and don’t want to spend a small fortune on insurance, you’ll likely need to take out two separate policies: 1) Travel insurance to cover you for medical expenses etc while cycling. 2) Bicycle insurance to cover your bike against theft and vandalism.

If you own an expensive touring bike, you probably already have insurance for it. Just check that this insurance covers you in the countries you’ll be visiting and allows for cycle touring as an activity. You’ll also want to check if the insurance will still cover theft of the bike if it were to be taken from, say, a campsite or while it’s locked up outside a shop.

Luckily for me, my bike is not worth much in terms of actual money, so I don’t bother insuring it while I tour.

What you need to know when choosing cycle touring insurance

What doesn’t insurance cover.

Cycle touring insurance is unlikely to cover accidents that happen if:

• You are under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• You are not wearing a helmet
• You are cycling recklessly or unlawfully, such as passing through a red light
• You crash on a path or road where cycling is prohibited
• You travel to countries against FCDO advice, e.g. Syria, Afghanistan

Make sure to read up on the small print to understand what might make any claims void.

Does the policy protect your bicycle as well as you?

As I mentioned previously, there are very few travel insurance policies that will cover the loss, theft or damage of an expensive bicycle. Those that do will usually only cover a bike up to the value of £1,000. If your bike is worth more than this, consider taking out a separate bicycle insurance policy to protect it.

How long will you be touring?

Some cycle touring insurance policies have a limit on how long they will cover you. For example, Snowcard will cover up to 60 days of cycling touring only.

6 best cycle touring insurance providers

Below are my recommendations for some of the best cycle touring insurance providers. I’ll give an overview of each insurance policy and detail what it covers, as well as the quote I received for 3 months touring in Europe and 12 months touring worldwide to give you an idea of costs. (As a 28-year-old with no pre-existing medical conditions).

Note: The information provided below is accurate as of July 2023. Policy details and prices are likely to change; make sure to check the terms to ensure you’re covered for what you need.

1) World Nomads

I’ve used World Nomads extensively over the last decade, as their flexibility and great customer service have always made them an excellent choice. Their policy is available to residents from 130+ countries, covers over 200 adventure activities (including cycle touring), and can be extended indefinitely. The only caveat is that they do not cover personal liability for cycle touring. This is why I stopped using them for cycle touring trips, but the choice is, of course, yours.

You can read World Nomads’ policy on cycling-related travel here , but essentially, you’ll need to select the ‘cycling – level 2 – independent cycle touring’  add-on when buying your policy. World Nomads do not cover intercontinental cycle touring, but they are a good choice for a tour of any length that’ll be taking place on a single continent.

For 3 months touring in Europe, I was quoted £261. For 12 months touring worldwide, I was quoted £1,073.

2) Adventures Cover

The policy offered by Adventures Cover is, in my opinion, the most comprehensive and best-value option out there for cycle tours of 6 months or less. They offer a generous cover of £10 million in medical expenses, £2 million in personal liability and up to £1,000 for activity equipment. Just make sure to add ‘cycle touring’ from the activity options when buying your policy.

I was quoted £155 for 3 months touring in Europe and £605 for 6 months touring worldwide.

3) Big Cat Travel Insurance

Big Cat Travel Insurance prides itself on “whatever you’re doing, we’ve got you covered” and offers specialist travel insurance for backpacking, winter sports and extreme activities. When buying their policy, you can “add on” a range of different things to tailor the plan to your needs.

You must ensure you select the ‘activity pack’ when choosing your add-ons, otherwise, cycle touring will not be covered. You can also choose the ‘gadgets and valuables’ add-on to cover your bicycle against theft, loss and damage up to a value of £1,000.

For 3 months in Europe, I was quoted £84 on the Standard Plan with the “activity pack” add-on included. With “gadgets and valuables” added also to this, the total came to £140. For a 12-month worldwide trip, I was quoted £563 on the Standard Plan with the “activity pack” add-on included. With “gadgets and valuables” added to this, the total came to £733.

4) Yellow Jersey

Yellow Jersey are a UK-based insurance company designed specifically for cyclists. They offer policies for both bicycles AND for cycle travel. Their policies will cover you for up to 120 days.

Under their cycle travel policy , you’ll get £10 million in medical expenses and £2 million in personal liability. You’ll also get some great cycling-related benefits such as a £200 bike breakdown benefit, £250 cycle repatriation benefit and £2,000 gadget cover. If you’d like to add cover for your bicycle against theft, damage and vandalism as well, Yellow Jersey offers a separate bicycle insurance policy.

For a 30-day tour in Europe, I was quoted £99. For a 120-day worldwide tour, I was quoted £363. If your tour will be more than 30 days, you’ll have to choose “annual multi-trip” and select the number of days your trip will be.

5) SportsCover Direct

Under SportsCover Direct’s policy, you’ll need to select ‘cycle touring’ as an activity to be covered. They offer a comprehensive £10 million in medical expenses and £2 million in personal liability under their Bronze Plan. For a 3-month tour in Europe, I was quoted £154. For a 12-month worldwide tour, I was quoted £612.

SportsCover Direct’s Gold Plan will also provide extensive cover for lost, damaged or stolen bikes and equipment. This plan allows you to choose the total amount of sports equipment you want to cover — up to an incredible £5,600. Bear in mind that it does make the policy very expensive when you add on, for example, a £2,100 bike.

6) Snowcard

Snowcard are a UK travel insurance provider that specialises in winter and adventure sports cover. They can cover up to 60 days of cycle touring, which includes £10 million in emergency medical and rescue insurance and £2 million in personal liability.

The cost of their insurance plan varies depending on whether you’ll be touring on tarmac roads or off-road tracks, so be sure to check their activities covered page to see which level of insurance you’ll need to take out.

For a 30-day tour in Europe on tarmac roads, I was quoted £53.17. For a 60-day tour in USA/Canada on off-road tracks, I was quoted £409.31.

And there we have it — everything you need to know about choosing a cycle touring insurance policy and 6 great providers to choose from. What’s your experience with insurance for touring? Why not drop any positive/negative reviews of providers in the comments below to help out the cycle touring community? 😊

About The Author

Lauren Pears is a freelance travel writer and blogger based in London. She writes about active adventure travel, aiming to encourage and inspire travellers to make the most of the great outdoors.

Thank you for reading! If you found this post useful, I’d be grateful if you would consider using the affiliate links below when planning your travels. I’ll make a small commission at no extra cost to you. This will help me to keep this blog running. Thanks for your support – Lauren. Hotels –  Booking.com Hostels –  Hostelworld Cheap flights –  Skyscanner Travel insurance –  World Nomads Outdoor gear –  Decathlon  /  GO Outdoors Cycling gear –  Chain Reaction Cycles Alternatively, you could buy me a coffee to say thanks!

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Very helpful…but not more me. I am a bit of an oddball because I am a British citizen but have no NHS ID in the UK and I live permanently in the Philippines. This last point means that these insurers won’t cover me. Also, I’m going to join a 12 day cycling endurance event (not a race) in Japan – The Japanese Odyssey. Again, this is a reason for excluding me. Nevermind, I’ll keep looking

After a year of being insured by SafetyWing, I realised they also specify in their policy that cycling and other sports need to be “incidental” to the trip. I verified with their customer service team and they confirmed: SafetyWing doesn’t cover bicycle touring, unfortunately…

Joanna, thank you so much for leaving this comment. I’ve just spoken with SafetyWing’s customer service team as well, and they have confirmed what you said. I’m quite shocked because I reached out to them when I first wrote this article and they told me it was covered. Perhaps the policy changed recently. Anyway, thanks again, I really appreciate it! I’ve removed them now 🙂

No worries 🙂 I don’t know when the policy changed but I was equally shocked as you 😉

There I was seeing the word “planet” and thinking this is about insurance for anyone on, well, the planet.

Not sure I follow? 😂

Only one of the six insurers, the last one, SportsCover Direct would insure me at the age of 72! And their website worked very well, all was understandable. Thanks

Hi Barry, thank you for letting me know about the age limits imposed by most insurers! That’s sad to hear, but I’m glad you were able to get a policy from SportsCover Direct. Have a great trip 🙂

Very helpful, thanks.

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Your essential guide to choosing cycling travel insurance

Cycling travel insurance. Let’s be honest – it’s not the most exciting of things to organise before your trip, but it is important…

If you’re going on a cycling-specific holiday, or just planning to do a bit of cycling while you’re abroad, you’ll want to know that you’re covered should anything go wrong. If you have a cycling accident, it’s important to know that your medical expenses will be taken care of and that any damage to your bike or other people’s property will be paid for.

Since we recently had to look at taking out cycle holiday insurance ourselves, we thought we’d share the points we thought about.

We’re not experts on the subject, but hopefully these pointers will be of use!

How to choose the right cycling insurance policy for you

We were quite surprised to find that there are many different kinds of cycling travel insurance policies – and that travel insurance doesn’t always cover the kind of cycling you want to do.

Like bikes, not all policies are created equal – and what’s right for one cyclist might not be right for another.

For example, do you need standard travel insurance that covers your medical expenses as well as cover for your bike? Are you looking for cover for your bike at home? Are you after travel insurance for cycling holidays in Europe or further afield? Do you need an annual policy that covers events if you’re only planning to do one or two a year – perhaps you could take out insurance just for that/those events? Will your policy cover Covid-related cancellations or curtailments?

Different policies cover different things, so you need to know what you’re looking for – and what you’ve already got under other insurance policies.

(Not sure what cycling travel insurance might look like/cover? Our list of what to look out for in a policy might help (go here now) .)

To help you pick a policy that works for you, below we’ve set out our thoughts on:

• some of the key questions we found it helpful to have answers to before getting quotes   (go here now)
• cycling travel insurance v other insurance you may have   (go here now)
• some points to consider in a bike travel insurance policy (go here now)

The big questions to ask yourself (before you compare bicycle insurance for travel)

Decide the answers to the five questions below before you start your research and it should save you some time. That’s because your answers may exclude you from being eligible from some policies, so these things should help you decide whether your current policies cover you and/or help you narrow down the policies you’re comparing.

1. How much cover is needed?

To make sure that you get quotes for the right level of cover, think about how much it would cost to replace your bike as well as any cycling accessories such as gadgets, helmets, clothing and additional wheelsets.

Also be clear in your mind about the sort of cycling you’re planning on doing, to ensure your policy covers you. For example, if you’re planning on entering cycling competitions, races or triathlons, and want to be insured for them, you’ll want to make sure that you have the right level of cover, and can for example, claim back race entry fees if you’re unable to participate for any reason (but bear in mind what we said above about how many you’ll be doing each year).

2. Cycle trip insurance cover AND general bike insurance?

Some travel insurance companies require that, in addition to bicycle travel insurance, you also have general bike insurance for when your bike is at home. Or, you may be offered a combined bicycle insurance policy which covers both home and holiday.

Do you want/need this?

If not, you might want to look at a provider that will let you just take up cycle travel insurance.

3. Single trip cycle insurance or an annual policy?

Is your cycling holiday a one-off trip, or do you plan to travel several times per year? If you plan on cycling abroad more than twice per year, it often makes financial sense to consider an annual policy rather than a policy which only covers a single trip.

How long will your trips be for? You’ll need to make sure the policy permits the length of your trip.

4. Solo, couple, family or group cycling insurance?

When travelling with a partner, your children or a group of friends or family members, it can be more cost-effective to take out a joint travel insurance policy.

5. Where do you want to travel?

Consider the countries which you plan to visit and how long you will spend on holiday. Premiums can vary according to the countries that you visit, and you may have options to choose between cycling travel insurance for Europe only or worldwide cover.

(As an aside, the Foreign & Commonwealth office advises against travel to certain countries, and these are unlikely to be covered by travel insurance policies. So, be sure to check the FCO website for the latest travel advice.)

Do I need additional cycling travel insurance?

You might already have various insurance policies such as standard travel insurance, home insurance and specialist bicycle insurance for your bike at home in the UK.

You’re probably asking yourself: does travel insurance cover cycling? Do I really need a specialist travel insurance cycling policy?!

So, once you’ve answered the questions above and are clear on the general sort and level of cycling travel insurance you’re after, then check the terms of any existing policies to see what it covers and whether there are any gaps between that and what you want cover for.

For example:

• Standard travel insurance policy: check whether your normal travel insurance covers the specific type of cycling you plan to do on holiday, such as point to point riding, racing or sportive riding. A general travel insurance policy might cover the odd day of recreational riding, but what if the main purpose of your trip is cycling? Are you covered?
• Home insurance policy: this may cover your bicycle if it’s stolen or damaged whilst in your home, but does it cover it in other places such as a hotel abroad or whilst on the road?
• Bike insurance policy: if you already have bicycle insurance, does this extend abroad, and if so, what does it cover?
• Club membership: for example British Cycling membership includes some cycling travel insurance. Check exactly what it covers and whether it’s enough for your needs.

If, after reading your current insurance policies, you think you’re not fully covered for the kind of riding you’ll be doing or your current policies don’t give you enough cover (e.g. things like lost/stolen/damaged bikes whilst riding sportives abroad, medical treatment needed as a result of a cycling injury, personal liability, cover for your bike while it’s in transit) then you should consider taking out further insurance, perhaps via topping up an existing policy or by taking out a specialist cycling travel insurance policy.

What should you check when comparing bike travel insurance policies?

So, you’re considering taking out some cycle specific travel insurance.

You’ll probably want to be sure that your cycle insurance covers you for every eventuality, to guarantee that you’ll get paid out should the worst happen.

Don’t just go straight in for the cheapest cycle insurance. It might be a bit time consuming and boring, but it’s better to spend some time taking a good look at the terms and conditions and policy wording to find the right insurance for your cycling holiday.

There’s lots of articles out there on what to look for in a normal travel insurance policy (things like medical expenses, hospital benefit, delayed/missed departure, delayed baggage, lost money/documents, legal advice). Since early 2020, it’s also become important to check you’ve got cover for missed departure, early return home, medical expenses etc. due to Covid-19 (and be aware some eventualities might be uninsurable, so you need to cover them off in the agreement you have with your operator/accommodation provider).

Of course you’ll want to know you’re covered for all of these “normal travel” kinds of things, but below we focus on some of the more cycling specific things you’ll also want to consider:

1. Bike cover limits for theft/damage

Your bike travel insurance policy will have a limit if they have to pay out for loss/damage/theft of your bike and possibly also for any cycling accessories/gadgets. Check these are sufficient and the exclusions (more on those below).

You may be asked to enter an estimate of how much your bike is worth. To ensure that you’re fully covered we’ve been told it’s best to enter the value that you paid for the bike, assuming you bought it recently, rather than what you think it might be worth currently (you’ll probably underestimate it/would you actually be able to find one and buy it back for that amount?).

2. Multi-bike insurance

If you have more than one bike, you’ll want to look out for multi-bike insurance.

We guess it’s possible you may have some non-road bikes that’ll need insuring too so you’ll have to admit if you have any mountain bikes, recumbent bicycles, electric bikes, trikes etc! E-bikes are something that many insurers raise premiums for.

3. Repair or replace

Carbon fibre bike frames have the advantage of being light, but they can also be easily damaged and expensive to repair. Can a repaired frame ever be quite as reliable, or safe, as a new one? Ideally, if your carbon fibre frame breaks, you’d want to replace it. So, check what your road bike insurance policy states about this and whether your cover is on a ‘new for old’ basis.

4. Transit cover

If you’re taking your bike on a train, plane or ferry, you’ll want to know that it’s covered should it get lost, stolen or damaged during the journey. You should be sure to pack your bicycle securely using an enclosed bike bag or box and to get a receipt from the carrier which shows that you have placed your bicycle with them.

5. Destinations and length of trip

If you’re planning a cycling tour of multiple countries, you’ll need to make sure that this is covered under your policy. Each policy may also have a limit to the number of consecutive days you can be away. So, if you’re planning on travelling multiple weeks, look for one with a higher maximum trip duration.

6. Liability

Cycling liability insurance covers your third-party liability as a rider, meaning that if you injure someone or damage their property, those costs should be covered. There is no legal requirement in the UK for cyclists to have third party cycle insurance. But, if (for example) you hit a car and it’s deemed to be your fault, these claims can be very expensive. So, it’s worth making sure that cyclists liability insurance is included in your quote.

See the section below for more information on liability where you’re taking part in an event.

7. Cover for competitive cycling or racing

If you plan to do anything like cycle racing, time trialling, cyclosportives, gran fondos, triathlons or cyclocross, then you’ll probably want to make sure that you’re covered specifically for that. This should include third-party liability mentioned above, so that if you injure or damage a fellow competitor/their bike, as well as your personal injury, damage to your bike and kit and theft from transitions is all covered.

Some policies also include cover if the event you’re due to take part in is cancelled or if you get injured before an event and can’t attend. Particularly in the Covid era, it’s important to check this detail; does your policy cover you if the event is cancelled due to Covid or travel restrictions would require you to quarantine? Are you covered if you or one of your dependents gets Covid or gets told to isolate?

Bear in mind that if you’re doing a sportive or event, they will generally require you have a licence to take part (which often includes third party liability insurance). Don’t assume that this licence will cover everything a cycling travel policy would cover (or that if you have the travel insurance, you don’t need the licence – these tend to be a mandatory requirement for taking part in the event).

On a separate note: if you ride your bike for work or are deemed a professional rider, then you may need specialist cover.

8. Cycle breakdown cover

If your bike breaks while you’re on the road, how will you get back to where you’re staying? Roadside assistance isn’t covered as standard with many policies. But, if this is something that’s important to you, and you’re going on a guided cycling holiday that doesn’t provide a roving mechanic, check whether the policy you’re taking out includes it, and/or consider standalone bicycle roadside assistance insurance which can rescue you and transport you and your bicycle to your destination.

