# British Cycling Membership, is it worth the £35.10?



## Phaeton (18 Jun 2018)

I have aversion to paying for things I don't need/use, so is £35.10 a fair price for British Cycling membership, it seems expensive to me for the benefits.

*Priority access to tickets* I'll not use this
*Weekly Member Newsletter* I'm not interested in this
*10% off in Halfords stores nationwide* I don't buy from Halfords
*Three issues for £3 - Cyclist Magazine* Extra money I won't spend
*Discounted bike insurance* The bike is a named item on the house Insurance
*Liability Insurance and Legal Assistance* So this is really all I'm buying it for, but in the 50 years I've been riding a bike I've never got into a situation where this has been needed. But that's not so say I won't tomorrow.


----------



## cyberknight (18 Jun 2018)

Or you could join ctc 
https://www.cyclinguk.org/membership/member-benefits


----------



## Phaeton (18 Jun 2018)

For £45 ??


----------



## Bollo (18 Jun 2018)

I've found the legal support for my last accident very useful, but you could probably find a similar service on a no-win-no-fee basis without BC's help.


----------



## smutchin (18 Jun 2018)

I'm a member mainly for the provisional racing licence. The only alternative is paying for a day licence every time I take part in a race, so it's a no-brainer for me.

Even if you never race, it's probably worthwhile for the insurance. For the amount of cover you get, and the legal assistance, it's very cheap.


----------



## Drago (18 Jun 2018)

I only bother with CyclingUK because I get it half price. Otherwise, I don't think CUK or BC are good value. If I competed or the like then that'd be different, but I don't.


----------



## Soltydog (18 Jun 2018)

There was a Strava challenge last month & if you completed it, you were rewarded with 20% off BC membership, iirc the code was strava20


----------



## Milkfloat (18 Jun 2018)

10% off at Evans Cycles too, and still 10% At Chain Reaction if you are spending £100.


----------



## glasgowcyclist (18 Jun 2018)

Phaeton said:


> I have aversion to paying for things I don't need/use, so is £35.10 a fair price for British Cycling membership, it seems expensive to me for the benefits.
> 
> *Priority access to tickets* I'll not use this
> *Weekly Member Newsletter* I'm not interested in this
> ...



On the basis of that I'd say it's probably not worth your while.

You might even already have 3rd party liability cover and legal assistance on your household insurance, in which case it's definitely not.


----------



## pawl (18 Jun 2018)

cyberknight said:


> Or you could join ctc
> https://www.cyclinguk.org/membership/member-benefits



I have just cancelled my renewal. I originally joined when it was the CTC and it had a half decent magazine.
Have now joined British Cycling.I was last a member when it was the BCF.

I had only been a member for three weeks when I was hit by a car broken arm and nose six stitches in my head.Originaly didn’t think they would be interested having been a member for a short period of time.

Service was first class enough for a brand new frame plus damages for injuries 
To be fair Cycling UK is ok if you are in to campaigning.


----------



## Banjo (18 Jun 2018)

If you only want liability insurance cycleplan do it for less than £15.


----------



## Drago (18 Jun 2018)

User said:


> You also get discounts at a number of other retailers, including Cycle Republic - and, one of the biggies for me, 20% off OS maps.



You have to pay for OS maps? How passe.


----------



## MontyVeda (18 Jun 2018)

I was thinking the same a few weeks back when i figured having liability insurance is possibly a good idea. Not that I'm in the habit of crashing into cars, but if i did and it was all my fault, the car owner would probably appreciate it. But could do without paying £35 a year. Will definitely have a look at Cycleplan though, £15 wouldn't be missed. Thanks @Banjo


----------



## Slick (18 Jun 2018)

I'm a member, I don't really make a lot of use of any of the benefits other than the odd Halfords purchase but I do quite like the idea of supporting British Cycling in some shape or form.


----------



## NorthernDave (18 Jun 2018)

I've had my monies worth out if it every year with the Halfords / Evans discounts.

Fortunately I haven't needed the liability insurance or legal assistance.


----------



## fossyant (18 Jun 2018)

It's worth having - getting knocked off your bike by a driver who does a runner, and the other 'person' knocked over sues you. It happens, and cover may or may not be on your household policy. I'm somehow at fault for doing nothing wrong or anything that contributed to the incident. My crime was to be the honest person and remain on scene checking folk out and passing on my details. Other person didn't even report it to the police.


