Bicycling is becoming a popular mode of transportation as well as a recreational form of exercise and sport. People are spending anywhere from a few hundred dollars to upwards of a few thousand dollars for high-quality bikes.
Bicycles are covered under your standard homeowners insurance plan as part of your personal property. You will be reimbursed under these provisions if your bike happens to be damaged or stolen due to one of the listed perils within your policy. When you buy a new bicycle, make sure to hold on to the receipt and add it to the inventory that you keep of your home’s personal contents. If it happens to be particularly costly, you may consider purchasing an endorsement for added coverage.
Are Bicycle Accidents Covered Under My Home Policy?
Homeowners insurance will offer you protection in the instance that you cause harm to someone or damage that you may bring to their property in the instance that you have an accident while riding the bike. Standard homeowners generally offer no-fault medical coverage in the range between $1,000 and $5,000. If the injured party happens to bring a lawsuit, your policy will cover you up to the liability limits of the policy. It’s always a good idea to up your liability coverage and purchase an umbrella for added protection to your liability.
If you are driving with your bicycle fastened on top of the car or behind the car, and you have a car accident damaging the bicycle, the home insurance plan will cover the damages to the bicycle. However, if a car strikes you while you are riding your bicycle, their car insurance will be responsible for the damages to you and your bicycle. Same if another cyclist causes the accident, their homeowners will be responsible for the claim. As far as your injuries, you would use your health insurance to cover any medical costs that you have.
Prevention of Bicycle Accidents
The best way to avoid having to file a claim for a bicycle accident is to prevent them from happening at all. Always be prepared, when you go out to be alert, aware, and safe.
- Stay Safe – Always have a properly fitted helmet to protect your head in case there is an accident.
- Be Ready – Make sure that you and the bike are a good fit and that all of the parts of the bike are in top functioning capacity and secure.
- Know Rules – Your bicycle is considered to be a vehicle while you’re riding it on the road and you, therefore, have to follow the same laws as any motor vehicle.
- Ride With Traffic Flow – Make sure to ride the bicycle in the same way as if you’re driving a car. You want to ride with the flow of traffic, on the right side, and as far to the right of the road as would be deemed safe and practicable.
- Visibility Is Key – You need to just presume that no one can see you and attempt to make every effort to make yourself visible to those around you including cyclists, pedestrians, and motor vehicles.
- Stay Alert – You don’t want to wear headphones or be distracted. You need to always be focused and alert so that you hear everything around you, being aware of the surroundings. Always ride defensively.
These tips will help you maintain your safety while riding on the road. Your homeowners insurance allows you the security to do so.