Alternatively, you may be happy with a policy that just includes taxi fare reimbursement in this situation. Again, the message is: if you want it, make sure it’s included in the policy you select! It’s much better to be over-prepared for these eventualities than to not have suitable policies and find out you needed them.

9. Replacement cycle hire

Some policies include a benefit that means if your bike is stolen/lost/delayed or gets broken abroad, they’ll pay for cycle hire so that you can keep riding.

10. Repatriation for bike

If (heaven forbid) you have to finish your trip early/be repatriated, what will happen to your bike? Will your insurer repatriate that too? Make sure you check the fine print.

11. Insurance for hire bikes

The cost of flying with your bicycle can be expensive, so some people opt to leave it at home and instead hire a bicycle abroad. This can be cost effective, as for the price of buying a bike box and a plane ticket for your own bike, you could instead hire a fantastic carbon fibre bike worth twice the value of your own.

You may be able to get hire bike insurance from the company you hire the bike from, but the excesses can be hefty. Instead, you could take out a short term bicycle insurance policy to cover the hire bike, with a much lower excess. You’ll need to think about this though – be warned that standard bicycle insurance policies won’t usually include this, as they only cover against a bicycle which you actually own.

12. Medical expenses and personal accident

We’ve talked a lot about damage to your bike, but what if you damage yourself while riding? It’s important to check you’ve got appropriate cover for your medical expenses – whether under your normal travel policy, a specialist bike travel insurance policy or the EHIC or GHIC cards (but UK residents, bear in mind the EHIC/GHIC only gives access to state hospitals and things have changed due to Brexit, more info from the NHS, here ).

Be aware that many of the bike insurance policies that aren’t specifically for travel don’t include medical expenses – there’s more detail on this distinction in the chart below.

Some cycling policies also include provision for a lump sum pay out where you are killed or injured when riding a bicycle. They may also help cover medical costs such as physiotherapy and dental work.

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, many sports travel insurance providers have included a clause that states they exclude any claims relating to Covid-19. With this in mind, it’s incredibly important you check the fine print when buying any cycling holiday insurance and compare cycle insurance across multiple providers to make sure you’re happy with what level of cover you will receive.

13. Security requirements and policy exclusions

Certain bicycle insurance policies require that a ‘Sold Secure Gold’ lock is used whenever you leave your bicycle unattended away from home or that you have your bike tagged with a security mark. There may also be requirements about where you can leave your bike overnight. You MUST comply with these requirements or else the insurer may well not pay out if you claim.

Other points to be aware of:

• Some policies won’t cover certain kinds of crashes – for example if you drive your car into the garage while it’s on a bike rack on top of your car (whoops, been there!), you crash into a parked car or hit a pot hole.
• Will you be with a guide? Some policies require this.
• Does the accidental damage cover replacing individual components and accessories?
• Does the policy cover you if the bike is in use at the point that it’s stolen?
• How long can you leave the bike unattended when it’s locked up away from your home? 12 hours? 24 hours?
• Is your bike insured if you let someone else ride it? Or if you’re riding someone else’s bike?
• Have you got any pre-existing medical conditions? You’ll need to disclose these before you take out the policy…
• If you ride recklessly or whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you’re unlikely to be covered in the event of an accident.
• Can you prove your ownership of the bike? This is usually a policy requirement, so retain those receipts and take photos of you and your bike, especially if you make any upgrades from what it was like when you bought it. A photograph of the frame number on the bottom bracket will also help in finding your bike if it’s stolen.

There will undoubtedly also be other exclusions/loopholes/things to consider on your policy; insurance wouldn’t be the profitable industry it is if insurers paid out every time… Check your policy well, it’s a minefield!

Cycle insurance comparison

So, you’ve worked out what cover you’ve got and what cover you need.

Now it’s time to look at the details of some policies to get the cover you need.

It’s always a good idea to get a few quotes before you take out a bike insurance policy – that way you can compare the terms and pricing that are applicable to you.

Choosing a provider that’s also received a good DeFaqto score and/or has won industry awards can also be a useful indicator, though as you’ll have seen from the points above, the right policy for you is a very individual thing depending on your exact requirements.

As part of your checks, remember to look at the policy’s Covid cover – there’s considerable variety on who covers (or doesn’t cover) what in the insurers listed below.

Also, the exact terms of the bike cover will also vary – and change frequently.

Check the terms carefully!

Finding the best cycle insurance: a few providers

Here are a few names in the business that target cyclists (because we’re talking about insurance, we have to let you know we aren’t endorsing or recommending them – just letting you know they exist!).

Head to their sites to get the detail on their products and find out if they’re suitable for your needs:

Yellow Jersey

Sportscover Direct

This is a long article on what seems like a relatively simple subject – but it’s pretty complicated and there’s lots to consider.

Check the small print before you buy, and after you’ve got the policy, comply with it!

While choosing the right policy might seem a big hassle now, it’ll feel like nothing if and when you ever need to claim on it…

Which insurer do you use for your cycling insurance? Have you ever had to claim on the policy? How was it? Let us know in the comments below!

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Clare Dewey is a cyclist with a passion for travel. She set up epicroadrides.com in 2018 to help make it easy for cyclists to explore the world by bike. Today her mission is still inspiring cyclists to discover new places on two wheels – and doing what she can to make sure they have the best possible time while they’re there. Clare has visited 50+ destinations around the world, many of them by bike.

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3 Responses to “Your essential guide to choosing cycling travel insurance”

Great information! Thanks!

Do you know any companies that insure European residents?

It’s not something we’ve looked into I’m afraid. If you find any options please do let us know! Clare

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Our Cycling Travel Insurance policy options

Put simply, we offer three different cycle travel insurance policy options…

1. Cycling Travel Insurance

Our worldwide Cycling Travel Insurance can cover you whilst cycling abroad for leisure or competition, and includes cover for medical and repatriation costs, trip cancellation and curtailment, and more.

2. Cycling Travel Insurance Bolt-On

If you have a travel insurance policy with another provider, such as your bank, but it does not include cover for cycling, we can provide a bolt-on style of protection under our Activity TopUp policy.

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Our Sports Accident Insurance is designed to protect you for cycling in the UK. Our policy provides a range of benefits including cover for serious injury, and if selected, will include income protection.

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What makes our cycling travel insurance different?

Having a specialist cycling insurance policy can avoid the risk that certain activities are excluded.

Many standard travel insurance policies do not cover cycling, and could specifically exclude cycling holidays, cycling sportives and cycle racing. So, it’s important to check you select appropriate cover, whether you need triathlon insurance  or more extreme sports such as mountain biking insurance .

Our policy includes additional benefits such as cover for Race Entry Fees – which would pay out if you were ill or disabled from taking part; up to £5,600 cover for lost, damaged or stolen bikes and other cycling equipment; and liability cover in case you injured a third party or damaged their belongings.

Our Bike Travel Insurance can cover multiple cycling activities, just choose from our list of options when you get a quote. We’ve been covering people for specialist sports activities for over 30 years and understand the requirements of cyclists who wish to be comprehensively protected whilst cycling abroad. Compare prices when you get a tailored quote .

What does cycling travel insurance cover?

From covering medical expenses to protecting your bike should it get stolen whilst you’re on holiday, our Cycle Travel Insurance provides comprehensive cover. 

• Emergency Medical Expenses & Repatriation
• Cancellation & Curtailment
• Personal Accident cover
• Personal Liability
• Delayed, lost or stolen baggage
• Activity & Race Entry Fees
• Sports Equipment

Why you need cycling insurance?

Whether you’re taking part in cycling day to day or you need cycling holiday insurance, having the correct cover is important. Storing or travelling with your bike comes with risks of damage and loss. Plus sustaining an injury, especially whilst abroad could result in expensive medical and repatriation costs. Read our blog on the benefits of cycling insurance UK.

Insurance for multiple sports

Our Sports Travel Insurance covers over 500 sports and activities, so if you’re an active traveller you can include multiple sports on your policy. You can also choose our Activity Top-Up insurance , this applies if you want short term cover for a one-off activity that isn’t covered on your standard policy. Compare your options by g etting a quote online .

Frequently Asked Questions

We can provide travel insurance for cyclists including cover the following types of cycling:

• Road Cycling
• Cycle Touring
• Track Cycling 
• Downhill Mountain Biking 
• Mountain Biking
• Recumbent Cycling

Not always, some policies will only include cover for recreational cycling. Our policy can cover a large range of cycling activities including road cycling, downhill mountain biking, and cycle touring.

There is some cover for your bike, or a bike hired to you on your trip, under the standard cycling policy. However, if needed, you can add on additional cover up to maximum £5,600 against theft or accidental damage.

Yes, our Cycling Travel Insurance can generally be taken out even if you have a medical condition. We can almost always offer cover at no extra cost, but occasionally our underwriters may apply special terms if you subsequently needed to make a claim relating to your condition.

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Cycle Touring & Bikepacking Insurance: All You Need To Know (& Popular Insurers)

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This is a detailed introduction to understanding and choosing insurance for cycle touring and bikepacking trips, both short-term and long-term.

I get a lot of questions on the topic of insurance for cycle tours, so this article is my attempt to answer all of them in one thoroughly researched, human-written, 100% AI-free post.

The following advice is generally applicable to anyone looking to insure a cycle tour or bikepacking trip, whatever length, duration or destination you have in mind, and whether it’s your first ever bike trip or you’re just looking for up-to-date information about insurers who cover travelling by bicycle.

Later on, I’ll make introductions to some of the more popular insurance providers people are using right now for cycle touring and bikepacking trips. There is a slight bias towards UK-based insurers, as this the country of residence for many of my readers, but many of the companies listed below will insure residents of almost any other country too.

The Two Different Things People Mean By “Cycle Touring & Bikepacking Insurance”

We all see cycle touring and bikepacking through slightly different lenses, and it often depends on whether we’re coming from a cycling background or a travelling background. This subtle difference affects how we think about the intersection of cycling, travel, and insurance.

Cyclists tend to think about insurance policies that’ll cover damage to or theft of their bicycles while they’re travelling with them.

Travellers tend to think about insurance policies that’ll insure a range of travel, medical and personal expenses while they’re riding a bike .

This is relevant because these are two totally different insurance products .

One is a special type of bicycle insurance policy.

The other is a special type of travel insurance policy.

Some bicycle insurance policies will also insure a rider for overseas medical expenses. And some travel insurance policies will also insure an expensive bicycle for damage or theft.

But in general, if you want to be covered for accidents and medical emergencies and your very expensive touring bike covered for damage or theft at the same time , it’s quite hard to achieve without buying two separate insurance policies – one for you, and another for your bike.

And if you’re looking to cover a long-term, multi-year worldwide bike trips, the unfortunate truth is that such policies are even harder to find .

Hard… but not impossible.

Bicycle Insurance Covering Overseas Travel

If you’re looking to get your bicycle insured against theft or damage abroad, what you will quickly find is that some such policies do exist, but that:

• they are usually limited to trips of a couple of months at most,
• they depend upon you using the same kind of security precautions as you would at home (namely locking the bike with a certified lock to an immovable object), and
• they’re expensive.

Given that, if you are looking for bicycle insurance for overseas tours of up to two or three months in duration, there are a couple of such options available:

1. ETA offer an annual  cycle insurance policy that covers bikes and accessories for up to 90 days abroad, up to a value of £5,000, including a new-for-old replacement policy and emergency cycle hire, leaving you free to arrange your personal travel insurance separately. In Europe, personal accident cover is also included (but not liability) for up to 60 days. This is for UK residents only. Read the full details on their  website .

2. Yellow Jersey  is a provider of specialist bicycle and travel insurance, with cycle travel policy options covering loss, theft and damage of bicycles, luggage and accessories, medical costs, and other costs in the context of overseas travel with a bicycle. Again, it’s for UK residents only. More details in a new tab .

I’d love to hear readers’ suggestions for companies providing bicycle insurance for overseas trips by residents of other countries – just leave a comment below .

Travel Insurance Covering Cycle Touring & Bikepacking

If you’re looking to travel for longer than a month or so, you’re willing to rely on your wits to keep your expensive bike safe, and/or your bike is worthless and not worth insuring anyway, you’ll be looking primarily at travel insurance policies that cover cycle touring (aka: bikepacking) .

At which point you must understand that (in insurance-policy-style bullet points):

• most so-called ‘annual’ travel insurance policies actually only cover individual trips of up to 30–90 days within that year,
• many long-term travel insurance policies (aka: ‘backpacker’ policies) do not explicitly cover cycle touring and bikepacking , only cycling that is ‘incidental’ to the trip,
• most long-term travel insurance policies that do cover cycle touring and bikepacking still exclude intercontinental  trips, and
• even the most comprehensive of these are unlikely to cover the loss, theft or damage of a very expensive expedition touring bike or bikepacking bike.

Cycle touring and bikepacking is considered by many insurers to be a ‘hazardous activity’ or ‘extreme sport’, involving increased risk and thus either incurring an additional premium or being excluded from the list of activities covered. Expensive touring bikes and bikepacking bikes are also considered to be extremely steal-able things. Which they are.

Yes. This sucks. But at least it narrows the field when it comes to choosing from the few travel insurance policies that explicitly do cover cycle touring and bikepacking.

Cycle Touring & Bikepacking Insurance Providers

The following insurance providers cover cycle touring (whose definition includes bikepacking) as an activity or will do so on request. They typically won’t insure the bicycle itself for more than the maximum single item value of the personal belongings cover, which is usually well below the price of a new touring bike.

I’ve listed these providers in ascending order of the prices I was quoted when I last updated this post, but you should of course request your own quotes if you choose to follow up.

1. Insure And Go have grown into one of the UK’s biggest ‘basic’ travel insurance providers, and all of their policies (including backpacker policies) explicitly cover cycle touring, though it’s worth mentioning that personal accident and personal liability are excluded. Starting cover is basic, but aspects (including valuables cover) can be upgraded. Visit insureandgo.com .

2. Adventures Insurance  specialise in bespoke insurance for more adventurous pursuits, and cycle touring can be specified as an activity. They’ll allow for individual items of equipment up to £600 in value to be covered. Quotes for long-term cover may require a phone call. Visit quote.adventurescover.co.uk .

3. WorldNomads ’ backpacker-oriented policy is available to residents of 130+ countries, can be taken out when you’re already abroad, can be extended online, and covers a range of activities. You’ll need to add Level 2 activities cover for ‘independent cycle touring’, for which personal liability cover is excluded. Intercontinental cycle touring is also not covered. Altogether, this makes a WorldNomads policy suitable for a tour that’ll be taking place on a single continent. Visit worldnomads.com .

4. Campbell Irvine are often used by participants of professional expeditions. They specialise in adventure travel, covering a vast range of activities, with the ability to extend a long-term single trip policy over the phone. It covers volunteering but not employment. While ‘cycling’ is covered, the policy wording is not explicit about cycle touring. During a previous update to this post, I made a phone call to confirm that cycle touring was indeed covered in a leisure (ie: non-professional) capacity, but you should certainly make your own enquiries if in doubt. Visit campbellirvine.com* .

5. The BMC  (British Mountaineering Council), who I used for some of my earliest trips, offer cycle touring cover for up to 12 months at a time. You’ll need the ‘Trek’ policy for cycle touring to be covered as an activity, and while you get plenty of mountain activities and BMC membership benefits thrown in, the cover isn’t cheap. Visit thebmc.com .

Key Things To Remember About Cycle Touring & Bikepacking Insurance

Remember that these companies are operating in a highly competitive and lucrative field, and that  negotiation over what’s covered and for how much is perfectly possible – over the phone .

Indeed, calling a potential insurer direct is my top tip to make sure you get the cover you need at a decent price.

It’s also worth mentioning that, in the event of a medical emergency abroad, the claims agent’s job is to manage your case in a way that also minimises the cost to the insurer. 

Unless you’re too incapacitated to fly, this often means you’ll be advised to return to your country of residence as soon as possible. Why? Because your insurance cover can then be considered terminated: you’ve curtailed your trip, your domestic healthcare system takes over, and the exposure to your insurer is limited to the cost of a one-way economy flight, plus any curtailment benefit you may be due. (Depending on your country of residence, this may have implications regarding domestic health insurance too.)

Finally, whether or not you insure  your trip, it’s common sense to  ensure your safety in the first place by cultivating a healthy attitude to safety and security . My bet is that doing so will have a much greater effect on whether or not you still have your body and belongings intact at the end of your trip.

And that, I think, is a topic for a future article.

Bogged down in research for your next big bicycle adventure?

I wrote a whole book to help with that. How To Hit The Road is designed to be read at your leisure, making planning a bike tour simple and achievable, no matter the length, duration or budget. Available globally as an ebook or paperback.

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Also relevant to this post:

• Do I Really Need Ortliebs? A Buyer’s Guide To Panniers For Cycle Touring
• What’s Really The Difference Between Bikepacking & Cycle Touring?
• No Stupid Questions: How To Secure My Bike & Gear While Riding Across The USA?

Comments ( skip to respond )

48 responses to “cycle touring & bikepacking insurance: all you need to know (& popular insurers)”.

One option, at least for your U.S. readers, is to check into whether your home owners or renters insurance policy will cover the cost of a stolen bike while traveling. My insurer does, though it took a few phone calls to get it verified and confirmed. Not sure how insurers other countries handle this. (My insurer is USAA, though this company limits itself to covering current and former members of the US armed services and their families.)

As far as other types of insurance, instead of medical insurance, I went with a medical evacuation & repatriation (also covers unexpected security issues requiring evacuation like invasions, etc.) insurance instead of a policy or plan that covers medical expenses in a third country. These policies are paid on a yearly membership fee basis and while they don’t cover routine or urgent care, do fully cover evacuation and repatriation to the U.S.