----------



## Slick (18 Jun 2018)

fossyant said:


> It's worth having - getting knocked off your bike by a driver who does a runner, and the other 'person' knocked over sues you. It happens, and cover may or may not be on your household policy. I'm somehow at fault for doing nothing wrong or anything that contributed to the incident. My crime was to be the honest person and remain on scene checking folk out and passing on my details. Other person didn't even report it to the police.


Wow, how does that even work?


----------



## Banjo (18 Jun 2018)

MontyVeda said:


> I was thinking the same a few weeks back when i figured having liability insurance is possibly a good idea. Not that I'm in the habit of crashing into cars, but if i did and it was all my fault, the car owner would probably appreciate it. But could do without paying £35 a year. Will definitely have a look at Cycleplan though, £15 wouldn't be missed. Thanks @Banjo



https://www.cycleplan.co.uk/?ref=PP...90rpTZqFKEVAHjLMKuBoCZn0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

At the moment they are doing 2 million liability cover for £13.50. If you put a scratch on a car it could cost hundreds . Injuring someone could cost you your house.Got to be worth it in my opinion.


----------



## fossyant (18 Jun 2018)

Slick said:


> Wow, how does that even work?



Exactly. Get knocked off, I and bike go flying, bike clips another cyclist and he is off too. Not his fault either, but 3.5 years later I find this is still going on and his solicitor claims there was no knowledge of a car hitting me. Then they send me my emails that specifically mention a particular car (WTF you do know about it !) Grabbing at sticks, but BC has appointed a defence lawyer as it's getting out of hand. I had thought it was all sorted. More stress.


----------



## Slick (18 Jun 2018)

fossyant said:


> Exactly. Get knocked off, I and bike go flying, bike clips another cyclist and he is off too. Not his fault either, but 3.5 years later I find this is still going on and his solicitor claims there was no knowledge of a car hitting me. Then they send me my emails that specifically mention a particular car (WTF you do know about it !) Grabbing at sticks, but BC has appointed a defence lawyer as it's getting out of hand. I had thought it was all sorted. More stress.


Sounds it. It also sound's like scum bag lawyers looking to make someone pay rather than who was initially to blame. Not easy when you are the scapegoat but best left to your defence lawyer. Hopefully he/she is a bigger scum bag than theirs.


----------



## Milzy (18 Jun 2018)

I have a 25% off code but still don’t think it’s worth it.


----------



## vickster (18 Jun 2018)

Milzy said:


> I have a 25% off code but still don’t think it’s worth it.


Why not?

I'm very glad I was a member when knocked off 4.5 years ago (I'll never have legal costs to pay as they are indemnified by BC nor lose any of my payout when it finally happens)


----------



## fossyant (18 Jun 2018)

Slick said:


> Sounds it. It also sound's like scum bag lawyers looking to make someone pay rather than who was initially to blame. Not easy when you are the scapegoat but best left to your defence lawyer. Hopefully he/she is a bigger scum bag than theirs.



Nightmare, but he represents them when you get this sort of rubbish. He told me about some serious injuries people had received on big events, underwritten by BC, but the riders had ignored signs and crashed on 'normal road features' - hard as it is, but the cyclist was an idiot !


----------



## Slick (18 Jun 2018)

fossyant said:


> Nightmare, but he represents them when you get this sort of rubbish. He told me about some serious injuries people had received on big events, underwritten by BC, but the riders had ignored signs and crashed on 'normal road features' - hard as it is, but the cyclist was an idiot !


Sounds like a nightmare and for the little it will be worth, I hope it's brought to a conclusion soon. Having that hang over your head can bring irs own problems especially for that length of time.


----------



## fossyant (18 Jun 2018)

Slick said:


> Sounds like a nightmare and for the little it will be worth, I hope it's brought to a conclusion soon. Having that hang over your head can bring irs own problems especially for that length of time.



Well it's not good - lots of extra complications being in I work near the blokes wife (same company - was literally next to her in work so no reason to lie) and I have my own broken spine injury from another commute a year after this- PS Manchester commuting isn't great.... It's no good in a dirty big car either now.


