# Insurance on bikes stored in shed?



## Sheffield_Tiger (19 Dec 2009)

If I am to splash out on a bike worth more than a couple hundred quid, I am sure as hell going to insure it.

However - keeping the bike indoors is not an option

Currently my bikes are in a wooden shiplap type shed with heavy duty lock on the door (have a vague design in mind for a swing-up steel bar to completerly bar the door, from door post to door post). Inside the shed, bolted with coach bolts and sheared tamperproof nuts to the uprights of the shed wall, is a 1.25" diameter steel tube _(I've removed the angle grinder from the shed when I realised that it, and a power socket, were right next to the bar! ) _to which the bikes are locked, more "desirable" MTB with a sold-secure Kryptonite lock, the road bike with an armoured steel cable lock.

Anyone know offhand if this kind of setup is likely to suffice for an insurance company, bearing in mind the DIY nature of the securing bar?


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## ColinJ (19 Dec 2009)

I remember somebody posting on one of the cycling forums I use that his insurance company had turned down the claim for his stolen bike on the grounds that it had been stored in a wooden shed. The shed was in a walled garden with the gates to the garden locked. The shed door was locked. The bike was securely locked in the shed. They pointed out a clause in the 'small print' that said that bikes needed to be stored in stone or brick buildings. It's an obvious idiocy because even a brick building usually has a wooden door. Any old excuse not to pay out!

I'd suggest that you contact your insurance company and give them precise details of how and where you are going to secure the bike(s). If they say that you are covered - *get it in writing*!


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## Banjo (20 Dec 2009)

I just changed the house insurance to "Sheilas Wheels". I had to pay £13 extra to cover one bike that was over £500 the others are automatically included .They are all insured against theft from house shed or away from the home.They dont insist on a specific type of lock (I phoned to double check on that).


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## SavageHoutkop (20 Dec 2009)

My insurance with ETA is covers bikes locked in a shed on your property. That's how I read it anyway, and a wooden outbuilding IS covered. But it will depend company to company and mine wants it stored 'out of sight' and I'm pretty sure they'll want the shed to have been broken into 'violently and forcibly' as well. If you're not sure; contact the insurer / potential insurer and ask for confirmation. My bike isn't covered at work, in the office (it lives under my desk as it folds up) unless it's locked to something, for example; which is a bit odd but offices are 'public' where sheds on your property (i.e. where you live) are 'private'.


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## amygreen (27 Jan 2010)

Yeah, different companies need different things. I agree with SavageHoutkop - I also have my insurance with ETA and they said the same to me. Bike must be locked in the shed, wooden is acceptable and if the shed has windows they need to be blocked out or the bike needs to be covered with a blanket or something.


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## redjedi (27 Jan 2010)

amygreen said:


> Yeah, different companies need different things. I agree with SavageHoutkop - I also have my insurance with ETA and they said the same to me. Bike must be *locked in the shed*, wooden is acceptable and if the shed has windows they need to be blocked out or the bike needs to be covered with a blanket or something.



I'm planning on taking out insurance with ETA, as it looked the most sensible with regards to shed storage and chain options as well as being one of the cheapest.

When they say it has to be locked in the shed, does it have to be locked *to *something or just a lock through wheels/frame?

My bike's kept inside at the moment, and my landlord is going to fit a ground anchor in the shed but that could take some time.


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## bad boy (27 Jan 2010)

Just gone through exactly the same situation ETA DO insure bikes locked to an "irremovable" object within the shed ie gold cert lock to a anchor point etc.

I was about to go with ETA but my household insurer direct line only charged me an extra £4 I think and also insures bikes in a locked wooden shed within the boundaries of the property. When I asked her about the approved lock list she said any lock will do !!.


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## SavageHoutkop (27 Jan 2010)

redjedi said:


> When they say it has to be locked in the shed, does it have to be locked *to *something or just a lock through wheels/frame?


The way I read it (but get it in writing.... I've luckily not had to do the outside storage thing just yet) is that 'it has to be locked in the shed' - i.e I don't think the bike itself needs to be locked to anything - it's the shed that needs the lock. With the shed being within your property and also the bike being out of sight, I guess that the idea is that no-one will know it's there. But, of course, even if you're insured the hassle with replacing a stolen bike means lock it to anything/everything!


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## bad boy (27 Jan 2010)

SavageHoutkop said:


> The way I read it (but get it in writing.... I've luckily not had to do the outside storage thing just yet) is that 'it has to be locked in the shed' - i.e I don't think the bike itself needs to be locked to anything - it's the shed that needs the lock. With the shed being within your property and also the bike being out of sight, I guess that the idea is that no-one will know it's there. But, of course, even if you're insured the hassle with replacing a stolen bike means lock it to anything/everything!



The bike needs to be locked within the shed as I said above, I did ring them and email them for clarification.

Not just a lock through the wheels but an approved lock (on their list) to a "irremovable" object.

The shed obviously also has to be locked.


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## SavageHoutkop (28 Jan 2010)

Ah, right, sorry, your first post wasn't too clear that you'd already jumped all the hoops...
ETA was one of the insurers who had a non-D lock on their approved list as well, which is the one I've got if I ever do need to lock my Brompton to something... currently I'm avoiding that as far as possible by taking it with me wherever I go!


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