My reasoning for this is that in the developing world visits for routine and urgent care are generally significantly cheaper than in the U.S. (heck, they’re significantly cheaper in Western Europe than the U.S.) and for me, using my insurance dollars for a policy that includes evacuation and return to the U.S. if I need emergency or long term care was a better option.

I use a company called “Global Rescue,” and my policy covers medical and security situation evacuation worldwide for about $1800.00 USD per year. I have not had to use this policy, so I cannot comment from first hand experience, but I am happy with their customer service when I’ve called, and they had good reviews. The reason I chose them over the other major player evacuation insurance market, MedJet, was that MedJet would only insure me if I started my policy while being physically in the U.S. and I was already in Europe when I decided a policy was a good idea. Global Rescue was willing to start a policy regardless of where I currently was at the time of opening it. Both companies may be limited to covering U.S. citizens, so please look into that if you’re not.

Thanks for sharing, Michael, it’s really useful to have this level of detail from someone with first hand experience. The insurance picture is certainly very different for riders coming from the US healthcare system.

Hi I’m an Australian and have found and bought Travel Insurance Direct, and 1Cover for this bikepacking trip.. both are not ‘incidental’ cover. Anyone with exp for aussies for a 2 year stay in Canada (including bikepacking)? Cheers

Hi Tiffany, Have you tried getting quotes, through a house “contents” policy. If you have an address, where you can register insurance, and add your bike to the contents as an “extra” to the usual list of things like computers etc. My touring bike is worth approx £4000 and it just cost an extra £10 a year on top of the usual rate. Just thinking there might be a way of getting insurance. Make sure the cover is for damage/theft away from the house (mine covers Europe too) Hope this helps, or at least some investigation. Good luck..

Great idea, Mark – thanks for sharing. Tiffany, I don’t have any other suggestions regarding insurance in this situation, unfortunately, but there is another approach you might consider, which is to get yourself a rated lock (which most insurers will demand anyway) and adopt a strict policy regarding leaving your bike unattended. I’ve posted a few more thoughts on security here . Hope this helps, even if only a little!

Hi, I am Australian and am in the UK for a week before heading to Europe to cycle for 3–4 months, then back to UK for more cycling, on repeat for a year working with visas etc. I have travel I surance that covers me and personal injury etc but what I failed to do was have a policy that covers my actual.bike and can’t do an add on. I have left my country of residence now and it’s proving to be a minefield trying to find out how to Insure my actual touring bike for theft/damage. I purchased the touring bike a few days ago here in the UK. Any suggestions on a bike insurance, for already departed non UK residents?

09 May 2023 i just tried Insure & Go . They refuse to insure 90 days in europe . No policy whatsoever . Was looking for France , Italy , Spain so give or take 30 days in each but they stated that thier underwriter refuses anything more than 60 days … Ive used these for twenty years way back in my backpacking days . They still can insure 365 days dependant on which countries but for more than 60 in Europe they won t do it ….

Hey Dean and thanks for the update. I also just asked for a quote for 90 days in France, Italy & Spain and was also unable to get one. It was possible to get 90 days cover in each of these countries separately, but for a 3 month multi-country trip in Europe it seems you might need to look elsewhere right now. Let’s hope they change it back!

Nice article, plenty of useful advice. Not sure where you found the information that SafetyWing covers bicycle touring. They specify in their policy that cycling and other sports need to be “incidental” to the trip. I verified with their customer service team and they confirmed: SafetyWing doesn’t cover bicycle touring, unfortunately… Only day trips by bike can be considered “incidental”.

Thanks for the note, Joanna – I’ve updated the post with this new information. At the time of original research, it was considered that cycling was covered in a non-professional, non-competitive capacity, so it seems the definition may have changed in the time since.

As a US citizen, this last little caveat in the post raises a question I can’t seem to find addressed anyhere online: “…deliver your immediately to your home country in economy class on a scheduled airline, at which point your insurance cover is terminated as you’ve ‘gone home’ and it’s up to the local health service to look after you.” Desn’t this mean that there’s still a huge financial risk in the event of a serious injury while on tour even if you’re covered with travel medical insurance? For example, if I were injured, couldn’t the travel insurance simply cover the relatively cheap medical evacuation back to the USA, allow the coverage to terminate, and then I’d be stuck with all of the medical treatment expenses since the USA has no public health safety net? Does that mean that for the risk to really be mitigated, US citizens touring need to carry both travel medical and domestic medical insurance for the entire duration of their trip? Since health insurance in the US is so expensive if you’re not covered through your employer, carrying both insurance policies seems a bit absurd. I haven’t read of anyone carrying both, but I’m worried about this situation.

Hi Aaron. This is a good point, but by no means exclusive to US residents. The country I currently live in also has very limited public healthcare provisions, and almost anything beyond a basic consultation with your GP requires upfront payment. Because of that, I also have private medical insurance to cover the costs of emergency treatment. If I were injured abroad and evacuated here, the same situation you’re describing would apply. So while I don’t want you to take my word as gospel, and I think you should pose this question to other US citizens travelling abroad (as well as to the insurance companies!), the answer may well be that you’d be best off with both travel and domestic medical cover if you want to ensure all possible financial risks are mitigated.

Worth mentioning that every travel insurance policy I’ve ever bought has charged me a hefty additional premium if the US has been on my itinerary, such are the costs of medical care.

Hi — that’s such good advice from Stephen Peel — I contacted Trailfinders and you’re right they were really helpful and quoted me £400.00 a year which can be rolled over to the next year so three years away would £1200.00. Another question as I’m a pensioner is it ok to allow the pension to be paid into your bank account whilst you’re out of the country ??

The only I know of, that I’ve used myself for halfway around the world, is Trailfinders. Most of the others require you to be in your home country when you review after 6 or 12 months, or they won’t cover you for solo cycle touring, or repatriating if severely injured. Trailfinders will let you review from wherever you are in the world online and will cover solo cycle tourists medical and worse. Don’t go without insurance, unless you have no family, because if anything serious happens to you, they will be left with the bill. Steve

Good blog Tom — can you advise me — I am or will be 70 when starting my world tour — can I get insurance cover for this or am I doomed !! Dudley Walter — starting March 2022

I’ve bought an annual policy from cycle cover for the past 2 years. I do short (under a month) tours in Europe.

I had the misfortune to need to use it on my last tour — my partner got his passport and various bits stolen while we were cycling through Naples (they went through the pannier while we sat in a traffic jam!). The claim was processed quickly and with minimal fuss — they covered the emergency passport cost, the cost of everything that was stolen, travel to/from the embassy, the accommodation while we waited and a replacement ferry ticket. 

The reason I went with cycle cover was that they provided a really high level of cover for the actual touring bike and kit, as well as ‘normal’ travel insurance, which I’d buy anyway. I think it was around £160 for the year for us both. 

Thanks for the website Tom, it really spurred me on to start bike touring!

Thanks Jenny! Nice to hear good things about a travel insurance company for a change! 🙂

Just called adventures insurance and they do cover bicycle touring but there is a caveat — if you go above 1000m above sea level at any point in the trip you are not covered. 

So it would be ok for flat touring around scandi and parts of Europe but not so good elsewhere.

Thanks for this post, very useful! 

Worth noting that Campbell Irvine do not insure for solo trips. I just tried to get a quote for a solo trip in South America and they told me they didn’t have a policy for me if I am not in a group of 3 or more people.

Really… that’s news to me. They always used to! Thanks for the update!

I’ve just done a little extra research to add to this excellent post. We are currently travelling in North and South America and have decided to swap to bikes. Unfortunately, World Nomads will not extend our current policy, or even give us a new one as they count it as Inter-continental travel insurance, and won’t cover Central America. 

Anyway, I found three other options – all who would do Cycle Touring (between 12–18 months long) and all who would allow a trip to start away from the UK. 

These were: Worldwide Insure – £1596.00 (for two people for 12 months, Worldwide) Trailfinders – £1020.00 (for two people for 12 months, Worldwide excl Canada and USA) Globelink – £819.14 (for two people for 15 months, Worldwide, including a £70 add on for mountain biking). 

They each had varying levels of personal effects cover (Trailfinders was the best from memory). 

Happy cycling!

I agree with Trailfinders, they were the only ones I could find that would let me renew my insurance without having to return to the UK to do it. They don’t insure pre-existing condition, but non of them do. No messing online form with Trailfinders, but I don’t know of anyone who has had to make a claim and if they did, how it went.

Thanks for the great info, as always

Just been looking through policy wordings and also chatting to a sales advisor at insure and go

It’s worth noting that Insure & Go’s cover excludes Personal Injury and Personal Liability for cycle touring. I asked for clarification on this: basically you’ll have your medical/repatriation expenses covered but won’t be entitled to the payout should you be disabled/unable to work as a result of an accident or injury whilst cycling, and also won’t be covered for liability to others whilst cycling (e.g. knocking someone over).

I think I still may buy a policy from insure and go, as their’s works out £160 cheaper than everyone else’s (for a three month trip within europe, europe including turkey)

Finally worth noting that Insure & Go’s ‘backpacking’ policy seems to be cheaper and better than their ‘single trip’ policy

AXA travel insurance have a cycle touring add on.

Hi Tom Just about to cycle from the UK to Prague and I discovered that my free travel insurance through my bank (HSBC) covers me for medical, (10 million) baggage, repatriation on injury, cancelled journeys/bookings etc, etc all well and good for 30 days max (extendable to 120 days on a small fee) As for the bike ? well I found out that a small additional premium of £9 turns my house contents insurance into a worldwide cover for my bike (during cycle touring) for theft, malicious damage and accidental damage if I fall off. Cycle touring comes under leisure activity, although if I start to race someone in an professional event, I get zilch, (can’t imagine racing with a full set of panniers on, but there you are) Hope this helps. I was going to go down the CTC route but started to investigate the insurances I already have. One quicky minor issue is that the bike is not covered while I am on transportation of any kind, ie:- ferry, train and plane as they are not on the ground 🙂 Hope this helps.….Cheers Mark

Hey Tom, Do you have any info on cycle touring insurance for South Africa? When, I toured in NZ, I used a Canadian company. But, it looks like they don’t have any coverage for Africa. Thanks in advance!

Can you clarify the question? Are you asking for an insurance provider to cover touring in South Africa? In which country are you resident? Have you enquired with all of the suggested companies on this list?

I struggled to find insurance for my husband and myself for a long cycle tour due to the time scale, which could be up to 2 years, and our ages. Both over 55. Tried all the companies mentioned above, none of which would cover us. Finally got cover through Trailfinders. Phone them rather than online. Inter-continental cycle touring was not counted as hazardous so no extra premium, and no extra premium for our age. Many back-packer type insurances wouldn’t cover at our age. Also they would cover for as long as we wanted, renewing on the road. Didn’t try for bike cover as would be too expensive. Have not claimed, so don’t know what that would be like.

[…] A lot of regular travel insurance does not cover cycle touring so you may need a specialist policy. Tom’s Bike Trip has useful advice on cycle touring […]

[…] (Edit: Tom Allen’s written an article about travel insurance specifically for cycle touring too. See Insurance). […]

Hi, thought I’d add my recent experience. I tried a few of the recommended above but was looking for 6 months + which some seemed not to be covered often and wanted explicit return dates (seemes “until my sanity and/or budget hits rock bottom” wasn’t acceptable). I ended up going with Travel Nation https://www.travelnation.co.uk/round-the-world-travel-insurance after comparing 7 or so https://drive.google.com/open?id=1L_s03_XjHpb5ihGohIV7A21QXIqsOp56-yijLFet0ZM&authuser=0

They seemed to provide good cover, competitive rate, cycle touring, extendable (both duration and regions) during and I was able to add my bike onto the policy. I asked about countries on the FCO blacklist (Iran) and they said, although not covered with them, I was ok to take out another policy if need just for Iran and run in parallel.

12-month trip around the world: £528.18 The bike (£900) added about £60 to the £205 4 month quote I got.

Hi there, So here is what I think a lot of people will be looking for, I wish I had this info yesterday, would have saved a lot of headbanging.

We are UK residents and have started a round the world bike trip (duration — 5years, ish).

Because we started in Europe we didn’t get insurance because we have EU health cards. Now we are in Spain and heading to Morocco and beyond.

So I ran into all of the problems states above, absolute nightmare tried 10 companies (all recommended on this blog/commenrs).

I think someone has already mentioned TRAIL FINDERS. They are the only one it seems to cover for what I needed.

I spoke to one of the senior guys (ask for john Mclennan, phone number is +44 20 7368 1200 and say extension 0496). He now know’s the score.

I took out a 12 month policy which can be toppesd up wherever you are in the world.

Worldwide cover ex. N America — £489 Worldwide cover inc. N.America £555

I got my pre existing asthma added for £14.95

So I didn’t have to start in UK (i said that I would literally Take a plane home, start the cover and fly back out and they agreed this was not necessary).

Iran is now not blacklisted by UK FCO (it was when we started but since reopen embassy), but still covered in FCO blacklisted countries if you have a ‘Normal accident’ i.e. As long as any ‘baddies’ don’t cause the accident. I suppose getting shot by rebels in East Ukraine for example, but if Mr John Ukraine knocks you down in his car, then a‑ok.

Hope this is useful, I spent an hour talking to them (4 hours trying everywhere else) and now at least we are covered.

Peace. Paul Threeblazinsaddles

Thanks for your comment as you will have saved me some hard work. I am off to Morocco in a month or so and after that no idea and no idea for how long. The prospect of finding correct travel insurance it so difficult and appreciate all your hard work

Hi Paul, I don’t know whether your still about and receive this, but I too am now just into the last few months prep on my own world cycle and have been struggling to find insurance due to pre existing medical conditions and of course the duration. 

Everyone I have tried have had a max of 12 months before I have to return to the UK in order to take out further insurance. Having to return home was not a part of my plan. 

I have contacted Trailfinders as you suggest, and although they only allow 12 months at one time, you can take out a further policy without having to return to the UK to do it, simply doing it online is fine with them. Nice.

The cover is a basic cover with no pre-existing issues covered, which is fine. It doesn’t cover loss of equipment or damage to equipment, so not fine, but beggers at this point. It is not cheap as you have stated, with a current price for 2017 being £600 for 12 months Worldwide including North America. 

Now that was just a trial run with them on their website, followed by a phone call from me to double check everything. The number was given to speak with their pre-existing health issue department to take out extra cover for those condition’s, if I wish. 

I too am travelling through Europe for the around 8 months to a year, before heading out to Asia, and so will make use of my European Health Insurance Card for that time, making sure to have the card around my neck so that anyone taking me to the hospital (god forbid) will see that I am exempt’ish. 

Thanks for you help Paul, best wishes. Steve

I just spoke to TravelNation, who told me that my bike wouldn’t be included in the insurance but that I can do a 6 month policy which does include cycle touring for £335. FYI for October 2017 current rates.

Hi Tom, once again, I find myself on your incredible website, filled with almost everything I need to prepare for my own trip. I am in a slightly different situation, that I am a Brit living as ex-pat in Germany. I was having a nightmare finding an insurance for my trip that covered my health for more than 18 months, firstly because I’ll probably be on the road for over two years, and secondly that I’m already almost 40. All policies I could find clearly stated that I either could not renew after 12/18 months, and if it was possible to renew, I would need to be back home or go for a further health check up, which was not feasible. I then popped into a local branch of STA Travel (in Göttingen) in order to enquire about Visas and travel permits along my route, and just out of curiosity asked about Insurance. I can now have total peace of mind (albeit 1,860€ lighter in pocket) that for the next three years (yes, I managed to cover myself for 36 months!!!.…with option to further extend!!) I have personal health insurance, personal belongings insurance up to 3,000€ as well a personal indemnity insurance just in case I cause damage to another person or property. This policy was offered by Allianz, which is a German company, however from my days of working in finance in London, I know they do exist in UK as well. I do not know if such a policy would be possible for a UK resident to take out, but certainly worth looking into. Anyway, thought this may help anyone looking for something similar. Keep up the good work and looking forward to the next release of A Tale of Two Rivers (I’m originally Persian, so I was fascinated by what you and Leon did) Purak

Very good advice, thanks.

My experience suggests that it’s worth looking at “mainstream” insurers. The AA do single trip cover (up to 6 months, I think) with a bolt on that covers cycle touring. 

In response to my email to clarify the terms, I got this reply from the AA: “I am pleased to confirm that you would be covered for Cycle Touring throughout the duration of your trip (providing you wear a helmet) from 07/04/2015 to 14/08/2015 as you have purchased the relevant upgrade (Hazardous Activities Grade 2).”.

Premium for 2 people for 4 months in Europe excluding Spain (including Balearic & Canary Islands), Cyprus, Turkey and Malta was £106.87

Insure and Go may have dropped ‘cycle touring’ from their cover.

It now says ‘no’ next to it on the website in the activities covered list and isn’t in the hazardous activities list either.

Great info here. Many thanks. So many variables to factor in. Having just turned 60, at least one of the companies you quoted won’t take me. Oh, the joys of age! Thanks again. Onwards.…. Matt

I am considering doing a world wide cycle tour, commencing in the spring 2016. I will be 61 when I ‘kick’ off the tour. Please can advise on the insurance company that you finally opted to go with and why? Thanks Steve

See my comment below re age!

Ann Wilson (who turned 60yrs on her RTW trip — see CGOAB journal) used Navigator until she reached 65yrs. And you can renew online too, without too much difficulty apparently. Like you, I’m planning starting out next Spring — a tad younger than you (at 58yrs!).