----------



## helston90 (19 Jun 2018)

Whether you go BC or otherwise I would highly advocate getting some sort of insurance 

With my BC (renewal has just come through at £39) and having had one fault and one not at fault accident in the past 18 months their legal/ 3rd party insurance have been amazing. Even if you have never ever been in an incident I would make the case for someone to get it, as mentioned a simple scratch could cost a fortune and you never know when someone may innocently anchor on to avoid missing their turning. 

I also get stuff from Halfords in order to make the 10% off pay for the membership over the course of the year.


----------



## Phaeton (19 Jun 2018)

Just been looking at the cycleplan & £1M currently is only £11.25 but it mentions there is an 'excess' but I do not appear to be able to find out how much that is


----------



## vickster (19 Jun 2018)

Phaeton said:


> Just been looking at the cycleplan & £1M currently is only £11.25 but it mentions there is an 'excess' but I do not appear to be able to find out how much that is


Call them and ask?


----------



## Phaeton (19 Jun 2018)

vickster said:


> Call them and ask?


I have sent an email


----------



## Banjo (19 Jun 2018)

Phaeton said:


> Just been looking at the cycleplan & £1M currently is only £11.25 but it mentions there is an 'excess' but I do not appear to be able to find out how much that is



Cycleplan excesses
£300 for property damage
£500 for injury liability.
You can pay a higher premium and not have any excess.


----------



## vickster (19 Jun 2018)

Phaeton said:


> I have sent an email


As above. A big excess. BC don’t have one and there are further benefits

Also, have you checked if you have legal cover on your home policy which may cover


----------



## Phaeton (19 Jun 2018)

vickster said:


> Also, have you checked if you have legal cover on your home policy which may cover


Thank you, no not yet on the hoe cover, I suspect I ticked the box that said no, but need to find the email/paperwork


----------



## MontyVeda (19 Jun 2018)

Banjo said:


> If you only want liability insurance cycleplan do it for less than £15.


that's a month... thought it was for the year! 

edit... sorry, having a blond moment.... I included equipment cover.


----------



## Phaeton (19 Jun 2018)

MontyVeda said:


> that's a month... thought it was for the year!


Cycleplan do it for just over £12 if you take out the excess waiver, which does seem good.


----------



## Crankarm (19 Jun 2018)

Banjo said:


> Cycleplan excesses
> £300 for property damage
> £500 for injury liability.
> You can pay a higher premium and not have any excess.



Why the hell would you sign up to something like this that is free with BC or CyclingUK and gives you absolutely no benefits? At least with BC or CyclingUK you get discounts on buying cycling gear and your are SUPPORTING cycling whether general campaigning, racing or raising the profile of cycling, supporting large cycling organisations. This is straight old insurance which you do NOT need. I bet they would try and get out of any liability of meeting any claim on the policy which is not the case with BC's or CyclingUK's schemes.


----------



## Crankarm (19 Jun 2018)

User said:


> Cycle Plan costs £25 (£22.50 if discounted) for £5 million worth of cover (it's cheaper for less cover). BCs cover, included in the membership fee, is £15 million.
> 
> Frankly, given the potential sizes of PI awards these days, and the 2017 changes in award discount rates, if you're going to insure you'd be daft to go for anything less than £5 million.



And equally daft not to sign up with CyclingUK or BC.


----------



## Phaeton (19 Jun 2018)

User said:


> you'd be daft to go for anything less


You know me so well 


Crankarm said:


> Why the hell would you sign up to something like this that is free with BC or CyclingUK and gives you absolutely no benefits? At least with BC or CyclingUK you get discounts on buying cycling gear and your are SUPPORTING cycling whether general campaigning or racing or raising the profile of cycling. This is straight old insurance which you do NOT need. I bet they would try and get out of any liability of meeting any claim on the policy which is not the case with BC's or CyclingUK's schemes.


Because for an extra £0.94p you can indemnify yourself from the excess, it would also work out £27 cheaper as I would not use any of the benefits offered by BC.


----------



## Crankarm (19 Jun 2018)

Phaeton said:


> You know me so well
> 
> Because for an extra £0.94p you can indemnify yourself from the excess, it would also work out £27 cheaper as I would not use any of the benefits offered by BC.



