Bike Insurance? ebikes not covered under homeowners/renters, & >750W not covered by bike insurance

[tomjasz]

Please see my last post, I'm stumped as to how you only saw "00W". The motor the OP is writing about is a 1000W. Like the BBSHD, 1000W motor with a 1500W peak

I don't want to ignore someone replying to me, but I don't know what you are replying to.

Rated 1000W.


Google bicycle insurance. I’m covered w $100 deductible for $125 for bike and accessories of $3200.
No claims but then I’m not missing anything.

https://velosurance.com/

 

[pnop]

Exactly ! And when it comes time for a claim, not only does nothing get covered, a little lawsuit would be coming from the insurer.

These contraptions over 750 watts are not legal anywhere public use, and are not even able to be approved by DOT. So if you have a cornfield that is your own private property then have fun riding these there only.

I'm just thinking out loud......Nearest larger city to me made motorized bikes legal. The community did a great job presenting their case about how this was the only way some people could get back and forth to work. Some people complained and it was made clear that traffic rules would be enforced (as they should) but you could ride them. I have to think people wouldn't look twice at any eBike here.

I live in a smaller nearby town and no one cares. I suppose that doesn't make them legal. That also does nothing for the insurance issue. I understand that my situation does not negate what most face also. Older couples will ride their electric golf carts to the Tuesday music in the park and I have to imagine those things are larger than 750 watts so no one is going to complain.

 

[J.R.]

Please see my last post, I'm stumped as to how you only saw "00W". The motor the OP is writing about is a 1000W. Like the BBSHD, 1000W motor with a 1500W peak

Imagine my surprise you only saw "1500 watts", and that you chose to correct me, when all I did was quote the owner of the bike. I don't look up specs to every bike, I responded to the question asked.

 

[tomjasz]

Imagine my surprise you only saw "1500 watts", and that you chose to correct me, when all I did was quote the owner of the bike. I don't look up specs to every bike, I responded to the question asked.

You misread my intent. I apologize. I never intended to insult or be sarcastic. My apologies for coming off in any way negative.
OK now I see.... Not being careful when responding I mistakenly quoted you. An honest mistake.

I'm totally at a loss to understand where "00W" came from. Maybe you read and responded while I was editing...

I intended to simply point out that the bike wouldn't be in the moped class, as the OP listed the rated peak. If they're still using Bafang mids they are typically 750W, but reprogrammed to 1000W and then peak at 1500.

 

[dgroebl]

Thomas, you might want to double check that policy with Velosureance!

I've checked with them twice now and they will not cover anything over 750W and 20mph.

Rated 1000W.


Google bicycle insurance. I’m covered w $100 deductible for $125 for bike and accessories of $3200.
No claims but then I’m not missing anything.

https://velosurance.com/

 

[tomjasz]

Thomas, you might want to double check that policy with Velosureance!

Not a problem here. I'm covered.

 

[dgroebl]

How are you managing to cover a 1000W bike with a company that will only cover up to 750W?

 

[tomjasz]

How are you managing to cover a 1000W bike with a company that will only cover up to 750W?

BBSHD are labeled as 750W. But could be programmed to 1000W

 

[dgroebl]

ohhh.... I see. That makes sense. I suppose that is the downside to the Ultra bike then. I'm still going to pursue an umbrella policy. The agent at Velosurance told me to contact the DMV and apply for a VIN. Then it would be possible to register it as a moped.

 

[dgroebl]

I've looked into umbrella coverage and it's only for liability. My primary concern is with theft. I really have a hard time understanding why I can't just get a valuable personal property policy as we have for my wife's engagement ring. Apparently, because this is a mode of transportation with a motor that's right out. So it seems that the Juggernaut Ultra is rather uninsurable if comprehensive coverage is what you are looking for.

Perhaps applying for a VIN and looking for moped insurance might be my best bet....

 

[Ian Moone]

I've recently purchased a 1500W Biktrix Juggernaut Ultra FS and I want to protect my investment with some insurance coverage.

Just curious what options people have found to ensure their larger ebikes?

I called my insurance company and they told me that they won't cover an ebike because it has a motor. I then looked into bike insurance: Velosurance, Markel Insurance, and Spoke, each of them have a strict 750W motor limit. Does anyone know of an insurance company that will cover a larger ebike?

Thanks!

Keep it Simple. Don't Ask, and Don't Tell. LOCK up your ride ANYTIME it's Out of sight and you'll be fine. IF you Want technicalities then go ahead and insure it, or Try. ?

 

[DavidBer]

I am not a lawyer. Obviously you aren't either.

The moment you replace the sticker the manufacturer puts on the bike with another one for the purposes of getting insurance, you are defrauding the insurance company. How arbitrary the power ratings are (and they are arbitrary) is irrelevant. The best you could hope for with your 'argument' is that you might give the judge and the prosecutor a chuckle.

Just jumping in with a counter thought

Just because the manufacturer put on a sticker, doesn't mean the sticker is correct. Marketing is full of lies and exaggerations. As an example, RadPower lists their bikes as having 750w motors. They advertise the bejeebus out of that. The cool thing is that they list the motor they use. That motor, by the manufacturer, is not 750w, but 500w.

So who is lying now?

Regardless, insurance companies are in the business of collecting premiums. They are not in the business of paying. Anything to not pay, they will. There is your fraud.

 

[Ian Moone]

Think about All the Ads you see on TV every 10-12 minutes on litterally EVERY network in the US and Abroad ? ... IF you do your homework, you'll find that the ads you see Most frequently ... ARE the companies Not doing very well ... and Guess who tops those Lists ?? INSURANCE Moguls !! GEICO is Not even a Insurance company, But a AD Producer !! The Sheer number of Silly, Insulting Ads they air, are WHY they Can't offer REASONABLE premiums !!! ... It's a PHONY Company !! Ok, Rant mode Off. My apologies. ?