Hi Tom, One point worth mentioning is different people define ‘intercontinental’ differently. It’s well worth checking. World Nomads count South and North America as one continent. So my trip from Ushuaia in Argentina to Prudhoe Bay in Alaska is covered. I had this confirmed twice, by email and verbally on the phone! (October 2014) They told me they don’t extend indefinitely, you can only extend up to 18 months but you can take out a new policy then. I am yet to discover what the difference is, and hopefully won’t! cheers Iain

Great reading about the credit card rewards and the insurance. I am wondering if you or anyone knows if the free travel insurance that comes with Amex is any good

Cheers for this Tom — always useful to get information and insight into the confusing world of policies to cover a bike trip! I’ve looked into a few of the ones you mention in the past, and like many used to go with the BMC. My last few trips however I phoned the BMC, and though the website said that you could be covered for cycle touring, on the phone I was told that this was only for short trips (ie 2–3 weeks of cycle touring) and that they wouldn’t cover longer amounts of touring within a longer trip policy. It’d be good if they’ve changed that rule since 2012, as they have some of the best cover for hiking and climbing expeditions… thanks again Neil

Great advice, cheers!

My pleasure. Loved your story of ‘hardship’ on tour. We all have days like that!

So well said. Thanks.

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Why do I need cycling travel insurance?

Cycling travel insurance is a must-have if cycling is the primary purpose of your holiday or trip, and it also covers you if you’re taking part in timed events.

Typical travel insurance excludes anything other than leisure riding. You need cycling travel insurance if you’re on a road cycling holiday with your club, a downhill mountain bike trip with friends, or competing in a sportive or triathlon abroad.

Our cycling holiday insurance covers emergency medical care and repatriation, including emergency mountain rescue and heli-rescue if you are injured riding in the mountains. The policy also has generous cancellation and Covid covers as standard.

Travel insurance built for cycling holidays

If you are planning a cycling holiday, you need to make sure you have sufficient cycling travel insurance.

Pedal Cover travel insurance for cycling will cover medical mishaps and emergencies on your holiday, along with essential covers like cancelled trips, lost luggage and holiday money. 

We cover all forms of cycling as standard, including cycle tours, bike packing, multi-stage events, mountain biking (including downhill) and triathlon . We even cover emergency mountain rescue and heli-rescue if you are injured riding in the mountains

Please be aware bikes are not covered by our travel insurance. You can find more information on how to cover your bikes here .

Looking to cover your bikes?

What activities does cycling travel insurance cover?

Our cycle holiday insurance covers almost all cycling disciplines. Pedal Cover should be your natural choice if you’re going on a cycling holiday. If you don’t see an activity listed below, do not hesitate to contact our team, and we can check that out for you. Our policy also covers several other sports and pastimes as standard, listed in the policy wording or our FAQs below.

Cycling disciplines A-L

• BMX Racing (recognised track only)
• Criterium Racing
• Cycle Touring / Bike Packing
• Downhill Mountain Biking (incl. racing)
• Gravel Riding
• Leisure Cycling

Cycling disciplines M-T

• Mountain Biking (all mountain, enduro, freeride, slopestyle, speed & style, cross country, four-cross, marathon, pump track, and trail riding)
• Multi-stage / Ultra Endurance Cycling Events (e.g. RAAM/ Haute Route/ Transcontinental)
• Road Cycling (charity events, gran fondo, road racing, sportives, time trials and training holidays)
• Track Cycling
• Triathlon / Duathlon / Aquabike (half ironman distance, ironman distance, olympic distance, sprint distance and training holidays)

Our cycling travel insurance cover explained

Our cycle travel insurance covers everything you’d expect from a premium travel policy and other benefits unique to a cycle travel insurance provider—Below is a summary. Please read the policy wording to understand the requirements and limits of cover.

Emergency Medical Expenses

Covering medical mishaps while riding is crucial and is the primary feature of our cycling travel insurance. It is also frequently missing from standard travel insurance policies. We cover the costs of emergency medical care to £10 million. The cover includes mountain rescue and heli-rescue if you are injured riding in the mountains.

Our travel insurance policies include cover for Covid 19, emergency medical care, and other expenses such as cancellation and curtailment related to COVID 19.

We have a separate section below explaining the cover; click  here .

Cancellation, Curtailment

We will cover up to £5,000 for your travel and accommodation costs if you have to cancel your cycling holiday due to unforeseen illness or injury. Unlike standard travel insurance, our cycle holiday insurance also covers you for withdrawing due to an injury that prevents you from cycling on the trip, even if you could fly.

Do you need bike cover?

Remember, this policy doesn’t cover your bicycle. For this, you can purchase our bundled home and bike insurance , or we offer a no strings attached rolling monthly cycle insurance.

Cycling Specific Covers

We offer a cycle breakdown benefit if you have a mechanical and need to make it back to the hotel. Repatriation for your bike if you have to return home in an emergency. Bike hire if your bike fails to arrive or is stolen, and cover for your race fee if you have to withdraw or the event is cancelled due to bad weather. All these are included as standard on our cycle travel policies.

Cycling Liability Insurance

If you damage somebody’s property or injure another road user while cycling, you could find yourself liable for damages. Every Pedal Cover travel product includes £2 million public liability cover while cycling on a trip, including in races.

Multi or Single Trip

Whether you want a one-off policy for a cycling trip or a multi-trip policy for the whole year, we can put together a package to suit you.

Racing and Training

Some travel insurance policies include limited cover for cycling. You should check the small print; there are usually severe exclusions, particularly for racing or serious training. We can cover you for a family cycling holiday, training camp, during events such as Mallorca 312 or even downhill mountain biking.

Winter Sports Cover

Cancellation, medical expenses and repatriation are all covered as standard for winter activities for up to 17 days a year on our annual package. You get benefits like loss or damage to ski equipment, lost ski pasess, avalanche cover or resort closure.

Repatriation

If you injure yourself cycling abroad, our cycle travel insurance will cover mountain rescue and heli-rescue if you are injured riding in the mountains, and if necessary, we’ll cover the costs of repatriating you back to the UK.

Baggage & Money

We include cover up to £250 for lost or delayed baggage, up to £500 for holiday money, and up to £5,000 for valuables (which includes cycling clothing, helmets and shoes). Bicycles are not included under the baggage cover. If you need cover for theft or damage to your bicycles, we can insure them separately . 

We cover cycling gadgets, for example, your Garmin, Wahoo, GoPro or other high-value electrical items. Please read the policy to know you’re getting the right cover for your trip and activities.

Our cycle holiday insurance at a glance

Our policies have all the covers you’d expect from top-notch travel insurance and cover almost all cycling activities. Remember, this policy doesn’t cover your bicycle. For this, you can purchase our bundled home and bike insurance , or we also offer a no strings attached rolling monthly cycle insurance.

Core travel section

Cycle specific covers, winter sports (annual only), whatever your needs, we have you covered.

Single trip or an annual policy?

It is cheaper to purchase an annual policy if you plan to take a few trips over the course of a year, while still providing coverage for every race, and training camp you attend overseas.

Our annual policies also cover winter sports, so buying an annual cycle travel insurance policy before your summer bike trip could save you the trouble of finding another insurer.

However, if you have ‘standard’ travel insurance for most of the year, but need a top-up for a training camp, then one of our single trip policies might be best.

Do you need competition cover?

Cyclists taking part in races, tours, triathlons and charity events will need to consider choosing a policy with competition cover. If you have a crash during a competition or are injured, you need coverage for liability and medical costs. Most other travel insurance suppliers exclude competitions, but it’s available with us.

We even offer you cover if you have to withdraw from an event, which prevents you from being out of pocket for expensive entry fees.

Welcome to our cycling travel FAQ section

We can hopefully answer all your questions related to our travel insurance built for cyclists offered by Allianz. For customers with questions about other policies, you should go to the relevant product page or contact the team.

Cycle travel insurance predominately covers your medical expenses when travelling abroad. Amongst over things, it also covers costs if your trip is cancelled.

Cycle travel insurance does not, however, protect your bike. If you need cover for your bike, you can purchase our combined home & bike insurance , which bundles home contents, buildings, and bicycle insurance under one roof. If you don’t qualify for our home insurance or prefer dedicated cycle insurance , we also offer this as an annual contract or on a no-obligation rolling monthly basis.

Yes, our travel insurance provides coverage for downhill mountain biking, including participation in competitive events, emergency medical care and repatriation.

The policy also covers emergency helicopter evacuation.

Our cycling holiday insurance covers emergency medical care and repatriation, including emergency mountain rescue and heli-rescue if you are injured riding in the mountains.

Yes, we want you to be able to enjoy the warm weather and beautiful roads during your training camp with confidence, so we’ll pay for your emergency medical costs and return travel if a sickness or accident prevents you from enjoying the trip.

Our triathlon travel insurance covers all distances, including Ironman events. Along with a raft of other covers, we provide emergency medical or repatriation expenses should something go wrong abroad. We also cover your trip cancellation, including being unable to travel due to an injury leading up to your event.

Yes – When buying our travel insurance, be sure to choose Worldwide protection, which includes the USA.

If you don’t have any immediate plans to travel over the Atlantic, look at our European-only coverage, which is more affordable.

No – If you need cover for your bike, you can purchase our home insurance for cyclists , which bundles home contents, buildings cover (if you need it) and bicycle insurance under one roof.

If you don’t qualify for our home insurance or prefer cycle insurance only , we offer this either as an annual contract or on a no-obligation rolling monthly basis.

Yes. Our travel insurance is built to pay for unexpected medical needs. This is true for triathlons of any length and all types of bicycle racing, including mountain biking.

Our travel insurance is built to cover repatriation costs due to injuries sustained while on holiday, even when riding or competing on your bicycle. 

If a serious injury prevents you from attending an event that you have entered, we offer entry fee cancellation coverage. Before the incident that prevents you from participating in your race, you must have taken out an insurance policy with us. Additionally, we need documentation of the injury from a licenced medical professional.

On a yearly policy, there is no cap on the number of trips. However, no journey may last longer than 60 days away from the UK.

Our annual multi-trip travel insurance policy has a 120-day trip maximum, but you can take as many trips as you like during the year as long as no individual trip exceeds that length.

Our annual cycling travel insurance includes winter sports coverage as an extra benefit. You can go for a maximum of 17 days per trip for winter sports holidays.

If you are planning an epic touring excursion, we might be able to assist with a personalised insurance policy, but you’ll need to give us a call.

Please remember that once you start travelling, we can’t provide you with extended cover.

Our travel insurance covers up to five gadgets with a combined value of £2,000; this will cover any unintentional damage to your belongings while travelling or theft (e.g. from your hotel). The policy includes Garmins and also items like laptops, tablets, and cameras.

Please remember gadgets are not covered for damage while you are cycling. It’s best to look at the policy wording or call us if you are unsure.

We cover lots of of other sports – It is best to look at the policy wording for a complete list. 

Annual policies cover winter sports, so if you enjoy skiing or snowboarding over the winter, you won’t need to purchase an additional policy.

Our policy automatically covers you for one pre-existing medical condition from our list of automatically covered conditions .

If you have two or more conditions from the list below or a condition not on the list, the cover is excluded unless disclosed to the medical screening helpline, and the additional cover is agreed to in writing.

Automatically covered pre-existing medical conditions:

• Allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) provided that you have not needed hospital treatment for this in the last two years.
• Allergic rhinitis
• Arthritis (the affected person must be able to walk independently at home without using mobility aids)
• Asthma (the diagnosis must have been made when the affected person was under the age of 50, and the asthma be controlled by no more than two inhalers and no other medication)
• Blindness or partial sightedness
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Chickenpox – if wholly resolved
• Common cold or flu
• Cuts and abrasions that are not self-inflicted and require no further treatment
• Cystitis – provided there is no ongoing treatment
• Diabetes (which is controlled by diet or tablets only)
• Diarrhoea and vomiting – if wholly resolved
• Enlarged prostate – benign only
• Essential tremor
• Haemorrhoids
• Ligament or tendon injury – provided you are not currently being treated
• Macular degeneration
• Migraine – provided there are no ongoing investigations
• Nasal polyps
• Sinusitis – provided there is no ongoing treatment
• Skin or wound infections that have entirely resolved with no current treatment
• Underactive thyroid (Hypothyroidism)
• Varicose veins in the legs

Alternatively you can view a directory set up by the Money and Pensions Service. This directory provides easy access to companies that specialise in providing cover for pre-existing medical conditions, to enable customers to find the best value cover.

The directory can be accessed at https://traveldirectory.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en or by calling 0800 138 7777.

Pedal Cover are not connected to the insurers provided by the directory. As we offer a travel insurance product aimed at cyclists you should ensure that, if using a firm on the directory, they are able to cover your intended cycling activities.

Our travel policy does not cover pre-existing medical conditions as standard. We offer a confidential, independent medical screening service to provide a top-up if you need cover for a pre-existing medical condition. Contact their helpline at + 44(0)1702 427 237.

After answering questions about your medical conditions, the screening service will confirm if they can cover them. They may need to charge a premium, and they will explain any additional requirements, such as an increased excess.

If the helpline can provide the additional coverage and you elect to purchase it, you must first buy our Pedal Cover cycling travel policy. You will supply the helpline with your Pedal Cover policy number. You will pay any premium for the additional cover directly to the screening helpline, not Pedal Cover.

Once the medical conditions are covered, the helpline will give you a screening reference number. The helpline will send a letter confirming cover, cost, and requirements. Please keep this safe as it is required in the event of a claim.

If you purchase our Pedal Cover travel insurance before speaking to the medical screening helpline, and subsequently, they cannot offer a top-up, or you are unhappy with the extra cost quoted, you can cancel your travel insurance with us. We will provide a complete, no-quibble refund within the first 14 days of purchase.

Yes, but the insurance will not provide coverage for any claims directly or indirectly related to the pre-existing medical condition.

Sports, pastimes and activities

• Abseiling (within organisers guidelines)
• Administrative or clerical occupations 1, 2
• Amateur athletics (track and field)
• American football
• Archaeological digging 1, 2
• Assault course
• Banana boating (as a passenger only) 3
• Big game hunting 1, 2
• Billiards/snooker/pool
• Bobsleigh 1
• Body boarding (boogie boarding)
• Bungee jumping (only as short duration incidental day excursion with licensed public hirer) 2
• Camel riding 1, 2
• Canoeing (up to grade 2 rivers)
• Cave diving (no solo diving) 2
• Clay pigeon shooting 1, 2
• Climbing (on climbing wall only)
• Climbing up to 3,500 metres on slopes classified as facile or easy including rock scrambling
• Deep sea fishing
• Driving any motorised vehicle that you are licensed to drive in your home country (other than in motor rallies or competitions) 1, 2
• Elephant riding/trekking 2
• Fell walking/running
• Fishing Fives
• Flying as pilot 1, 2
• Football (amateur only and not main purpose of trip)
• Glass bottom boats/bubbles (as a passenger only) 1
• Gliding 1, 2
• Go karting (within organiser’s guidelines) 1
• Golf Handball
• Hang gliding 1, 2
• High diving over 9 meters (supervised pools only, no rock diving/jumping) 2
• Hockey (must wear protective head gear)
• Horse riding (wearing a helmet and excluding competitions, racing, jumping and hunting) 1, 2
• Hot air ballooning (organised rides only) 2
• Hovercraft driving/passenger 1, 2
• Hurling (amateur only and not main purpose of trip)
• Indoor climbing (on climbing wall only) Jet boating 1, 2, 4
• Jet skiing 1, 2, 4
• Karting (wearing a helmet) 1, 2, 4
• Kayaking (up to grade 2 waters only)
• Kite Surfing 2
• Marathon running
• Motor sport (any type) 1, 2
• Orienteering
• Paintball/war games (wearing eye protection) 1, 2
• Parachuting 1, 2
• Paragliding (over water only – not over Must be licensed operator with professional guide and only in EU, EEA, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.) 1, 2
• Parascending (over water only – not over Must be licensed operator with professional guide and only in EU, EEA, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) 1, 2
• Pony trekking 2, 4
• Pot holing (must be a licensed operator with professional guide and wearing helmets)
• Power boating (no racing and no competitions) 1, 2
• Quad biking (wearing a helmet) 1, 2, 4
• Racket ball Rambling Refereeing
• Ringo (as a passenger only) 1
• Roller skating/blading/in line skating (wearing pads and helmets)
• Rugby (Union/League) not professional
• Running (non-competitive)
• Safari trekking (must be organised tour) 1, 2
• Sailing/yachting (includes amateur racing competitions) 1, 2
• Sand boarding 1, 2
• Sand dune surfing/skiing 1
• Sand yachting 1, 2, 4
• Scuba diving up to a depth of 40 metres (must be PADI/BSAC No solo diving and subject to scuba diving endorsement below)
• Scuba diving up to a depth of 9 metres (No solo diving and subject to scuba diving endorsement below)
• Shooting/small bore target/rifle range Shooting (within organisers guidelines) 1, 2
• Skateboarding (wearing pads and helmets)
• Sledging (not on snow)
• Snorkelling
• Spear fishing (without tanks)
• Speed sailing 1, 2, 4
• Street hockey
• Students working as counsellors or university exchanges for practical course work (non- manual) 2
• (no competitions,inland and coastal waters only 1
• Swimming with dolphins
• Swimming/bathing with elephants
• Sydney Harbour Bridge walk (walking across roped)
• Table tennis
• Tall ship crewing 1, 2, 4
• Ten pin bowling
• Trampolining
• Tree canopy walking (walking across roped)
• Trekking/hiking between 2,500 and 5,000 metres above sea level. (On organised tour along recognised routes No search and rescue other than for medical reasons.)
• Trekking/hiking/walking up to 2,500 metres above sea level
• Wake boarding
• War game/paint balling (wearing eye protection) 1, 2
• Water skiing/water ski jumping 1, 2
• Weight lifting
• Whale watching
• White water rafting (grades 4-6 waters only) 1
• White water rafting (up to grade 3 waters, as a passenger only, life jacket to be worn)
• Wind surfing/sailboarding 1
• Wind tunnel flying (pads/helmets to be worn)
• Zip lining/trekking (safety helmets to be worn)
• Zorbing/hydro zorbing/sphering 1
• Cover under Section G – Personal liability is excluded.
• Cover under Section C – Personal accident is excluded.
• Cover is excluded unless within organisers guidelines and as part of an organised activity led or instructed by professional guides or licensed organisers and all claims will be subject to three (3) times the standard policy excess .
• Cover is excluded when racing.
• Diving by persons not holding a recognised certificate for the type of diving being undertaken, or not under professional instruction.
• Diving without proper equipment and/or contrary to codes of good practice according to bona fide organisations such as PADI or BSAC.
• Diving to depths greater than 30 metres (or 40 metres if additional premium paid and shown on your validation certificate ).
• Solo diving or night diving or specifically organised cave diving or diving for hire or reward.
• Flying within 24 hours of last dive or diving whilst suffering from a cold, influenza, infection or obstruction of the sinuses or ears.
• Diving by persons aged under 12 years of age or over 65.