But afaik you don't have any excess to pay with BC or CyclingUK. You haven't really thought this through have you?


----------



## MontyVeda (19 Jun 2018)

Crankarm said:


> But afaik you don't have any excess to pay with BC or CyclingUK. You haven't really thought this through have you?


Cycle plan's middle option liability insurance with the excess waiver is less than half the price of BCs.


----------



## vickster (19 Jun 2018)

MontyVeda said:


> Cycle plan's middle option liability insurance with the excess waiver is less than half the price of BCs.


Do they also indemnify all costs if you make a claim for injury or damage to yourself or the bike? Or is I too just if you injure or damage a third party?

So do you need to go elsewhere for legal cover where a chunk of your payout will be retained? For me that's the benefit of BC for my ongoing claim


----------



## MontyVeda (19 Jun 2018)

vickster said:


> Do they also indemnify all costs if you make a claim for injury or damage to yourself or the bike? Or is I too just if you injure or damage a third party?
> 
> So do you need to go elsewhere for legal cover where a chunk of your payout will be retained? For me that's the benefit of BC for my ongoing claim


Looking at your screenshot above, it's injury or damage to or from a third party.

The only thing that makes me think about liability insurance is if i damage someones car and it's all my fault. Can't afford to pay for the damage, can't afford the excess but wouldn't miss £15 a year. I'd begrudgingly pay £35 but as the OP points out, I'd be paying for extras that i neither want nor need.


----------



## vickster (19 Jun 2018)

MontyVeda said:


> Looking at Vicster's screenshot above, it's injury or damage to or from a third party.
> 
> The only thing that makes me think about liability insurance is if i damage someones car and it's all my fault. Can't afford to pay for the damage, can't afford the excess but wouldn't miss £15 a year. I'd begrudgingly pay £35 but as the OP points out, I'd be paying for extras that i neither want nor need.


Yes that was my point 

You'd hope you never need legal cover for injury to yourself or damage to your property...that's what we all hope, unfortunately for me I am very glad I was a BC member on 16.2.14!


----------



## glasgowcyclist (19 Jun 2018)

User said:


> With a fraction of the cover that BCs liability insurance provides...




And isn't legal advice cover also included with BC and Cycling UK? It's an additional premium via Cycleplan.


----------



## MontyVeda (19 Jun 2018)

You get what you pay for. I just don't want to pay much. Currently I'm not paying owt. I'm looking to cover myself for damage to a car door or boot, or a van's side panel, that's all.


----------



## Red17 (19 Jun 2018)

MontyVeda said:


> You get what you pay for. I just don't want to pay much. Currently I'm not paying owt. I'm looking to cover myself for damage to a car door or boot, or a van's side panel, that's all.



I was worried more about the level of personal injury claims if I hit a pedestrian than vehicle damage when I was looking for cover. That's likely to be a bigger potential claim Imo


----------



## MontyVeda (19 Jun 2018)

Red17 said:


> I was worried more about the level of personal injury claims if I hit a pedestrian than vehicle damage when I was looking for cover. That's likely to be a bigger potential claim Imo


true, but also very unlikely, as is me crashing into a car. Currently I have no insurance, which i guess reflects my level of worry regarding the unlikely happening to me.


----------



## Phaeton (19 Jun 2018)

MontyVeda said:


> true, but also very unlikely, as is me crashing into a car. Currently I have no insurance, which i guess reflects my level of worry regarding the unlikely happening to me.


This is exactly my situation, I have nothing currently & rightly or wrongly I think £39 (not £35.10 not sure where I got that from as I can't find it now) seems a lot of money for benefits I don't need. But like others have said BC is a known quantity, they have been known to pay out, Cycle plan appears unknown.


----------



## vickster (19 Jun 2018)

Phaeton said:


> This is exactly my situation, I have nothing currently & rightly or wrongly I think £39 (not £35.10 not sure where I got that from as I can't find it now) seems a lot of money for benefits I don't need. But like others have said BC is a known quantity, they have been known to pay out, Cycle plan appears unknown.


£35.10 is the continuous DD cost for year 1


----------



## Richard A Thackeray (19 Jun 2018)

I've been a member for many years, mainly for the insurance benefits.

