Although there are many benefits of riding electric bikes, they don’t come cheap. You’ll usually have to pay more than £1,000 for a decent one, while some of the more high-end models can cost upwards of £10,000.
Since some of the best bikes for commuting are electric bikes, you might choose to ride one to work. An ebike insurance policy could pay out if it's stolen despite being correctly locked up.
Or, if you ride an electric bike for fitness, ebike insurance could be invaluable if you damage your bike or yourself in a crash. Stumping up to repair or, if worst comes to worst, replace your bike will only add insult to injury.
If you’ve made the decision to protect your wheels with an electric bike insurance policy then you’ve come to the right place.
Do you need to insure an electric bike?
It is not mandatory to insure an electric bike.
Prior to 2020, readers in Northern Ireland had a legal obligation to insure their electric bikes, but for ebike riders in the rest of the UK, this type of insurance has always been optional.
Northern Ireland changed its electric bike legislation in the summer of 2020 to align its rules with those in England, Scotland and Wales. This means that electric bike insurance is no longer a legal requirement in Northern Ireland.
Should I insure my ebike?
Of course, just because it isn’t mandatory doesn’t mean it isn’t a good idea – whether your ebike is worth £1,000, £5,000 or £10,000, if it is stolen, or damaged in a road accident, you’re going to find yourself severely out of pocket. Electric bike insurance can help cover the cost of replacing or repairing in these events.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that some electric bike insurance policies include cycling liability cover, which could help cover the cost of legal fees and compensation claims if you damage someone’s property or injure a pedestrian.
Does my home insurance cover my ebike?
Some home contents policies will insure your bicycle as standard, while others will allow you to add bicycle cover to your policy for a relatively small fee.
However, it’s important to bear in mind that these add-ons often have a relatively low ‘single item limit’. This is the maximum amount you would be able to claim for any single item.
This might not pose a problem for a policyholder who owns a relatively cheap bike, but since ebikes are often relatively high-value items there’s a risk that you wouldn’t be fully covered.
For example, if your home insurance policy has a single-item limit of £1,000, but your ebike is worth £2,500, you’d find yourself with a £1,500 shortfall if your ebike was stolen, and would be expected to make up that difference yourself.
A standalone ebike insurance policy, on the other hand, should cover your electric bike for its full market value.
Does my home insurance cover my ebike while it's away from my home?
This is another important caveat to bear in mind if you’re hoping your home insurance policy will offer enough coverage for your electric bike.
Some home insurance providers include clauses in the bicycle cover add-ons that mean your bike will only be insured while it is in your home or securely locked in your garden.
If your own home insurance policy contains this clause then you probably won’t be covered if your electric bike is stolen from a bicycle stand, company car-park or office.
Does my bike insurance cover my ebike?
Many 'regular' bike insurance policies cover ebikes as defined under the Road Traffic Act. Electric bike laws un the UK state that an ebike must have a maximum power output of 250 watts, is restricted to 15.5mph or 25 km/h and must not ridden by someone under the age of 14.
Specialist ebike insurance schemes have clauses that give full cover for battery loss or damage. Apart from that, they are almost identical to pedal-powered bike policies.
Can I insure an electric bike conversion?
If you already own a bike, converting it to electric power can be a more affordable path into ebike ownership.
A spokesperson from Laka confirmed it is possible to insure an electric bike conversion “so long as it complies with the Government’s definition of an EAPC [electrically assisted pedal cycle]”.
Dave George, CEO of Bikmo, also said his firm would cover a converted bike so long as it "still meets the requirements of an EPAC".
This means electric bike conversion kits that feature a throttle would not be covered (and, in any case, these would be illegal to use on roads in the UK without registration and appropriate insurance).
George added that "an e-bike conversion kit would also be treated as a component of the bike, not an accessory, so the value of the kit should be factored into the overall bike value when obtaining a quote [for insurance]".
If you are unsure whether your conversion kit complies, we would advise speaking to your chosen insurance provider.
Does electric bike insurance include accidental damage cover?
Whether you like shredding the gnar on an electric mountain bike or enjoy railing twisty descents on your electric road bike – or perhaps you ride an electric gravel bike or electric hybrid bike – crashing is, unfortunately, sometimes part of cycling.
As as well as personal injury cover, some electric bike insurance policies will include accidental damage cover. This will help cover the cost of repairing your electric bike should you have an off.
What does electric bike insurance include?
The policy features on electric bike insurance policies can vary from one provider to the next, as can the range of clauses and exclusions, but most policies will insure you against:
- Theft and malicious damage – compensates you if your ebike is stolen or vandalised
- Accidental damage – as above, accidental damage cover can help cover the cost of repairing or replacing your ebike if you are involved in an accident
There are also some policy features that some providers might include as standard, while others might allow you to add them to your policy as an optional extra. These include:
- Third-party liability cover – designed to help cover legal fees and compensation claims if your ebike injures someone or damages their property and the courts hold you liable
- Personal injury cover – can help cover your medical costs if you’re involved in an accident, and may even help to cover lost earnings if you’re hospitalised
- Accessories cover – pays for replacement helmets, clothing and ebike extras such as a GPS
- Hire bike cover – covers the cost of a temporary replacement if your electric bike is being repaired
- Riding abroad cover – covers you if you use your ebike outside of the UK
Of course, you may not need all of these different add-ons and extras, but it’s worth giving each one some thought in order to ensure your policy meets your requirements.
How much does it cost to insure an ebike?
It’s difficult to say how much you’ll have to pay for ebike insurance because the insurance premium calculation will be based on a wide range of different risk variables, including:
- Your postcode
- The crime rate in your local area
- The type of electric bike you own
- Your electric bike’s current market value
- Whether or not you use your ebike to compete in competitive cycling races
If you’re keen to know how much ebike insurance might cost you, the best way is to use the ebike insurance comparison service to compare quotes from a range of providers.
You’re under no obligation to take out a policy, and it could end up costing less than you think.
How much does bicycle insurance cost?
You could pay less than £41 for bicycles valued up to £1,500.
Fifty one per cent of customers with a bicycle valued up to £1,500 who obtained a quote for bicycle insurance through this service provided by Seopa Ltd between April and June 2023 were quoted less than £40.60.
Using the same calculation for bicycles valued between £1,500 and £3,000 gave a figure of £73.80 and for bicycles valued over £3,000 gave a figure of £157.30.
*The quote price you could achieve is dependent on your individual circumstances.
The information on this page is intended for editorial purposes only and not intended as a recommendation or financial advice.
BikeRadar is an Introducer Appointed Representative (IAR) of Seopa Ltd (FRN: 313860)