Our policy automatically covers you for one pre-existing medical condition from our list of automatically covered conditions . If you have two or more conditions from the list or a condition not on the list, all pre-existing medical conditions will be excluded from cover unless disclosed to the medical screening helpline and additional cover agreed in writing.

• Diarrhoea and vomiting – if completely resolved

Yes, all medical emergencies and associated costs will be covered.

Yes, you must have gotten an inoculation or vaccination against Coronavirus as recommended by the World Health Organization or the health authority in your country of residency to be compensated for any expenses incurred from contracting the disease.

The above is true for every contagious disease for which the World Health Organization or your country’s health authority recommends an inoculation or immunisation. Travellers to portions of Sub-Saharan Africa and South America, for example, are advised to get a Yellow Fever vaccine, and you would need to show proof of this vaccination to submit a claim for any expenditures incurred as a result of catching the disease while on vacation.

Yes, as long as you’re all covered by our insurance and all asked to quarantine. To confirm the quarantine order, you must be able to present medical evidence from the treating doctor or the local authority.

If you’ve been diagnosed with Coronavirus and are unable to travel, you’ll be covered as long as your doctor confirms the diagnosis and your inability to travel.

The policy covers cancellation as long as you have documented evidence from your airline that you were denied boarding because you were showing symptoms of a contagious condition.

If you have a valid cancellation claim, the cancellation section will refund you for all non-recoverable fees, including Visas, but only for the length of your cancelled trip.

No, if the UK is put in ‘Lockdown’ once again, there will be no coverage under the insurance for cancellation claims.

No, any charges (accommodation/travel) incurred in the event that the country you are visiting is “locked down” would not be covered.

If you can show medical proof that you have been diagnosed with Coronavirus or have been directly exposed to Coronavirus, you will be compensated for any additional lodging or travel expenditures.

Any essential medical expenses, as well as any additional travel or accommodation charges, are covered under the medical expenses part of the insurance.

All insured persons are covered for quarantine under the medical section, which includes coverage for additional lodging and flights.

The policy will cover you if a close family is diagnosed with Coronavirus and becomes extremely ill, necessitating your presence due to medical reasons. Their doctor will have to sign off on this.

Your insurance will cover the cost of any additional lodging incurred while you are under quarantine based on your unique symptoms or probable COVID-19 exposure, but it will not reimburse any pre-booked lodging fees. If you have any unused pre-booked and paid for excursions that are non-refundable, your insurance will reimburse you less the standard policy excess if you can provide documentary evidence to support the quarantine order from either the government, a public authority in the country you are visiting, or the treating doctor.

If you travel somewhere that is against FCDO guidelines, you will not be covered.

If you bought your single trip travel insurance before the change in FCDO guidelines and have not yet left, your policy will no longer give any coverage. You have the option of deferring your policy’s coverage period or requesting a full refund of your money.

If you bought your single trip policy before the change in FCDO advise and have already left, full policy coverage will apply as long as you follow all UK, local government, or equivalent instructions.

If after looking through the FAQs you can’t find the answer you are looking for you can click our live chat open Mon to Fri from 9 am to 5 pm

Home & Bike Insurance

Dedicated cycle insurance, cycling travel insurance, health insurance, information, useful documents, claims information, our cycling blog, compare cycle insurance, home & bike insurance faqs, dedicated cycle insurance faqs, travel insurance faqs, health insurance faqs.

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Bicycle Insurance

Request a Bicycle or E-Bike Insurance Quote:

Start Quote

Manage Your Bicycle Insurance

You can call Markel at (855) 591-9785 .

Hours: Mon – Fri 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM (ET) Sat 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (ET)

Need a bicycle insurance quote?

Existing policyholder?

What is bicycle insurance?

Bicycle insurance is specialized coverage to help protect you and your bike from instances of damage, theft, or liability. Most homeowners or renters policies have low limits on sporting goods equipment such as bikes, and cyclists are surprised to learn damage to their bike or e-bike may not be covered under their current property insurance policy. That's why having a separate bicycle insurance policy can help provide better coverage for your bike.

Why buy bicycle or e-bike insurance?

Purchasing bicycle insurance is a great way to help protect you and your bike or e-bike from the unexpected.

Markel's policies offer a wide variety of coverage, with customizable polices starting as low as $100 per year.

How much does bicycle and e-bike insurance cost?

Cost varies depending on the value of the bike or e-bike, type of bike, how the bike is used, the coverages chosen, etc. Bicycle policies start as low as $100 per year.

What bicycle insurance and e-bike coverages are available?

Bicycle physical damage – Primary coverage for the cost to repair or replace the bicycle: coverage if the insured bicycle is involved in a collision, fire, theft, or vandalism.

Additional coverages offered at no additional cost include rental reimbursement, competitive event fee reimbursement, spare parts, and cycle apparel.

Bicycle liability – Primary coverage for the injuries or property damaged (caused by insured bicycle) that the insured is legally responsible for. Coverage limits vary.

Medical payments – Covers medical expenses of the cyclist if they are injured while on the insured bicycle, regardless of fault. Coverage limits vary.

Vehicle contact protection – If the insured cyclist is struck by an uninsured or underinsured motorist while on the insured bicycle.

Roadside assistance – Available for $12 per year. This includes a 24-hour emergency service, up to 25 miles per tow, and five tows per year.

Need to speak with us?

You can reach us at (855) 591-9785 .

• Mon – Fri 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM (ET)
• Sat 10:00 AM ‐ 4:00 PM (ET)

Bicycle Insurance: Frequently Asked Questions

• Isn't my bicycle covered under my homeowners insurance? While your bicycle may have some coverage under your homeowner's policy, there are usually restrictions on the value of the bicycle and the types of losses that would be covered. A specialized stand-alone bicycle policy helps protect against things that a homeowners policy typically doesn't cover such as theft away from home, coverage for your spare parts and cycling apparel and more. Plus, insuring your bike with a stand-alone insurance policy through Markel means your homeowners insurance rates may not increase if you have to file a claim.
• How do you determine how much my bicycle is worth? We know bicycles can get pretty expensive and want to make sure we provide just the right coverage. When setting up your bike insurance policy, simply add up the cost of your bicycle, as well as its fixed accessories and components. And of course, keep your receipts. While we may not need to see your receipts before issuing your policy, we may need to see them in case you file a claim.

We make filing a claim as easy and quick as possible. If you have an accident, you can submit your claim online or call us at (800) 236-2453 .

• Can I pay online? Absolutely. Visit https://www.markelinsurance.com/my-account . From there, you can decide if you want to make a payment with a credit card, debit card, or through your checking account. You can decide if you want to make a one-time payment or set up automatic recurring payments so you never miss a payment.

For online quotes:

GEICO Insurance Agency, LLC has collaborated with Markel American Insurance Company to provide bicycle and e-bike insurance products to qualified customers. When you click on "START QUOTE", you will be taken to the Markel website, which is not owned or controlled by GEICO.

Any information that you directly provide to Markel is subject to the privacy policy posted on their website.

Bicycle and e-bike Insurance coverages are written through non-affiliated insurance companies and are secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, LLC.

Please note:

The above is meant as general information and as general policy descriptions to help you understand the different types of coverages. These descriptions do not refer to any specific contract of insurance and they do not modify any definitions, exclusions or any other provision expressly stated in any contracts of insurance. We encourage you to speak to your insurance representative and to read your policy contract to fully understand your coverages.

Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Coverage is underwritten by Markel American Insurance Company, NAIC #28932, 4521 Highwoods Parkway, Glen Allen, VA 23060, and policyholder services are provided by the underwriting manager, Markel Service, Incorporated, national producer license # 27585, in California d/b/a Markel Insurance Services, license # 0645481.

Insurance and coverage are subject to availability and qualifications and may not be available in all states. All insurance products are governed by the terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions set forth in the applicable insurance policy. Please see a copy of your policy for the full terms, conditions and exclusions. Any information on the site does not in any way alter, supplement, or amend the terms, conditions, limitations, or exclusions of the applicable insurance policy and is intended only as a brief summary of such insurance products.

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Are you a resident of or looking for insurance in the State of Colorado?

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Best bike insurance: The best policies for cyclist

The best bike insurance can offer cover for cyclists from infrequent commuters to committed racers

Best tailored bike insurance policies

Best bike insurance for casual commuters, best bike insurance for serious athletes, how to find the best bike insurance for you.

The best bike insurance for you will depend on the type of riding you do. You can find bike insurance policies appropriate for everyone from the casual recreational rider to dedicated racers riding some of the best road bikes , best time trial bikes or best gravel bikes .

The best bike insurance doesn't just cover your bike if it's stolen, you can buy a policy to protect your bike from accidental damage and that will help you get riding again if you're injured. Most will offer you the option of third-party damage cover as well.

Bike theft remains a major hazard though and one that the best bike insurance will protect you from. Many insurance policies offer you a new-for-old option if your bike is lost. 

You do need to show that you've taken steps to avoid or prevent theft though. Using one of the best bike locks and knowing how to lock your bike is important - if you're not doing both, you may invalidate your insurance.

Often an insurance company will specify the level of security that a bike lock must provide for your cover to be valid, although that might be met by even the best budget bike locks .

If you’re new to navigating the world of bike insurance, it can be overwhelming due to the sheer number of insurers and policies on offer, so we’ve rounded up the best bike insurance policies available today. Some of the criteria we have looked at are whether the policies cover multiple bikes, legal fees, public liability, travel and whether they offer new replacement bikes for old. 

We've split this guide up into the best-tailored bike insurance, the best bike insurance for commuters, and the best bike insurance for racing. It's geared toward UK riders, with the companies listed below offering insurance to UK residents.

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And if you're looking for a fast quote UK readers can click on the Compare Bike Insurance Quotes banner below. We've partnered with QuoteZone to create a handy bike insurance comparison tool for UK readers that allows you to compare over 30 quotes from specialist cycling insurance providers.

At the bottom of this list, we've answered some of the most-asked queries in a section on how to find the best bike insurance for you. 

While some insurers offer a single blanket policy designed to suit most cyclists’ needs, there are several who offer tailored insurance policies for the individual. These may consist of three tiers to choose from, or actually form a bespoke policy where you can pick and choose the cover you need.

1. Yellow Jersey

Zero depreciation and DNA security marking

Multi-bike discount: Yes | Public liability: Yes | Travel cover: Yes | New for old: Yes (unlimited)

Yellow Jersey offers three tiers of cover: Essentials, Performance, and Ultimate. One of its greatest benefits is the Zero Depreciation offer, which means you’ll always be compensated for the original value of the bike when new, regardless of how old it is.

For commuters, urban riders and casual cyclists, Essentials offers cover for accidental damage (at home and while out riding), vandalism and theft, personal injury, physiotherapy, dental and public liability insurance. On top of that, you’ll also get DNA security marking to deter thieves (a clear liquid with a unique chemical fingerprint that you dab onto your frame in strategic places), family cover and a multi-bike discount, £250 of accessory cover and up to £10,000 for permanent injury.

The Performance package offers all this, plus travel cover in Europe, damage and injury cover while taking part in sportives and charity events, in-vehicle theft and in-transit cover, plus optional cover for extra wheelsets, plus permanent injury up to £15,000.

On top of all this, if you opt for Ultimate, you also get a 60 per cent multi-bike discount and cover for worldwide travel, crash damage, theft from a triathlon transition area, bike boxes, competitions, and the cost of a UK taxi back home following an accident or mechanical failing.

Tailored insurance that can be paid monthly interest-free

Bikmo offers bespoke insurance policies to cover you for whatever it is you need. Pick and choose from a menu of benefits, including (but not limited to) £ 2 million public liability insurance, accidental damage and vandalism, theft (you must adhere to Bikmo’s locking requirements), cover for bike boxes, accessories, clothing and headgear, emergency hire, £100,000 legal expenses cover and 24/7 cycle hangar parking.

Bikmo also offers up to 50 per cent multi-bike discount and, like Yellow Jersey, doesn’t recognise depreciation of value when estimating the cost of damages. Their team of bike geeks are on hand with specialist knowledge, and there’s an option to pay in monthly instalments, interest-free.

3. Wiggle Insurance

Promises instant action so you won’t be left waiting by the roadside

Multi-bike discount: Yes (Essential & Elite packages) | Public liability: Yes | Travel cover: Yes (Elite package) | New for old: Yes (Essential & Elite packages)

Wiggle’s insurance comes with three levels to choose from – Assist, Essential and Elite – and promises to be the fastest-acting provider of all. While most insurance providers will require you to provide proof of costs – whether it’s for a taxi home following a mechanical breakdown or dental treatment – before reimbursing, Wiggle promises to act immediately, providing instant medical care and transportation. It also offers interest-free monthly payments.

The Assist policy is extremely basic and only offers personal accident and public liability insurance, plus access to emergency medical, dental and physio treatment.

The Essential package is most likely to appeal to casual cyclists and commuters, covering you for theft and accidental damage on top of these.

Their most comprehensive package, Elite, offers all this, plus cover for global travel, sports and transition, as well as replacement bike hire.

4. Velosure

Discipline-specific insurance policies

Multi-bike discount: Yes | Public liability: Yes | Travel cover: Yes (optional) | New for old: Yes (unlimited)

Velosure offers insurance policies based on your chosen discipline and type of bike, with policies for road bikes, mountain bikes, urban bikes, electric bikes, sports bikes and leisure bikes. Standard cover includes accidental damage and theft, up to £ 2 million public liability, and new-for-old replacement. There’s also a multi-bike discount.

Depending on your needs, you can add optional extras to your policy, including European and worldwide travel, sports and competition cover, personal accident and accessories cover, and replacement bike hire, among others. 

5. Pedalsure

Simple policy with a long list of customisation and personal cover options

Multi-bike discount: Yes | Public liability: Yes | Travel cover: Yes | New for old: Yes

Pedalsure offers a comprehensive tailorable quote system which enables the rider to pick and choose their required cover, including the option to add extra bikes with a 50 per cent multi-bike discount, as well as accessories, race cover, up to 60 days' travel cover, three tiers of personal cover, and more. 

The standard cover is basic in order to keep the cost down, but the list of added extras is long. 

Pedalsure’s policy provides personal accident cover, which includes the cost of physiotherapy and dental treatment, as well as theft, accidental damage and vandalism. If you need to hire a replacement bike while making a claim, they will reimburse you for up to £500 to cover this. Their insurance also provides you with legal protection and personal liability.

If your time on the bike is mostly limited to the daily commute, weekend leisure rides or the occasional holiday, you don’t need a super comprehensive insurance policy. The main things you should prioritise are accidental damage cover, personal injury, theft and legal protection if you were to make a claim.

Best for a personal touch

Laka’s insurance policies come with a personal touch. Two policies are available: Bicycle insurance and Recovery insurance. The former offers cover for your bike, helmet, clothing, GPS device and more, plus you’re insured against theft (including from a vehicle), damage and vandalism, and loss. In addition, they cover you and your belongings at races and triathlons, provide global travel insurance for up to 60 days per trip, and will give you £200 of emergency cash after an incident to help you rent a bike or get a taxi home. 

While your possessions are covered by the Bicycle policy, Laka’s Recovery policy takes care of your mind and body. In addition to accident and injury cover (for home and abroad), you’ll gain access to sports specialists and virtual GPs to quickly diagnose and treat your injuries, performance coaching to improve your recovery, and have your physio, dental and mental health bills covered up to £1,500. They even include copies of Rouleur magazine, the hire of a turbo trainer, and nutritional advice from the pros, to help you recover as quickly and comfortably as possible. 

Great for casual cyclists and holidayers

Multi-bike discount: No | Public liability: Yes | Travel cover: Yes | New for old: Yes (2 years maximum)

Bicy’s insurance policy covers cyclists for accidental damage, theft and personal injury, plus it comes with up to £ 1 million public liability insurance and mechanical breakdown cover. If you’re in the habit of holidaying with your bike, then you’d benefit from worldwide cover for up to 60 days at a time, and Bicy offers new-for-old cover (meaning that they’ll pay out the original value of your bike when it was new, without taking any depreciation of value into account) – but unlike Yellow Jersey's unlimited offer, it only applies if your bike is less than three years old. Finally, Bicy has a legal team who are on hand 24 hours a day. If you’re making a claim, they can offer specialist advice, and even take over the claim where appropriate.

Whether you're entering crits in your home city or flying across the world to participate in cross-continental races, if you're a serious athlete you'll need a lot more from your insurance policy. Look for one that offers worldwide travel insurance, competition cover that includes lost entry fees, transit cover for bike boxes and a way of getting home if all goes wrong.

Two policy options, with a 10% discount for both

Multi-bike discount: Yes | Public liability: Yes | Travel cover: Yes (optional) | New for old: Yes (3 years maximum)

Similarly to Laka, Sundays offer two different policies - Bicycle and Cyclist - so you can choose to either insure just your bike or your body or opt for both with a 10 per cent discount. Bicycle insurance covers you for accidental damage, crash damage, malicious damage, theft, domestic in-transit and cycle hire. There’s even a specific cover for damage caused to a bike while on a roof rack. Sundays has a three-year limit on its new-for-old offer, and you can add extras like worldwide travel insurance, competition cover, and extra wheelsets cover.