Like any policy, you hope you don't have to use it


----------



## fossyant (19 Jun 2018)

It's worth having. Their solicitors, Leigh Day, have a specialist cycling team, and have done loads for me, got me the right specialist etc. I'm confident they will ensure I receive an appropriate compensation for my injuries.


----------



## glasgowcyclist (19 Jun 2018)

User13710 said:


> If you're an affiliate member of Cycling UK, through existing membership of another club, it is cheaper and you get all the same benefits except the printed magazine (which I never bothered to read anyway).



I'm sure I read earlier on the Cycling UK site (but can't find it again) that affiliate members get the 3rd party cover but not the legal cover. 

I'll keep looking.


----------



## Richard A Thackeray (20 Jun 2018)

Richard A Thackeray said:


> I've been a member for many years, mainly for the insurance benefits.
> 
> Like any policy, you hope you don't have to use it


*EDIT*

Plus the Legal Aid


----------



## Jody (20 Jun 2018)

Phaeton said:


> This is exactly my situation, I have nothing currently & rightly or wrongly I think £39 (not £35.10 not sure where I got that from as I can't find it now) seems a lot of money for benefits I don't need. .



I have been fairly blase about insurance but decided it would be a good thing given how expensive claims can be. Forget the discounts and other things but £39 a year is nothing if you need legal assistance or covering the cost of a wind mirror/scratched panel or worse still hitting a pedestrian and having a personal injury claim against you.


----------



## Crackle (20 Jun 2018)

Has anyone on here ever needed it because they were responsible for something?


----------



## MontyVeda (20 Jun 2018)

Crackle said:


> Has anyone on here ever needed it because they were responsible for something?


there was a thread a few weeks back... a member rode into the back of a hatchback, which is what got me thinking about liability insurance.


----------



## glasgowcyclist (20 Jun 2018)

User13710 said:


> If you're an affiliate member of Cycling UK, through existing membership of another club, it is cheaper and you get all the same benefits except the printed magazine (which I never bothered to read anyway).





glasgowcyclist said:


> I'm sure I read earlier on the Cycling UK site (but can't find it again) that affiliate members get the 3rd party cover but not the legal cover.
> 
> I'll keep looking.



So far all I've managed to find is this entry:

_"Full Cycling UK members may be entitled to legal advice and claims assistance from our
lawyers Slater & Gordon on 0161 830 4404 – affiliate members may still phone for general advice in
the event of an incident."_​
It's in their Ride Leader Handbook at https://www.cyclinguk.org/sites/default/files/document/migrated/info/ride_leader_handbook_2016.pdf

To get a clear answer I have emailed them to ask if there are any restrictions on my affiliate membership benefits compared to those of a standard member.


----------



## glasgowcyclist (21 Jun 2018)

@User13710 
Answer received from Cycling UK regarding cover for affiliate members:

My query:
"I am an affiliate member and wanted to check with you if there are any restrictions on the benefits I receive compared to a standard member. Specifically, am I entitled to legal advice and claims assistance in the event of an incident?"

CUK reply:

"Thank you for getting in touch.
The affiliate membership does not include legal advice unfortunately.

It also does not include the cycle magazine either."​


----------



## glasgowcyclist (21 Jun 2018)

User13710 said:


> Ah, right, thanks. That must have changed then, because I had legal help after an accident from them in 2013.



I'm glad your post prompted me to check because I'll not be renewing as an affiliate next year. Having read some of the experiences of members on here, I'd rather have the legal cover too.


----------



## Phaeton (21 Jun 2019)

In light of https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/p...cyclist-gets-compensation.250372/post-5657451 it seems a good time to resurrect this post, I still don't have 3rd Party Liability, but I'm not sure that it can continue, I ride mostly where there is nobody else, but like yesterday I rode into the centre of Chesterfield & had to take avoiding action a couple of times because people just weren't looking.

3 I have found

https://www.cyclinguk.org/join £46.50
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/membership either £41 or £37, bit confused with the difference, can be cheaper if you put on DD
https://www.cycleplan.co.uk/options £11.99 but bit of an unknown quantity, only found 1 review about somebody who had actually claimed & it hadn't gone well.


