Purchasing an electric bike can unlock the door to hours of recreational enjoyment, better physical fitness, and even a more cost and environmentally friendly commute.
These benefits and conveniences deserve protection. Just like any other investment, it makes sense to safeguard your shiny new electric bike with a comprehensive e-bike insurance policy.
Do Electric Bikes Need to be Insured?
Electric bikes don’t legally need to be insured in the UK, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea. Many great e-bikes cost as much as a second hand car, and can easily provide the same levels of freedom, enjoyment, and practicality. It’s worth taking care of that investment.
Why Should you Consider Getting Electric Bike Insurance?
The Department of Transport estimated that almost 15,000 cyclists were killed or injured on UK roads in 2023. While there’s still little data on electric bikes specifically, the Metropolitan police did report 64 casualties in accidents involving e-bikes in London during 2022, with 106 having being recorded in 2021. And with e-bike use becoming more common, and these figures only covering accidents that resulted in injuries, the total number of incidents involving e-bikes in recent years is likely much higher.
What’s more, according to the Office for National Statistics, 65,477 bicycle theft incidents were recorded by the police in the year ending June 2024. And figures reported by Evolve E-bikes last year suggest electric bike theft is on the incline; in 2023, 6.2% of total bike thefts involved e-bikes, rising sharply from just 1.4% the year before.
Electric bike insurance can help protect you and your bank account by offering the following:
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Protection if your electric bike is damaged. As a minimum, e-bike insurance policies will usually help pay for repair or replacement if your electric bike is damaged. Depending on the policy, this may cover damage sustained in an accident and/or malicious damage. Coverage is also typically inclusive of any accessories attached to your electric bike.
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Replacement if your electric bike is stolen or lost. Many insurance policies will swiftly deliver a like for like replacement of your e-bike if it’s stolen.
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Financial support if you’re involved in an accident. Your e-bike insurance policy may also help cover medical or other expenses if you sustain an injury on a ride. This may be paid out as a lump sum of money.
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Public liability/coverage for legal fees. Some e-bike insurance will also help you pay legal fees if you’re involved in an accident that injures someone else, or damages their property.
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Valuable peace of mind for maximum enjoyment. Having your electric bike insured allows you to enjoy your rides safe in the knowledge that should the unexpected happen, you won’t have to fork out thousands for essential repairs and replacements.
Things to Consider When Purchasing E-bike Insurance
While there’s no real downside to insuring your e-bike, consider the following to make sure you get the best possible deal and coverage:
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Know what you’re covered for (and what you aren’t covered for!) Avoid facing any nasty surprises down the line by being clear on what your e-bike insurance policy includes. Don’t assume that every policy will pay out in every scenario. For example, some electric bike insurance policies may only include accidental damage cover, which means you won’t be covered if your e-bike is vandalised.
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Check for policy exclusions. Insurance policies typically present a list of situations in which they won’t pay out. These include some obvious things like not paying out when damage or injury occurs while you’re riding under the influence. But the insurer may also refuse to pay out in scenarios like theft where you didn’t secure the bike properly, or if you can’t prove ownership. Knowing your insurance policy’s exclusions will help you avoid getting caught out.
How to Find the Best Electric Bike Insurance for you
With annual electric bike insurance policies starting from as little as £63, getting protected really is a no-brainer. Don’t leave it until the last minute and panic buy. Instead, take some time to shop around, exploring a range of policies to find which provider is offering the best value for the level of cover you need. Comparison sites like GoCompare can help make this simple.
Get 14 Days Free E-bike Insurance with Cycler and E-bikes Express
E-Bikes Express partners with Cycler to offer 14 days of free e-bike insurance to every customer who purchases a bike with us. This thorough policy covers theft, damage, travel, and more, so you can ride away with the peace of mind you deserve. And with two weeks of worry-free cycling, you’ll have the breathing space to decide whether you want to insure your e-bike long-term, and to discover the best policy option for you.
To find out more about our free 14 day insurance, and discover how you could benefit from a full annual Cycler e-bike insurance policy, click here.