Paid Strava subscribers get a more limited range of included benefits through Sundays, covering GPS device damage, running race entry and a taxi home if you're stranded by a cycling accident or mechanical.

2. CycleGuard

Comprehensive insurance for risk-takers

CycleGuard’s insurance policy is pretty comprehensive and offers a multi-bike discount with a maximum of 10 bikes per policy. Your bike is insured against accidental damage and theft, including theft from a vehicle, and you can insure up to £2,500 worth of accessories. 30 days of EU travel is also included in the standard policy, alongside 24/7 roadside assistance, new-for-old replacement or compensation, family cover for the same address, and bike hire for up to £500.

Serious athletes may want to opt for some of the extras available, including global travel insurance with £300 cover for bike box transit damage, personal injury cover up to £25,000, including dental treatment, broken bones, physiotherapy and more, and £ 5 million public liability (excluding North America). There’s also competition cover available, which helps you recover lost race fees, travel and accommodation, and – like Yellow Jersey – it is looking out for triathletes with cover for clothes lost in a transition area.

3. Cycleplan

Insurance for racers, teams and coaches

Cycleplan is a subsidiary of Ripe Insurance (providers of specialist insurance cover), offering cover against accidental damage, vandalism and theft, whether at home or away. They also offer an additional policy for worldwide and European travel, which includes competitive cover. Other benefits include public liability insurance, personal accident cover, including medical expenses, physio or loss of income, and replacement bike hire. You’re also covered for legal expenses, should you need to make a claim.

As part of Ripe Insurance, you can also get special insurance for race teams and coaches, via Insure4Sport (another Ripe Insurance subsidiary). 

Cycleplan currently has a 40 per cent introductory discount, and they also offer a free downloadable cycling training guide.

4. British Cycling Membership

Best for multiple discounts and benefits

While this isn’t technically an insurance policy recommendation, membership to British Cycling does come with the added benefit of third-party liability insurance up to £ 20 million, as well as legal support and assistance if you need to make a claim. If you opt for the Race membership, you’ll also be entitled to personal accident insurance. Travel insurance isn’t included with British Cycling membership but, as a member, you’d also get discounted access to Bikmo insurance (mentioned above), as well as priority access to tickets and a racing licence, and a whole host of discounts at Evans, Halfords, Science In Sport, Chain Reaction Cycles, TrainingPeaks, Muc-Off, and more.

Insurance can be complicated, although the insurance companies we've listed above strive to make details of their cover more accessible to the buyer. So here, we've broken down the key questions that you need to ask to find the best bike insurance for your needs. Consider your budget and insurance requirements, make a list and see which insurers meet your needs at the most competitive price. 

Which type of bike insurance is best?

The best bicycle insurance policies for you, like most things in life, will depend on your personal needs. The perfect cover for someone else may not suit you. Consider what your needs are and what the nice-to-haves might be. The more of these you add to a policy, the more expensive it's likely to become, so remain realistic and remember you can always adjust your cover down the line.

Is there any benefit in being covered for racing for a year just in case you decide to join a race? Probably not. Are you hoping to do a sportive later in the year? Consider adding that cover to the policy then, rather than now. Additionally, if you never let your £10k carbon race bike out of sight, then you mightn't need to add away-from-home theft cover. 

Consider the true value of replacing your bike should it be damaged or stolen. You might have bought your bike for £2,000 in the sales, but replacing it with a like-for-like replacement today might cost you twice that. Many insurers account for this by offering a like-for-like replacement guarantee - especially useful if your 2015 carbon wheels are totalled and are no longer available. 

Is bike insurance worth buying?

While cyclists aren't legally required to have insurance, it's a good idea to protect yourself in the event of an incident. Even if you aren't concerned about damaging your bike, you can be liable to cover the costs of damage to another person's property, should you be found at fault – so insurance can protect you in that scenario. If your bike is stolen, insurance will cover the financial blow that will come as a result of replacing it. 

But don't assume that insurance is your get-out-of-jail-free card and let your guard down. Many insurers stipulate rules around how to lock your bike – and what with – to maintain cover against theft. If a thief happens to take your bike off your hands because you left it unlocked and unattended "just for five minutes", your insurer is unlikely to pay out. 

Make sure you read the fine print!

Does bike insurance cover damage?

Many bicycle insurance policies are tailorable, meaning you can choose your level of coverage when first taking out the policy. Many even offer an insurance dashboard on which you are able to adjust your policy at any given time.

The most basic policies will cover third-party damage – so, damage to someone else's property. Others add theft protection and accidental damage to your own property, while the higher levels of cover add competition insurance, should your bike become damaged during a race or sportive.

Does my car insurance cover me on a bicycle?

Usually not, but there are rare instances where bicycle insurance is given as added value to a policy. Of course, this purely depends on the individual policy and insurer in question. Our advice would be to check your policy and, if unsure, speak with your car insurance provider. 

Does home insurance cover bike theft?

If you’ve taken out home insurance, then you’ll likely already have some cover, but there’s a reason specialist bike insurance exists in the first place. With home insurance policies, there can often be a low maximum claim (some are as low as £350/$450), and you might not be covered if your bike is stolen while locked up in a public space.

Specialist bike insurance policies, on the other hand, offer several benefits that you won’t get with home insurance. For example, some will offer discounts for multiple bikes, while others may include travel cover. You can also insure accessories such as helmets, locks and lights, which is especially useful if they get damaged or stolen. 

Specialist insurance often also includes personal accident cover, and public liability cover in case you injure someone else or damage property. Finally, if you’re a dedicated racer, it’s worth looking for an insurance policy that covers damage during racing, lost race fees, and personal accident cover. It’s more expensive than home insurance, but you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck.

What do I do if I'm uninsured, but already been involved in a cycling accident?

If you’ve already been involved in an accident, but you're not covered by insurance, you're not without options. Many cycle accident solicitors operate on a no-win-no-fee basis and can help you make a claim to recover your costs. 

Online cycling retailer Wiggle has set up a branch called Wiggle Legal for this very purpose, and other similar companies, including Cycle SOS and Alyson France, can help you claim against the local council for potholes or guilty parties in road traffic collisions. Of course, it's not guaranteed that you'll win, and if there's no guilty party to claim against, you may come unstuck.

Should I report a stolen bike?

Absolutely. While the likelihood of recovering a stolen bike can often be quite low, it's even lower when not reported. It should be reported to the police, who will log it into their database. Should the bike ever be recovered, they will know its owner and reunite you with your steed. 

If you've not already had your bike stolen, then the first thing we'd recommend doing is noting down the frame's serial number, as this is unique to each bike. Then, if the bike is ever stolen, you can provide this serial number to the police and give them concrete proof that the bike belongs to you. 

It's common practice for a bike shop to attach the serial number to any bike transaction. Therefore, if your bike has already been stolen and you didn't write it down yourself, check your receipt. If that's lost, contact the shop where you bought the bike, they may be able to help. 

Do you legally need to have insurance to ride an e-bike?

This largely depends on your local laws, as they differ from country to country. Most commonly, however, if your bike complies with local laws pertaining to pedelecs – the details of which you can find in our best electric bikes guide – then from a tax and insurance standpoint your e-bike is classed as a bicycle and doesn't require insurance. 

However, as with any bicycle, it's a good idea to ensure you're covered in case of accident or theft. With electric bikes usually faster and heavier than standard bikes, there's more likelihood that you will cause third-party damage or injury in an accident.

Thieves are attracted to electric bikes for their higher value as well.

Josh is Associate Editor of Cyclingnews – leading our content on the best bikes, kit and the latest breaking tech stories from the pro peloton. He has been with us since the summer of 2019 and throughout that time he's covered everything from buyer's guides and deals to the latest tech news and reviews. 

On the bike, Josh has been riding and racing for over 15 years. He started out racing cross country in his teens back when 26-inch wheels and triple chainsets were still mainstream, but he found favour in road racing in his early 20s, racing at a local and national level for Somerset-based Team Tor 2000. These days he rides indoors for convenience and fitness, and outdoors for fun on road, gravel, 'cross and cross-country bikes, the latter usually with his two dogs in tow.

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Bicycle insurance starting at $100 a year‍ ‍‍ ‍ See note 1 ‍ ‍‍ ‍

Customize your coverage through the USAA Insurance Agency's alliance with Markel American Insurance Company.

What’s bicycle insurance?

It helps protect cyclists and their bikes if something happens that’s covered by their policy like theft or crash damage.

You can customize your coverage, whether you ride for transportation, recreation or competition.

A bike policy gives you greater protection than a typical homeowners or renters policy, and includes options for liability, medical payments and even racing coverage.

What types of bikes are covered?

Markel offers coverage for different kinds of bicycles, including but not limited to the following:

• Electric bikes, or e-bikes
• Mountain bikes
• Recumbent bikes
• Road or track bikes
• Tandem bikes

How a bicycle policy covers your electric bike

Find more information about e-bikes and the types that Markel covers on its bicycle policy.

Custom coverage to fit your needs

Most Markel coverages are optional, so you can get the protection you want. You pick the value limit of your bike, and deductibles range from $200 to $500.

Start with damage and theft protection.

Physical damage coverage could help cover repairs or replacement. It can include the following and more:

• Collision with another rider
• Crash damage
• Spare parts and accessories
• Transit protection to a location within the U.S. and Canada.

Like to travel? Add coverage outside the U.S. and Canada.

Worldwide physical damage coverage could help repair or replace your bike.

This option includes all the same physical protection like replacement cost coverage, which means your bike is insured at full value.

Coverage options for other situations

Mix and match the coverage you want to get the policy you need.

Claims Filed Against You

Liability coverage could help protect you if you're responsible for injuries or property damage to another person or their belongings while riding your bike.

Accidents With a Vehicle

Vehicle contact coverage could help if you're in an accident with a driver who doesn't carry the proper insurance to cover your injuries and the damage to your bike.

Injuries While Riding

Medical payments coverage could help cover your medical costs up to your policy limit.

Roadside Assistance

Markel offers nationwide 24-hour emergency service with up to 35 miles of transportation per breakdown.

Coverage options for competitions

Renting a bike during a race.

Rental reimbursement coverage could allow you to rent a substitute bicycle if your bike was damaged or stolen while competing in an organized ride more than 50 miles from home — up to $250 per rental.

Getting an entry fee reimbursed

Competitive event fee reimbursement coverage could help cover nonrefundable prepaid entry fees up to $500, or $1,000 total per policy term. This can apply if your bike’s in a covered accident and you can’t compete.

Do I need bicycle insurance?

A typical homeowners or renters policy may limit protection for bicycles. If you have a low coverage limit and high deductible, you may end up paying most of the cost to replace your bike. A separate bicycle policy could help pay for repairs or a replacement.

Bicycle insurance FAQ

Policies start at $100 a year. The coverages you select, the value of your of bike and how you ride are some of the factors that determine the cost of a bicycle insurance policy.

Whether you're adding or replacing a bike, your current Markel policy will cover it for up to 30 days from the time you bought it. You’ll need to let Markel know about the new bike before the 30 days are up to make sure you don’t have a gap in coverage.

Yes, if your policy includes bicycle physical damage coverage and your bicycle is involved in a covered loss. Spare parts coverage includes replacements for items that are normally part of the insured bike but were not on the bicycle when the loss occurred. Apparel coverage includes clothing or gear worn exclusively when riding the insured bicycle. Both coverages have a separate limit of $500 per loss and a $1,000 limit for the policy period.

Our Agency has long-standing relationships with many insurance providers and we monitor those relationships to make sure they meet our standards of customer service. We've worked closely with Markel since 2007. Their specially trained representatives are ready to help make sure you receive a similar level of service you expect from USAA.

Insurance advice articles

Insuring your bicycle or e-bike.

Article: 10 minutes

Protect yourself with proper insurance coverage.

Article: 7 minutes

Can you insure anything?

Article: 9 minutes

Focus on the ride with custom coverage.

Get protection through the USAA Insurance Agency's alliance with Markel.

Have more questions?

Markel has specially trained representatives to help provide the service you expect from USAA.

Call Markel

Other policies you may need, on or off the road.

• ATV Insurance
• Motorcycle Insurance
• RV and Motorhome Insurance

In air or on water

• Aviation Insurance
• Boat Insurance

Cyclists and Bicycle Insurance

Accidents can happen, even for the most cautious riders. Every year, cyclists in the U.S. experience nearly a half-million bicycle-related injuries, causing damage to both bodies and bikes — as well as sometimes damaging the property of others.

Thankfully, most bicycle mishaps aren’t fatal —  or even serious — but every cyclist is reminded of the risks of injury or bike damage every time they ride.

It doesn’t take much to create a cycling disaster. A distracted driver or a surprise obstacle around a blind corner can spell instant trouble — and cyclists are particularly vulnerable.

Jump to Best Insurance Providers

Some forward-thinking companies are changing all that by providing insurance specifically designed for cyclists, ranging from coverage for bikes and medical needs to preferred-rate life insurance policies.

Am I covered?

Bike theft is also on the rise, with an estimated 1.5 million bicycles stolen in the U.S . each year, only a small percentage of which are ever recovered.

Taking cues from established markets in the U.K., Australia, and other European cycling havens, American insurers are bringing insurance customized for the needs of cyclists to the U.S., answering the nagging question: “Am I covered?”

Insurance for Bikes and More…

The bike: coverage for theft or damage, the cyclist: medical coverage, the cyclist: liability coverage, velosurance: an bicycle insurance policy designed for cyclists (review), final thoughts.

The trouble with bicycle insurance in the past — and insurance for cyclists — is that there hasn’t been a complete solution.

First, let’s look at the usual options — and why they might not be a perfect solution for today’s higher-cost bicycles.

• Home insurance policies usually have a high deductible. If you’re familiar with insurance, you’ll know the deductible is the part of the claim you pay. Most home insurance policies have deductibles ranging from $500 to $2,500 — or higher.
• Chances are good that your personal property (including the bike) aren’t covered for the full cost of replacement. Most home insurance policies cover your personal property at a depreciated value based on age unless you pay extra to have full coverage for a specific item. For a five-year-old bike that’s damaged or stolen, cyclists can’t expect much in a home insurance claim— if anything at all — after the deductible.
• Crashes may not be covered. Most home insurance policies cover a very specific set of risks. These are called covered perils on your policy. It’s safe to assume that damage due to a risk not named in the policy isn’t covered.
• Mishaps due to racing won’t be covered.
• A home insurance claim is likely to raise rates at renewal or cause you to lose any claims-free discounts you may have. More than one claim in a short period of time can cause your home insurance policy to be non-renewed. Shopping for a new home insurer with claims on your history will be a pricey experience.

Related: Best GPS Trackers For Bikes

Where home insurance is burdened by coverage exclusions that leave coverage gaps, health insurance exclusions are usually limited to elective procedures or optional care.

One difference in coverage is apparent when an automobile is involved. If you’re injured by an automobile, it’s likely that your auto policy will govern how your medical expenses are paid, often through Med Pay, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) , or a combination of both. Once your coverage limits on your auto policy are exceeded, then your health insurance coverage takes over.

Cyclists still need to be mindful of deductibles. The auto-insurance-first structure of medical coverage for auto-related injuries creates a risk of double deductibles if you have a low coverage amount for your auto policy.

If you have a high health insurance deductible or have been thinking about switching, shopping for health insurance has become much easier than in the past.

Simply put, a riding mishap can hurt someone else physically — or cause damage to their belongings, including cars, other bikes, signs, or anything else you might bump into with your bike.

Most home insurance or renters insurance policies come with at least $100,000 in coverage for personal liability, and in most cases, the coverage includes payment for legal defense expenses as well. This sounds good, but it’s less than perfect. The primary concern with relying on home insurance for liability coverage is similar to one of the issues with using home insurance for personal property coverage (the bike): Home insurance claims are bad for rates.

Additionally, if you have repeated claims for miscellaneous biking mishaps, you can expect to be shopping for a new home insurance company — if you can find one that will insure you.

What service providers to choose?

Let’s find out…

Because the needs of cyclists differ, you can build a customized policy that provides only the coverage you need, without paying for any extras you don’t need.

As a bonus, coverages for your bike that aren’t available through your auto or home policy can be added to your bicycle policy.

When you request a quote, your quote request is reviewed by coverage experts, cyclists themselves, who may suggest changes to your coverage — including removing coverages that are already provided by your auto policy or another policy. In the end, you’re the customer and can purchase the coverage you choose.

• Yes, racing is covered , even if you’re a pro.

How It Works

Velosurance is simply trying to save you money if it’s possible that you’ve duplicated coverage. Medical coverage for vehicle contact is a great example because this coverage exists on a standard auto insurance policy. If you have an auto policy, why pay for the same coverage twice?

Dave Williams, CEO and co-founder of Velosurance , estimates the cost of a basic policy to be about 7 to 8 percent of the value of the bike. So, a $3,000 bike can be insured for about $200 per year against physical damage and theft. Coverage options begin at $100 annually.

Because coverage is offered à la carte, rates can vary depending on chosen coverages — but can also vary by location.

Some areas of the country are forced indoors for parts of the year by cold weather, including ice and snow. More use equals more exposure to risk, so cyclists in an area that has great weather year-round can pay more than cyclists in areas where the riding season is limited to 7 or 8 months.

Velosurance’s coverage is good in Canada as well — with no extra charge, but you’ll have to forgo roadside assistance when cycling in The Great White North. Worldwide coverage is available as an add-on for an estimated 10 percent increase in premium.

Sign Up For Velosurance

How Does Velosurance Bike Insurance Work?