----------



## Jody (21 Jun 2019)

Phaeton said:


> https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/membership either £41 or £37, bit confused with the difference, can be cheaper if you put on DD.



3rd party liability for leisure cycling. Not sure how they differentiate in the event of a claim.


----------



## Phaeton (21 Jun 2019)

Jody said:


> 3rd party liability for leisure cycling. Not sure how they differentiate in the event of a claim.


Think I found it on https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/thirdpartyliability

Race Gold, Race Silver and Ride members benefit from individual liability insurance cover for non-competitive, social, leisure, utility cycling and commuting and also whilst participating in timed events such as sportives.

Commute members benefit from individual liability insurance cover for utility cycling and commuting only. Cover does not extend to participation in cycling events or group cycling activities involving multiple participants, such as races, sportives, club rides and group rides.

So it doesn't appear to cover social & leisure for Commute members, which is a bit bizarre


----------



## Crackle (21 Jun 2019)

Wot about your house insurance. There's normally a public/personal liability section?


----------



## Phaeton (21 Jun 2019)

Crackle said:


> Wot about your house insurance. There's normally a public/personal liability section?


it's not covered I've checked


----------



## DCLane (21 Jun 2019)

Phaeton said:


> 3 I have found
> 
> https://www.cyclinguk.org/join £46.50
> https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/membership either £41 or £37, bit confused with the difference, can be cheaper if you put on DD
> https://www.cycleplan.co.uk/options £11.99 but bit of an unknown quantity, only found 1 review about somebody who had actually claimed & it hadn't gone well.



The League of Veteran Racing Cyclists membership including third party cover is £20 but you need to be over 40: http://www.lvrc.org.uk/membership_benefits.asp 

It covers everything _except_ commuting.


----------



## Jody (21 Jun 2019)

Phaeton said:


> So it doesn't appear to cover social & leisure for Commute members, which is a bit bizarre



That's what I thought but don't have time to look at the specifics.


----------



## NorthernDave (21 Jun 2019)

I'm with BC.

If you don't make that £30-odd a year back from the freebies and discount deals offered I'd be surprised. My membership more than pays for itself every year.


----------



## Slick (21 Jun 2019)

NorthernDave said:


> I'm with BC.
> 
> If you don't make that £30-odd a year back from the freebies and discount deals offered I'd be surprised. My membership more than pays for itself every year.


I'm the exact same. In fact I made the initial cost back in one shopping visit recently.


----------



## vickster (21 Jun 2019)

NorthernDave said:


> I'm with BC.
> 
> If you don't make that £30-odd a year back from the freebies and discount deals offered I'd be surprised. My membership more than pays for itself every year.


Over £40 for ride now but it’s worth the peace of mind


----------



## Milzy (21 Jun 2019)

vickster said:


> Over £40 for ride now but it’s worth the peace of mind


Yes yes, & if you ride in London with all the phone Zombies it's essential. It will only cost you a few Camden IPA's & a sandwhich.


----------



## glasgowcyclist (21 Jun 2019)

NorthernDave said:


> I'm with BC



Do they still exclude claims involving another BC member? I know the chances are low but that put me off so I switched to CUK, who don't operate that exclusion.


----------



## vickster (21 Jun 2019)

glasgowcyclist said:


> Do they still exclude claims involving another BC member? I know the chances are low but that put me off so I switched to CUK, who don't operate that exclusion.


What would they do in that case? S&G can’t represent both parties (that’s the reason for the BC policy)


----------



## vickster (21 Jun 2019)

Milzy said:


> Yes yes, & if you ride in London with all the phone Zombies it's essential. It will only cost you a few Camden IPA's & a sandwhich.


I rarely ride in central London however. But yes, £3-4 a month really isn’t much given the potential benefits


----------



## DRM (21 Jun 2019)

I'd have a read through the cyclist v phone zombie thread on advocacy & safety then see if British Cycling membership is value or not, the poor sod that hit the ped is now facing bankruptcy after the judge went 50/50 blame, the ped now wants £100,000 costs!


----------



## Johnno260 (21 Jun 2019)

£35 vs £100k I failed maths but can work this one out.


----------



## fossyant (21 Jun 2019)

Silver BC member here, have been over 30 years. Get the insurance as I've been sued from being knocked off my bike in a hit and run, unfortunately, my 'flying bike' hit another cyclist - he had no insurance but got an ambulance chaser on it.


