A growing number of people are now ditching the idea of a week relaxing by the pool in favour of adventurous cycling holidays. And who can blame them? After all, cycling is a great way to see the sights, meet new people and improve fitness while you do it. Not only that but it’s also cheaper than hiring a car and helps save the planet too!
Cycling holidays are a lot of fun but like with any trip, you need to check you’re fully insured. Many standard travel insurance policies fail to offer the level of cover required. In this blog we’ll help you identify the pitfalls of relying on a standard travel insurance policy and highlight the benefits of taking out dedicated travel insurance for cycling.
Does your travel insurance policy cover cycling?
Standard travel insurance policies can be quite ambiguous. Some may say they cover cycling but is it the kind of cycling you have in mind? The insurance company’s idea of a leisurely cycle might differ a lot from your idea of a week’s cycling tour around the Alps. Always check the policy wording and if you’re still unsure, ask for further clarification. It’s better to be safe than sorry. If the policy isn’t up to scratch and doesn’t appear to cover your planned cycling activities, you’ll need to look at a specific cycling travel policy instead.
Travel insurance for cycling, competing and touring
If you’re a keen cyclist, you may have planned your entire holiday around a cycling event, tour or triathlon.
You’ll want to have the best time and focus fully on your cycling challenge, which is why it makes sense to take out a specific travel insurance policy for cycling. Standard travel insurance is unlikely to cover sportive events, tours or cycling activities like downhill mountain biking and triathlons. Like we said before, many don’t even cover leisure cycling and even those that do, don’t cover personal accident or public liability whilst cycling.
You don’t need the worry of ‘what if something goes wrong?’ so do the right thing and ensure you have cycling travel insurance that covers you for the cycling you have planned.
What does travel insurance for cycling actually cover?
Travel insurance for cycling policies will vary from one company to the next. However, here are a few recommendations as to what you should look for in a good travel insurance policy for cycling:
- Activity-specific cover – for things such as sportives, touring, charity events, time trials and Triathlons.
- Specialist cover for medical emergencies and expenses.
- Public liability – up to £2million cover.
- Personal accident cover.
- Legal expenses cover.
These are really just the basics. Many travel insurance policies for cycling go the extra mile and offer additional cover for things such as the loss of baggage, personal belongings, money and documents, missed departures and uninhabitable accommodation. After all, these can negatively impact your cycling trip too.
Those participating in cycling events should also consider choosing a good cycling travel insurance policy that includes cover for cancellation or curtailment. So if your event gets cancelled or is cut short due to unforeseen circumstances, at least you can take comfort in knowing your travel costs are covered,
Travelling without cycling insurance – it’s not worth the risk
There’s no reason to say you won’t have a fantastic cycling holiday, with everything falling into place and running smoothly. Who knows, you may even come home with another cycling medal to add to your collection!
But what if it doesn’t quite go to plan? What if you have an accident? What if you damage someone else’s property? Don’t risk ruining your cycling holiday with inadequate travel insurance. A cycling-specific travel insurance policy will provide the level of cover you need, along with a host of other benefits, for total peace of mind.
Find out more about cycling travel insurance and get covered today.