A basic policy for the bike covers any type of sudden and accidental physical loss, including damage or theft. Wear items, like tires and brake pads, aren’t covered.

Unlike auto insurance, which — with the exception of collector-car insurance — depreciates the value of the vehicle and lowers the coverage amount over time, Velosurance provides full replacement cost coverage.

Roadside assistance and access to a nationwide bike shop partner network are among the other extra goodies available through Velosurance.

Your coverage amount is for the stated value of the bike. Be sure to include any add-ons or upgrades you’ve bolted on to your ride. If you buy a new bike for $4,000 and insure it for $4,000, 5 years later, you bike is still insured for $4,000.

Bicycle clothing, however, is paid based on a depreciated value in a covered claim. Fair enough, clothing is used merchandise with only a fraction of the bike’s value.

Much like auto insurance, bike insurance through Velosurance is limited to personal use only. The risks for recreational fitness riders differ from those for a bicycle messenger service weaving through city traffic.

Deductibles — your out-of-pocket costs — range from $100 to $500 with a $300 deductible option providing an attractive balance between affordable premiums and reasonable out-of-pocket costs.

Velosurance’s bike policy is a permissive use policy, which means it provides coverage even if you lend your bike to a friend — including liability and medical coverage if you’ve chosen those coverages for your policy.

Good to Know:

• Trusted partner shops nationwide can provide repair estimates if your bike is damaged.
• Most claims are settled within 14 days.
• We believe it’s the best bike insurance.

Velosurance Optional Coverages

Basic coverage for the bike itself is the policy choice with the lowest premiums, but Velosurance also provides some policy options to help fill potential gaps in coverage:

• Worldwide Coverage
• Medical Coverage — can be used to supplement your existing health coverage
• Vehicle Contact Protection — for those without an auto insurance policy
• Personal Liability Coverage — helps keep your home insurance policy claims-free

With the ability to choose your own coverage limits and options, your policy is as affordable as you need it to be. Quotes are free, with no obligation.

Relying on home insurance or renters insurance can provide some protection — but frequently only a fraction of the loss — and the risk of higher rates when placing a home insurance claim is enough to make any cyclist think twice about even using the coverage.

Velosurance answers those nagging coverage questions and provides a policy cyclist can count on.

Similarly, HealthIQ is shaking up things in the life insurance industry by rewriting the rules for underwriting. Measurable health benefits associated with cycling earn the preferred rates deserved though this forward-thinking agency.

Cyclists in good health can buy enough coverage to protect the family at a price that still leaves plenty of room in the budget for bike gear.

These two companies are taking impressive strides when it comes to insurance for cyclists. In the coming years , we expect even more companies to rise to the challenge and provide innovative insurance solutions for the cycling community.

Or on HealthIQ.com

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9 thoughts on “ cyclists and bicycle insurance ”.

Message sponsored by Velo Insurance. Do your own research too. There are several bike insurance companies out there.

Hi Phillip, But of course! They will be convered in future articles and updates. But we feel there is nothing wrong with Veloinsurance. 😉

Can you help me understand how theft works? If I insure my ebike and it ends up stolen, will velo reimburse me the value of the bike covered by the policy? Thank you.

Hi Ernest, I am sorry to hear about your bike. Have you read this link about bike theft? Velo Insurance

Can u expand on that. Have been considering them for a while

DO NOT BUY VELOSURANCE. In paper they look good but they will do anything on their power to avoid paying.

Any additional information? Let me know on [email protected]

My bike is $500 is there a no deductible plan?

Hi Daniel, I really cannot answer that question. It depends on a lot of factors.

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Why Bike Insurance Might Be Very Much Worth Purchasing

If you’re a cyclist with high-end bikes or crappy health insurance, read this now.

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. How we test gear.

As a cyclist, you may have heard about bike insurance, but dismissed it. After all, between health, auto, and homeowner or rental insurance, you’re already paying plenty to be insured and probably covered for anything that goes wrong, right?

The answer isn’t quite that simple. If you’ve ever wondered if you need bike insurance, we’ve rounded up all the information you need, from what’s covered to how much it costs to what you need to look out for when considering it.

What is bike insurance?

That could be true (more on that in a minute). But there’s also more to bike insurance than just covering your bike: Like auto insurance, bike insurance can also help cover the medical costs associated with accidents and crashes as well as the cost of your bike. And in some cases, it even serves as liability insurance if you’re the one who causes a crash that injures someone else.

Why you might want bike insurance

If you have an expensive bike (over $1,000), bicycle insurance might be worth considering. According to Policy Genius , homeowners or renters insurance might cover a stolen or damaged bicycle—but at the depreciated value it’s worth now. So if you dropped $5,000 on a bike three years ago, you may only get a few hundred dollars back, depending on how the bike’s value has changed over time. There might also be a cap for how much your policy will cover. If you’re not sure what your homeowners or renters policy covers, check with your insurance company—you may be surprised about how much or how little they cover.

Some policies will allow you to dictate the value for your bikes, but that could raise your premiums. If you make a claim for your stolen bike through homeowners insurance, that could also raise your insurance premiums, so even if your bike is covered, between the deductible and the cost of a premium raise, you may not want to use homeowners insurance to protect your bike.

Can bike insurance cover repairs? Yes! It depends on your policy, but many include accidental damages (ahem, that time you drove into your garage with your bike on the roof rack).

Do other types of insurance cover bike-related stuff?

Good news if you’re reading this and panicking because you’re not covered: Most auto insurance and homeowners insurance policies will cover certain bike-related issues.

“When we buy automobile insurance, we are often purchasing insurance protection not only for the harm we may cause to other people with our automobiles, but also for automobile-related harms that we may suffer,” Lauri Boxer-Macomber says on BikeLaw.com .

If you don’t have a car or auto insurance but you ride, you’re lacking in uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM). Unfortunately, while this insurance is incredibly important, very few companies offer it if you don’t own a car— Policy Genius notes that in some cases, it’s shockingly less pricey to just buy a car so that you can access inexpensive auto insurance that will give you coverage for while you’re riding. (Auto insurance won’t cover damage to your bike but may help with healthcare costs.)

“The reason this coverage is particularly attractive to the cyclist is because it covers you even if you are hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver while you are riding your bike,” cycling lawyer Bob Mionske writes on BicycleLaw.com . “I routinely advise cyclists who do have an insured automobile to purchase the maximum amount of UM/UIM coverage available.”

How does auto insurance work with bikes?

“Every car insurance policy covers you as a cyclist for collisions involving an automobile,” Ray Thomas, a partner with the firm Thomas, Coon, Newton & Frost, told Policy Genius .

And according to NerdWallet , in addition to having UM/UIM coverage, cyclists with auto insurance in no-fault states (Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Dakota and Utah) may also be covered by their Personal Injury Protection (PIP) policies, which provide more extensive benefits like work-loss coverage.

What about health insurance?

Assuming you have health insurance, your policy should cover medical costs for injuries you sustain in a crash—but you may find that you have high deductibles, or that your policy has an upper limit, or that it doesn’t cover extra care like chiropractic or dental. This is where having Medical Coverage (also known as Med Pay) as part of your bicycle insurance plan is a good idea because it adds extra medical coverage including rehab coverage.

And... do I need life insurance?

Okay, this is where we’ll get grim for a second. Life insurance isn’t part of any bike insurance policy, but most bike lawyers recommend that riders carry some kind of life insurance policy in the event of a fatality. (And life insurance policies are typically between $250 and 500 per year, about on par with bicycle insurance.)

What you want to have on a policy?

It’s important to know what you want out of your bike insurance. When discussing your insurance coverage with an agent, ask them to spell out what your options are:

• Does the policy cover your bike only at home, or anywhere in the state/country/world?
• What medical expenses are covered? Remember, some cycling injuries like concussions can linger for years. Do you want dental? What about coverage for massage, physical therapy, and chiropractic after an accident?
• Does the personal injury insurance include paid leave if you can’t work?
• Are you planning on racing, and if so, does the policy cover event incidents?
• What types of riding are you doing, and are they all covered? (Some companies consider mountain biking of any kind to be an extreme sport that isn’t covered, for instance—and that can include cyclocross or even gravel riding if you leave a marked road.)
• Is accidental damage covered, and if so, what are the deductibles for accidental damage?

What companies offer bike insurance?

There are a few primary companies in the U.S. offering bike insurance, and it’s always worth asking the company you work with for auto, homeowner, or renters insurance if they have any recommendations or if they provide an in-house option.

→ Velosurance : Velosurance partners with the Markel American Insurance Company to cover cyclists in North America. They cover the bike itself, they have an AAA-style pickup service for roadside emergencies, and even cover your bike during travel. They also cover medical, including supplementing the deductible of your personal health insurance policy.

→ Sunday’s Insurance : This company covers the same things that Velosurance does, from bike theft to accidental damage to medical coverage. Bonus: Sunday’s also knows how expensive a kit is, and they even provide coverage for your bib shorts (and other parts of your kit).

→ Better World Club : This auto club now offers bike insurance as well as roadside assistance, though it specifically only covers mountain bikes, road bikes, and e-bikes . No BMX! The insurance has limitations: It covers medical (more than most other policies, actually: Up to $100,000) but it doesn’t cover bike theft, damage or accidents.

You should also check with your cycling club : Some clubs will have group policies that cover members, or offer cycling insurance as an add-on to your membership. If your club doesn’t offer this, you can suggest that they look into it: The League of American Bicyclists offers group policies to clubs on a per-member basis.

How expensive is bike insurance?

It depends on the value of the bikes you’re insuring and your state, but expect to pay between $100 and $400 per year. For example, a $4,000 bike in New Jersey would cost just under $20 to insure monthly (and would include all of Velosurance’s rider benefits as well). Velosurance has a comprehensive quote builder on its site, so check it for yourself!

Are you covered during an event?

Good news: USA Cycling-sanctioned events include insurance coverage for while you’re racing. While unsanctioned events sound sexy, they come with a scary caveat: They may not have insurance if you get hurt during the event. You may decide the risk is worth it, you should know going into the event what the insurance situation is. Not every unsanctioned race is uninsured: many have fantastic policies in place. As more and more races have stopped sanctioning races with USA Cycling, they’re also beginning to get their own insurance policies. But you do need to do your homework.

Are there any sneaky things to pay attention to?

Read the policy language closely to make sure you understand what your obligations are. Like we said, some policies won’t cover any off-road action, even though you consider your gravel route that takes a few ATV trails to be utterly un-extreme. Locking your bike up properly may be required to file a stolen bike claim. And check things like helmet use and even bike light usage: Some policies have fine print that requires riders to be wearing a helmet or using front and rear light , and if you skip those steps, you may lose out on a claim. Lastly, if you do purchase bike insurance, make sure you keep your policy up to date—which means adding your new bike to the policy the day it arrives.

Should I do anything with my bike right now?

Check your policies to see what you’re already covered for, and then look into bike insurance if you’re hoping to increase your coverage. But whatever you do, take a few minutes today and take photos of your bikes, including the serial numbers that are listed on the bottom of the frame, as well as your bike locks , storage area, and even your helmet.

Save these somewhere so that if you do need to make a claim eventually, you have photo evidence of your bike’s condition, your storage setup, and your helmet usage. It's amazing how helpful these photos can be—and they’re great to have on hand in case your bike gets stolen and you need to report it to the police.

Molly writes about cycling, nutrition and training with an emphasis on bringing more women into sport. She's the author of nine books including the Shred Girls series and is the founder of Strong Girl Publishing . She co-hosts The Consummate Athlete Podcast and spends most of her free time biking and running on trails, occasionally joined by her mini-dachshund.

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Bicycle insurance

Bicycle insurance policies as low as $100 per year.*

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Your bike is uniquely yours. Your insurance policy should be too.

Transportation. Recreation. Fitness. Competition. Relaxation. No matter your reason for riding, we understand that your bike matters to you. With over 10 years of experience in specialized bicycle insurance protection, we offer customized coverage to fit you, your bike and your riding style—as well as important things like spare parts, cycling apparel and accessories.

Why do you need bicycle insurance?

From medical expenses to replacement costs, a stand-alone bicycle insurance policy can help address additional costs typically not covered under your homeowners or renters insurance. If you ever need to file a claim, your current policy may be filled with exclusions and restrictions that limit the replacement cost. You may also run the risk of your homeowners insurance premium increasing if you make a claim for a damaged bike.

Still not sure?

See how an average homeowners insurance policy stacks up against markel's bicycle insurance:**.

Provided for illustrative purposes only. **Terms and conditions may vary. †Your homeowners coverage may not be designed to cover your bike at full replacement cost, typically actual cash value (ACV) is offered.

What we offer

We offer coverage for a variety of bicycles, including:.

• Hybrid/cruiser
• Electric bikes

Our coverages can include:

• Coverage for your bike
• Coverage for you
• Coverage for competitive cyclists

Bicycle physical damage insurance protection Provides coverage for repairs or replacement of your bike if it's damaged or goes missing. You pick the value limit of your bike, and we can cover things like vandalism, crash damage or a collision with another rider. We can even offer insurance protection to you while racing. Deductibles range from $200 to $500.

At no additional cost, bicycle physical damage insurance protection can also include:

• Protection for spare parts and accessories—up to $500 in coverage for spare parts and $500 for riding apparel per claim ($1,000 total per policy term).
• Replacement cost coverage—your bike is insured at full value.
• Theft protection—at or away from home.
• Transit protection—provides coverage for your bike while in transit (by land/air) to and from a location within the United States and Canada.

Worldwide physical damage protection Optional worldwide physical damage insurance protection is available for when you travel outside of the U.S./Canada with your bicycle.

We offer coverage for three classes of electric bikes:

• Pedal assist e-bike with top assisted speed of 20 m.p.h.
• Throttle assist e-bike with top assisted speed of 20 m.p.h.
• Pedal assist e-bike with top assisted speed of 28 m.p.h.

Electric bike motors must be 750 watts or under.

Bicycle liability protection Bicycle liability coverage helps protect you if you are responsible for injuries or property damage to another person or their belongings while using your bicycle. Limits range from $25,000 to $300,000.

Vehicle contact protection This added coverage gives you the insurance protection you need in case you are hit by a vehicle that doesn’t carry the proper insurance protection to cover your losses. Limits range from $10,000 to $25,000.

Medical payments Can cover your medical costs if you are injured while riding—up to your policy limit. Limits range from $1,000 to $10,000.

Roadside assistance With this coverage, you can get nationwide 24-hour emergency service with up to 35 miles of transportation per breakdown (up to 5 tows per year)—all for only $12 a year per bicycle.

At no extra cost

Rental reimbursement If you are competing in an organized ride more than 50 miles from home, we offer coverage for renting a substitute bicycle if your bike was damaged or stolen (up to $250 per occurrence) while at the event.

Competitive event fee reimbursement We can provide coverage for nonrefundable prepaid entry fees up to $500 ($1,000 total per policy term) if your bike is involved in a covered accident and you are unable to compete or participate.

Frequently asked questions about bicycle insurance

General questions.

Isn't my bicycle covered under my homeowner's insurance? While your bicycle may have some coverage under your homeowners policy, there are usually restrictions on the value of the bike and the types of losses that would be covered. With a bicycle insurance policy from Markel, your policy is built specifically for you and your bike. Plus, having a bicycle policy means your homeowners insurance rates won't increase if you file a claim involving your bicycle.

What happens when I buy a new bike? Whether you're replacing your current bicycle or adding to your collection, we'll automatically extend your current coverage to the new bike for up to 30 days from the time of purchase. Just let us know before the 30 days are up for coverage to extend beyond that time.

What about my apparel? Spare parts? Do you cover these too? If you purchase bicycle physical damage coverage and your bicycle is involved in a covered loss, apparel and spare parts may be covered. We automatically include coverage for spare parts (replacements for items that are normally part of the insured bike but were not on the bicycle when the loss occurred) and apparel (clothing or gear worn exclusively when riding the insured bicycle). Both coverages have a separate limit of $500 per loss and a $1,000 limit for the policy period.

Do you insure electric bikes? We can insure bicycles with an auxiliary electric power assist that does not exceed 750 watts and 28 mph. For more information, please visit our e-bike page.

How much coverage do I need? “It depends” isn't what you want to hear, but it's the best way to answer the question. Every cyclist, bike and situation is unique. Your insurance coverage should reflect that. It's important for you to evaluate your individual needs and your personal level of comfort when it comes to risk. From there, you can start to look at coverage options and policy limits. If you need help, feel free to contact one of our specialists at +1.800.236.2453 . Remember, we are all about specializing and never generalizing. As such, we'd never give you a “general” recommendation. That wouldn't be right.

Do you offer coverage for my car rack? Sorry, there is no coverage for your car rack on our bicycle insurance policies. However, check with your car insurance company, as coverage is usually provided there.

How much would it cost, on average, to insure my bicycle for a year? Every cyclist and bicycle is unique. The coverages you select, the type of bike you purchase and how you ride are just a few of the many factors that determine the cost of insurance. However, in just a few minutes you can find out exactly how much it would cost to insure your bicycle for a year. All you have to do is complete a bicycle quote online or call one of our insurance specialists at +1.800.236.2453 .

Am I covered while riding in a race? Typically, there is no racing exclusion, so any coverages (i.e., bicycle physical damage coverage, bicycle liability coverage, medical payment coverage and vehicle contact protection) purchased on your Markel bicycle insurance policy are in full force while you're competing in a covered event.

What happens if I am hit by a car while riding my bike? We offer several coverage options to help protect you and your bike, such as medical payments, vehicle contact protection and bicycle physical damage protection.