----------



## glasgowcyclist (21 Jun 2019)

vickster said:


> What would they do in that case? S&G can’t represent both parties (that’s the reason for the BC policy)



I'm guessing nothing since you'll have no cover.


----------



## albal (21 Jun 2019)

CUK member here, since I,m car free. £40 a year is worth it. I mainly use Cotswold for my discounts .


----------



## Tom B (21 Jun 2019)

albal said:


> CUK member here, since I,m car free. £40 a year is worth it. I mainly use Cotswold for my discounts .



Me too...

I've had them both and feel I get more for CUK. 

I use the allfrauds discount regularly and hope not to use the third party insurance / claim services. 

B/C was a PITA to cancel and they refused to refund my years subscription when it auto renewed.


----------



## vickster (21 Jun 2019)

glasgowcyclist said:


> I'm guessing nothing since you'll have no cover.


So why go with CUK over BC? I don't get the difference


----------



## NorthernDave (21 Jun 2019)

Johnno260 said:


> £35 vs £100k I failed maths but can work this one out.



It's not just that - something as innocuous as accidentally clipping a mirror on a parked car can result in a £800 bill (or more) for repairs. That £35 seems a bargain by comparison.


----------



## glasgowcyclist (21 Jun 2019)

vickster said:


> So why go with CUK over BC? I don't get the difference



Sorry, I completely got the wrong end of the stick and thought you were referring to BC's lawyers instead. I guess they must have a contingency for CUK member v CUK member, perhaps they have another firm retained for such cases.


----------



## Richard A Thackeray (23 Jun 2019)

I know I wrote, on page 4 that I've had BCF/BC cover for many years, but a friend was knocked off a few years ago, & due to the 3rd party 'muddying the waters' (denying what had been stated/wrote at the time), it's taken till recently to sort out

I think it was 5 years, due to this, but he got a payout last year

British Cycling did it for him!


----------



## Crankarm (23 Jun 2019)

Any cyclist who rides on the roads or indeed off-road who doesn't have insurance must have rocks in their head. I just can't believe there are so many tight wads out there. The cost of 3rd party liability insurance whether through BC or CyclingUK is hardly a lot of money and you get to support cycling. And should a 3rd party claim against you then you are covered rather than losing everything and being bankrupted if the claim is successful.


----------



## mustang1 (24 Jun 2019)

Does the insurance cost for BC go up every year? £35 or £39 seems slightly on the high side but probably worth getting. 

But I wonder if this is bait price and then it is increased in subsequent years?


----------



## vickster (24 Jun 2019)

mustang1 said:


> Does the insurance cost for BC go up every year? £35 or £39 seems slightly on the high side but probably worth getting.
> 
> But I wonder if this is bait price and then it is increased in subsequent years?


Yes. Up into the 40s now for Ride cover. You get a bit off for auto renewal I think


----------



## mustang1 (24 Jun 2019)

What got me thinking about this thread was a certain yoga teacher who has been in the news lately while crossing the road staring at her phone yet the cyclist has to pay out.


----------



## Phaeton (24 Jun 2019)

mustang1 said:


> What got me thinking about this thread was a certain yoga teacher who has been in the news lately while crossing the road staring at her phone yet the cyclist has to pay out.


https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/b...ip-is-it-worth-the-£35-10.235808/post-5657485


----------



## Mo1959 (24 Jun 2019)

I had let my British Cycling one lapse but have just joined Cycling Uk. Peace of mind re insurance, plus they seem to offer more firms where I would use the discounts.


----------



## SpokeyDokey (24 Jun 2019)

BC Ride for me - I too like to have the peace of mind it brings.

The price does seem to go up by more than inflation each year plus the discount etc benefits are not much use to me - especially once you take out the Evans & Halfords exclusions. BC could possibly work a bit harder at these to make them genuinely useful.


----------



## Chris S (25 Jun 2019)

Phaeton said:


> *Liability Insurance and Legal Assistance* So this is really all I'm buying it for, but in the 50 years I've been riding a bike I've never got into a situation where this has been needed. But that's not so say I won't tomorrow.