 

[L Johnston]

Hi. I'm probably going to place this in a couple of different related threads. I'm thinking that we want to make sure that our eBikes are insured. My wife's a Trek Verve 3, mine a Giant Explore 3+. We have never done anything with our other bikes (road, Mountain, cross, tandem) but with the cost and popularity of eBikes I'm thinking we need to do something this time. So I called my American Family Insurance here in the US. They apparently have a product that is "transportation specific" rather than simply leveraging the homeowners general coverage. One thing this apparently does is gets around the issue of the generally high deductible of a homeowner policy. (In our case $1,000). The deductible would be $100. Since it is "transportation" it also has some other benefits $10,000 medical, and an amount of uninsured motorist - in the event that I am struck by a car that does not carry proper coverage. I can't remember that number. It sounds like an interesting policy. It is very new and my agent is trying to work through this as well as I am his first client to have ever requested such a thing but he is investigating and knows that he has other eBike owners that may be interested. It looks like it may run $120 a year premium. Interestingly enough he wants me to provide HP for the bikes. So maybe this policy is designed to cover eBikes, scooters, maybe ATV? in a broader concept. I thought I would check here to see what people are doing. Seems like velosurance is another alternative but I have no experience with them. Thanks in advance.

 

[Elkman]

Often with homeowners insurance I have had to submit receipts or a professional appraisal to get items covered under a special rider to the main policy. The extra amount charged has been less than a special policy.

With e-bikes there is the cost to replace one that is stolen but also the delay in finding a replacement that is in stock. I would be more concerned with the latter. I have a custom bike that is one of a kind and not replaceable and that one is never left unattended.

I have had only one bike stolen 50 years of road riding and that was a bike that had a cable lock around a power pole. After that I decided to have my bikes out of sight in the back of a pickup with a fiberglass cap and tinted windows and black curtains. No more bikes stolen with this practice. Small vans are another option. I bought my current SUV because it was the only one available in which I could put two road bikes with the front and rear wheels left on the bikes. With heavy e-bikes it comes down to an external rack or a van.

 

[rawlus]

There’s anecdotal evidence on the inter webs and reddit that kryptonite will cover a lot of the expense incurred by a theft loss. there’s some registration involved, and proof demonstration when filing a claim, and a waiting period and other minor inconveniences, but ive read a series of success stories regardless. if theft is your main concern, use a 9 or 10 level lock, do all the preparatory work to lay the ground for a potential future claim and be vigilant about where you park and leave. While the Kryptonite offer is NOT insurance of any sort, it also does not cost anything extra beyond the cost of the lock.

I believe to file a claim youll need to demonstrate ownership, initial cost, and that the lock was indeed defeated and you still have the key, might need a police report also. lots of paperwork housekeeping but a 9/10 lock provides up to $4000 coverage. If the their takes the lock with them that could make it difficult to file a claim however. The kryptonite offer is entirely focused on the stated defeatability of their lock products so they are essentially covering when the owner can prove their lock didn’t meet their marketing claims. So you need the physical evidence of the lock. I’m sure they build this into their R&D process (i would), it’s relatively cheap market research for them to “pay” you, brought this process, to gain insights into how criminals are evolving their approach and just what methods are proving successful in defeating their products so that the designers and engineers can identify improvement pathways for those same products and next generation products.

 

[Elkman]

I can cut through any chain or cable or shackle in less than 2 minutes with my 18v cordless grinder with a 4" cut-off wheel attached. Doubtless the thieves know this as well. It comes down to having bikes completely out of sight of thieves.

At the University of Davis in California in the 1970's bikes started to become expensive and bike thefts increased dramatically. The university placed sturdy steel bike racks around the campus. One day some fellows drove up with a flat bed truck and lifted a rack and all the bikes carefully locked to the rack and placed it all in the rear of the truck and drove off. The university started moving the racks so they are further from the street and not quite so attractive.

A number of my friends would take their nice road bikes and spray paint them with flat black paint so at at a glance they looked like beaters. Difficult to do this with e-bikes and have it effective in reducing theft. Part of the cost of my getting into underwater photography was the cost of a boat to protect my gear when offshore. Now with e-bikes I need an SUV or a pickup with a cap/shell to do the same and it is part of the cost of ownership.

 

[rawlus]

if you are not vain about looks.
cover the bike in spray paint, random stickers all over. at least two locks of different types and park next to equally nice bikes that are more attractive and less secure. me? i moved to where bike theft is far less a pervasive problem.

 

[rbeckert]

I have my Riese and Muller 2021 ROADSTER VARIO insured with NATIONWIDE INS. I have my home and a MAZDA CX5 insured with them, also. They wrote up my ebike on a RECREATIONAL VEHICLE POLICY for $267.04 a year. The policy covers LIABILITY (Bodily injury; Property damage; Personal Injury Protection; Medical Payments; Uninsured/Underinsured). PHYSICAL DAMAGE (Replacement Cost(!); Comprehensive (fire and theft; $500 deductible); Collision ($500 deductible); Custom Equipment (up to $3,000)). It also has a "Vanishing Deductible" of $100 a year so after the 5th year there would be no deductible for a claim. Basically, just like automobile insurance even if I cause an accident with my ebike and say, 2 other vehicles sustain damage with injured passengers, I'm covered. Plus, the "Replacement Cost" replaces my ebike, even if it's 3 years old, with a new ebike!