Where am I covered? Are cross-country bicycle trips allowed or is it only in my state? Taking your bike across the country is one of the most alluring parts of riding. That's why our policies automatically allow you to ride in all 50 states (Alaska and Hawaii included). We even throw in Canada. You also have coverage for your bicycle while it's in transit (by land or air) to and from a location within the United States and Canada. You also have the option to extend your bicycle physical damage coverage worldwide by purchasing our optional worldwide physical damage coverage extension.

Is the bicycle I rent covered by my insurance? With our bicycle physical damage coverage, we can provide reimbursement for your bike rental if your insured bicycle is sidelined due to a covered loss or breakdown while you are participating in an organized or competitive event more than 50 miles away from home. Should that happen, we'll provide the same coverage to your rental/substitute bike that you have on the insured bicycle. (The temporary/substitute may not be owned by you and must be used with the permission of the owner.) Sorry, we don’t provide coverage for renting a bicycle on vacations.

Can I pay online? Absolutely, just visit our "pay my bill" page. From there, you can decide if you want to make a payment with a credit card, debit card or checking account. You can decide if you want to make a one-time payment or set up automatic recurring payments, so you never miss a payment.

Is Markel a financially sound company? To view Markel's financial rating, click here .

Claims questions

How do I file a claim? We make filing a claim as easy and quick as possible. If you do have an accident, you can submit your claim online  or call us at +1.800.236.2453 .

How do you determine the value of my bike? Each individual claim is different and evaluated as such. The coverage purchased depends on the value of the bike, age of bicycle, accessories or add-on's to your bike, and the damages sustained.

How long will it take for my claim to be processed? Each claim is different, so there is not a concrete answer. But if we receive all of the necessary documentation (i.e., estimate of damage, photos, receipts, etc.) and have completed our investigation, the claim is processed timely (usually within 7-10 business days).

Is there anything I can do to help speed up the claim process? Yes, you can help streamline the claims and settlement process and avoid delays by providing the following information when you file your claim:

• Policy number
• Date, time and location of loss or damage
• Description of loss or damage
• Photos of the damage or where the bicycle was stolen
• Police report
• Receipts for your bicycle, accessories, spare parts, or apparel
• Itemized medical bills

Additional resources

Related articles.

From bicycle safety tips to a list of the top bike trails, find the information, advice, and resources you’ll need all in one place.

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Electric bike

Get a standalone insurance policy for your e-bike that can cover theft, damage and more.

In collaboration with Voom, we're excited to offer a pay-per-mile motorcycle insurance solution.

*As of December 2023, the minimum annual premium is $100 and rates could exceed $100 depending on the coverage options selected and value of the bicycle to be insured.

How To Fly With Your Bicycle

While the process can hinge on which airline you choose to fly, there are a few things you can do to make the process as seamless as possible. 

We’re here to show that it really is easy and you can do it. And it’s worth it!

Traveling With A Bike On A Plane Is A Great Idea

A trip — either for work or leisure — is a trip wasted if you don’t take your bike along! There are a ton of reasons why you should travel with your bike.

Explore New Trails

You’re probably familiar with the trails around your town. If you pack your bike with you on a trip, you can use it to sightsee new places or get some fresh air.

Easily explore areas of a new city and avoid the cost of gas or train tickets. It’s incredible how much money you’ll save on transportation when you opt to ride your bike instead.

Pack your bike when you travel and enjoy fun and convenient alternatives to cars and public transportation when you’re in a different city.

It’s Great Exercise

Cycling has both physical and mental health benefits. A bike ride is great for your muscles and increases your cardiovascular strength. It also releases adrenaline and endorphins, which decrease your stress levels and reduce anxiety and depression.

Plus, you won’t have to rely on a gym to get in a workout while you’re out of your hometown.

Flying With A Bicycle: How To Pack Your Bike Properly

Packing a bike for travel can be tricky, but it isn’t impossible.

Chances are you’ve done some research and still can’t find exact answers to all of your questions. The information online can leave you confused, and it might feel like a flight with your bicycle is not worth the hassle. We’ve been there and we understand your frustration.

Most airlines have a size restriction of 62 linear inches. It’ll be nearly impossible for your bike frame to fit in a travel case of that size. Plus, the bigger the bike, the heavier it’ll be, and you’ll probably go over the 50 lb weight restriction.

A sturdy, well-made bike case is worth the investment. You’ll protect your bike and have a piece of mind that your ride is safe while you fly to your destination.

Hardshell Case

A hardshell case provides the highest level of protection against impacts. They have a rigid, outer shell that is made from durable plastic. But this type of extra protection comes with a price — not only from the price of the case but the airline as well. Hardshell cases weigh more, which can mean higher luggage fees.

Another drawback of a hardshell case is that they don’t break down or fold up, so they take up more space in a hotel room or car when not in use.

Softshell Case

Most softshell cases are made of nylon and use pads to protect your bike. They have an internal frame that prevents your bike from being crushed by another piece of luggage. Because they are so lightweight, these types of cases allow you to include your gear or pack a heavier bike.

Softshell cases fold or roll up for easy storage under the bed or in a closet.

Pro tip: If you choose to purchase a softshell case for travel, you’ll want to reinforce the chainstays, seat stays, and fork before you pack your bike. It’s simple — use a double-ended bolt and secure it with nuts on each side. You’ll thank us later.

Check the specs of each type of case before you make your decision. Both hardshell and softshell cases often include the option to add additional pads, plus they have straps to hold your bike and wheels securely in place.

Check Your Bike When You Arrive

As soon as you retrieve your luggage from the baggage claim area, find a place you can sit down and open up your bike case.

Don’t let the excitement of the arrival at your destination overcome your emotions. Airlines only may only offer a short window to file a claim if your bike is damaged on a plane. Once the window expires, so does any chance of the airport paying for bicycle damage.

Take a look at the seat stays, chainstay, top tube, and fork. These are the most commonly damaged areas.

Get Extra Coverage

While a claim with the airline might cover some of the cost of your bike if it is damaged on your flight, chances are it won’t cover it all. Add extra protection with full coverage policies from Simple Bike Insurance. Every basic policy covers travel and transit damage.

To find your perfect bicycle insurance policy, simply tell us a little bit about yourself and your bike . Then, build your policy … you’ll be covered before your flight leaves.

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• Best overall
• Best for expensive trips
• Best for older travelers
• Best for affordability
• Best for annual plans
• Why You Should Trust Us

Best Travel Insurance for Seniors of June 2024

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate insurance products to write unbiased product reviews.

Reaching your golden years doesn't mean your adventures have to end. In fact, in this stage of life, you'll hopefully have more time and resources to travel. But as a senior citizen, you'll want to ensure you have travel insurance that covers any health-related issues arise while you travel.

Best Senior Travel Insurance Companies

• Best overall: Allianz Travel Insurance
• Best for expensive trips: John Hancock Travel Insurance
• Best for older travelers:  TravelSafe Insurance
• Best for affordability: GeoBlue Travel Insurance
• Best for annual plans: Travel Guard

Compare the Best Travel Insurance for Seniors

Your health gets more unpredictable as you age, which makes travel insurance more important for seniors. Unfortunately, it's also more expensive. The best travel insurance for seniors won't have too steep of a price hike compared to rates for younger travelers. It will have high coverage limits for emergency medical coverage, trip cancellations, and and emergency medical evacuation. It's also important that your travel insurance offers pre-existing condition waivers , ideally at no extra cost to the traveler. 

Here are our picks for the best travel insurance coverage for seniors in 2024.

Best Senior Travel Insurance Overall

Allianz travel insurance.

Allianz Travel Insurance is one of the most widely recognized names in travel insurance, and it stands out as one of the top travel insurance providers for seniors. It offers a wide range of policies covering medical treatments overseas and emergency medical transport.

Allianz also provides options for varying trip lengths. Its annual multi-trip policies , for example, cover any trip you make during your policy period, even if they aren't yet planned, making it an excellent option for seniors who vacation multiple times per year.

Read our Allianz Travel Insurance review .

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Good option for frequent travelers thanks to its annual multi-trip policies
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Doesn't increase premium for trips longer than 30 days, meaning it could be one of the more affordable options for a long trip
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Some plans include free coverage for children 17 and under
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Concierge included with some plans
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Coverage for medical emergency is lower than some competitors' policies
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Plans don't include coverage contact sports and high-altitude activities
• Single and multi-trip plans available
• Trip cancellation and interruption coverage starting at up to $10,000 (higher limits with more expensive plans)
• Preexisting medical condition coverage available with some plans

Best Senior Travel Insurance for Expensive Trips

John hancock.

John Hancock Travel Insurance plans for seniors offer some of the best coverage available. It provides generous maximum benefit amounts while still offering affordable prices.

Each plan includes coverages like trip cancellation, emergency accident, and emergency medical, with the option to add benefits like CFAR (cancel for any reason) . Plus, getting a free online quote is a quick and straightforward process.

Read our John Hancock Travel Insurance review .

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Offers 3 travel insurance plans
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Cancel for any reason rider available
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Affordable travel insurance premiums
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Reviews of claims process are mixed
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Buyers may not get specialty coverage for sports equipment and other high value items
• Trip cancellation for 100% of the trip cost
• Trip interruption insurance for up to 150% of the trip cost
• Emergency medical coverage of up to $250,000 per person
• Medical evacuation coverage of up to $1,000,000

Best Senior Travel Insurance for Older Travelers

Travelsafe travel insurance.

TravelSafe Insurance is a great choice for older travelers, even among seniors, insuring travelers up to 100 years old. TravelSafe also offers pre-existing condition waivers for all its tiers when you purchase your policy within 21 days of your initial trip deposit. With a great deal of flexibility, travelers don't have to worry about eligibility when purchasing travel insurance with TravelSafe. TravelSafe even has two tiers of coverage devoted specifically to golfers. 

Read our TravelSafe travel insurance review .

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Up to 120 days' coverage available for travelers ages 79 and under (30 days for 80+)
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Up to $2,500 per person for missed connections over three hours or more
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Trip delay coverage of up to $150 per person per day kicks in after six hours or more
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Policy can be purchased by U.S. citizens living abroad
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Medical coverage ceiling of $100,000 may be low for some travelers' needs.
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Claims reviews from customers say performance is not always the best
• A well-rounded insurance plan for travelers who are concerned about missing connections for cruise-related travel
• Classic and Basic travel insurance plans
• GolfSafe travel insurance plans provide coverage for you and your equipment
• Travel medical insurance through partner Trawick International

Best Senior Travel Insurance for Affordability

Geoblue travel insurance.

GeoBlue Travel Insurance is a travel insurance provider that specializes in travel medical insurance . Because it doesn't offer much trip protection or travel inconvenience coverage, it can charge cheaper premiums than its competitors. 

GeoBlue's policies cover travelers who are under 95 years old, offering sizeable coverage for emergency medical treatments (up to $1 million) and medical evacuations (up to $500K). It's worth noting that while coverage for pre-existing conditions are available, it costs extra.

Read our GeoBlue Travel Insurance review .

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. A subsidary of Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Offers strong medical plans as long as you have a regular health insurance plan, but it doesn't have to be through Blue Cross
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Offers long-term and multi-trip travel protection
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Multiple complaints about claims not being paid or being denied
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Does not provide some of the more comprehensive coverage like CFAR insurance
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Buyers who do get claims paid may need to file multiple claim forms

Best Senior Travel Insurance for Annual Plans

Travel guard.

Travel Guard  offers comprehensive insurance plans for shorter and longer trips. One of its more unique offerings is its Travel Guard Annual Plan.

This annual travel insurance comes with standard coverage benefits (trip delay, baggage loss, etc.) and substantial coverage amounts, which is important for seniors who travel multiple times per year. Travel Guard also offers a pre-existing medical condition waiver, meaning those with certain medical issues can still gain coverage.

Read our AIG Travel Guard Insurance review .

Trip cancellation coverage for up to 100% of the trip cost and trip interruption coverage for up to 150% of the trip cost

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Trip cancellation coverage of up to 100% of the cost, for all three plan levels
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. CFAR covers up to 75% of total trip costs (maximum of $112,500 on some plans) 
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Medical coverage of up to $500,000 and evacuation of up to $1,000,000 per person
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Includes COVID coverage 
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Above average baggage loss and delay benefits
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. High medical evacuation coverage
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Premiums may run slightly higher than competitors

Travel Guard is a well-established and highly rated name in the travel insurance industry. It offers three main coverage options to choose from, and in general its policies have above-average coverage for baggage loss and baggage delays, plus high medical evaluation coverage limits.

• Trip cancellation coverage for up to 100% of the trip cost
• Trip interruption coverage for up to 150% of the trip cost
• Preexisting medical conditions exclusions waiver must be purchased within 15 days of initial trip payment
• Annual travel insurance plan and Pack N' Go plan (for last-minute trips) available

Understanding Travel Insurance for Seniors

Before diving into the specifics, it's essential to understand what travel insurance is and why it's particularly important for senior travelers. The best travel insurance offers financial protection against unexpected events affecting your trip, such as trip cancellations, medical emergencies, or lost luggage.

Types of coverage

• Medical Coverage: Ensures your medical expenses are covered in case of illness or injury.
• Trip Cancellation/Interruption Coverage: Provides reimbursement if your trip is canceled or cut short due to unforeseen events.
• Baggage Coverage: Covers loss, damage, or theft of personal items during your trip.

Benefits of travel insurance for seniors

• Peace of Mind: Knowing you're covered in case of emergencies can make your travel stress-free.
• Financial Protection: Shields you from potentially overwhelming medical costs and trip cancellations fees.
• Assistance Services: Many plans offer 24/7 assistance services, providing help whenever and wherever you need it.

Making the most of your plan

After choosing a plan, it's crucial to understand your policy fully and know what services are available to you in case of an emergency.

Understanding your policy

When you purchase a travel insurance policy, you'll be able to see a description of benefits, which is a long document that describes the exceptions and limitations to your coverage. You should carefully review this document so you're not blindsided by unexpected claim denials. 

For example, if you're canceling a trip because unexpected work, you may not be eligible for coverage if you haven't worked at your company for long enough. Additionally, you should review your policy to ensure that your pre-existing condition is covered, as companies often have very specific language around what qualifies as a covered pre-existing condition.

Emergency assistance services

Most companies offer a 24/7 concierge service that can help you navigate situations that arise during your trip, even issues beyond the scope of your policy. They can advise you on how to navigate these situations in accordance with your policy and make sure you acquire the necessary documentation when you need to file a claim down the line.

How to Pick Travel Insurance as a Senior Traveler

It's wise to compare several different travel insurance policies for the best coverage and pricing, as premiums vary widely between insurers and depend on factors like your age and travel destination.

That said, some of the more essential coverages to look for if you're a senior citizen include:

• Travel medical coverage - This coverage will pay for your medical bills outside the US.
• Medical evacuation coverage - If you're injured or become sick while traveling, this coverage will transport you to the nearest hospital or even back home if your condition necessitates it.
• Pre-existing conditions - Coverage for known health conditions. You'll need to purchase travel insurance within a certain time period from when you book your trip to qualify for a pre-existing condition waiver .
• Cancel for any reason (CFAR) - The name says it all! It'll cost extra and you'll need to purchase insurance early, but it's the most comprehensive trip cancellation coverage you can get. Note that CFAR insurance usually only covers up to 75% of your trip fees.
• Trip cancellation insurance - This coverage provides reimbursement for your prepaid and nonrefundable costs if you cannot make your trip due to an unforeseen event.
• Baggage delay insurance - This coverage will reimburse you for essentials like toiletries and clothes if your bags are delayed.
• Lost luggage insurance - This coverage will reimburse you up to a specified amount if your bags get lost en route.

Of these, the most critical to note are whether or not your policy covers pre-existing conditions and the limits for travel medical insurance and emergency medical evacuation.

Some insurance companies offer a waiver that will cover pre-existing conditions. You'll have to follow the requirements for adding a waiver to your policy, like insuring the entire cost of your trip. Or purchase the policy within a specific time after making your first trip deposit payments.

You'll also want to find a policy with high maximum limits for travel medical and emergency medical evacuation coverage. These types of expenses can be substantial, so you want to have appropriate coverage.

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed Senior Travel Insurance

When comparing senior travel insurance options, we looked at the following factors to evaluate each travel insurance provider:

• Coverage limits: We looked at each travel insurance company's coverage amounts for benefits like medical emergencies and trip cancellation.
• Flexibility: We looked at how customizable a policy is, so you can choose what your travel insurance policy covers .
• Coverage for pre-existing conditions: Pre-existing conditions are one of the more critical factors for travel insurance for senior citizens, so we looked at travel insurance companies that offer the best coverage for pre-existing conditions.
• Price: We compared travel insurance providers offering reasonable basic and comprehensive coverage rates.
• Benefits geared towards seniors: We compared travel insurance companies that offer solid coverage for senior citizens, like medical evacuation, COVID-19 coverage, and trip cancellation.

You can read more about our insurance rating methodology here.

Best Senior Travel Insurance FAQs

Seniors should look for travel insurance policies that offer comprehensive medical coverage, including for pre-existing conditions and emergency medical evacuation. They should also consider policies with higher coverage limits to ensure adequate protection. Additionally, seniors should seek travel insurance plans that provide 24/7 assistance services, as well as coverage for trip cancellations, interruptions, and baggage protection.

The cost of senior travel insurance coverage can vary depending on your age, overall health, state of residence, travel destination, and length of your trip. While the average travel insurance policy costs 4% to 8% of your trip's nonrefundable cost, a 65-year-old's policy may cost 15% of their trip's cost.

All travel insurance companies, except World Nomads, included in this guide offer coverage for pre-existing medical conditions as long as you buy your policy within the qualifying period from when you placed your trip deposit.

Allianz is the best travel insurance for seniors due to its wide array of medical coverages and emergency medical transport. Allianz also offers multi-trip insurance policies , which could make sense for seniors who travel frequently.

In some instances, travel insurance companies will have age eligibility restrictions, often only insuring people 80 years old and younger.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

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