You can get bicycle theft and Public Liability insurance for just £16.61
https://www.lexhaminsurance.co.uk/products/cycle-insurance/

Given the recent publicity about a pedestrian being awarded £4000 for walking in front of a cyclist you can guarantee others will accidentally do the same.


----------



## Tom B (25 Jun 2019)

Chris S said:


> You can get bicycle theft and Public Liability insurance for just £16.61
> 
> 
> .



For a bike worth £200

I just can't make bike insurance add up especially the theft aspect when.you consider the excesses.

My nothing special stable would cost £180 per annum. That's two thirds of my car insurance. I'll stick with cycle UK, house insurance (adding bikes away from home added about 28quid) and self insure the difference.


----------



## iandg (26 Jun 2019)

I have a certificate and badge for more than 25 years CTC mebership. I joined BC (ride membership) when we formed Hebridean CC and registered with Scottish Cycling (a requirement for officials to be members). I cancelled my CTC membership at about the same time as they became CUK.

I've just moved to Dumfries and started to ride with the local CUK group so have taken up my membership again - so I'm currently a member of both organisations.

Having moved to a more urban area I looked at cycle insurance - BC insurers quote £17/month and CUK insurers £24/month for the cover I want. Doesn't seem worth letting my BC membership lapse for that saving.

As a foot note. Used CTC legal services back in the 90s when I got hit by a West Midlands double decker bus. The £2000+ damages, associated legal aid etc. worth far more than what I've put in.


----------



## IanSmithCSE (26 Jun 2019)

Good morning,



Chris S said:


> You can get bicycle theft and Public Liability insurance for just £16.61
> https://www.lexhaminsurance.co.uk/products/cycle-insurance/
> 
> Given the recent publicity about a pedestrian being awarded £4000 for walking in front of a cyclist you can guarantee others will accidentally do the same.



I would be cautious going to a general broker for bike insurance as you need to read the policy documents and think about what they are saying.

I have just scanned the policy documents for the policy linked to above and saw this in the eligibility section,

*Your cycle is owned by you and permanently kept at your address within the UK; *

So Cycle To Work type schemes where you don't own the bike appear to be excluded.

_*When your policy will end 
The benefits provided under your policy will cease on the earliest of the following: 
a) The end date, as shown on your policy schedule; 
b) The cycle is sold or transferred to a new owner; 
c) The claim limit has been reached;*_

_*Change of circumstances 
You must immediately advise the Administrator if any of the following circumstances change, at any point during the period of insurance: 
You are no longer a permanent resident of the United Kingdom; 
You change your address; 
You change or dispose of your cycle;*_

So it is pretty clear to me that this policy is aimed at the person with one bike, whose value must have been correctly declared when they took the policy out.

It seems to be bike insurance with third party liability thrown in, so if you have multiple bikes and are riding one which was not one you declared or are riding on a borrowed bike then you are not going to be covered.

I would much rather have CUK/BC cover as they have a lot more to lose if they declare that you are not covered.

Bye

Ian


----------



## Crankarm (26 Jun 2019)

Chris S said:


> You can get bicycle theft and Public Liability insurance for just £16.61
> https://www.lexhaminsurance.co.uk/products/cycle-insurance/
> 
> Given the recent publicity about a pedestrian being awarded £4000 for walking in front of a cyclist you can guarantee others will accidentally do the same.



This seems like a waste of money. You don't get any of the benefits joining a cycling organisation provides such as member discounts and you are NOT supporting cycling. You are just giving your cash to the insurance industry. I would also check the small print very closely as there will no doubt be clauses limiting liability i.e. getting out of paying up.


----------



## Crankarm (26 Jun 2019)

Tom B said:


> For a bike worth £200
> 
> I just can't make bike insurance add up especially the theft aspect when.you consider the excesses.
> 
> My nothing special stable would cost £180 per annum. That's two thirds of my car insurance. I'll stick with cycle UK, house insurance (adding bikes away from home added about 28quid) and self insure the difference.



It is more cost effective to have bicycles themselves insured on general house contents insurance. Specifically insuring against loss or bike theft is extremely expensive and prohibitive especially if you live in a dodgy area. Spend your money on very good security instead. The cover you must have is 3rd party cover as the instant case of Yoga mobile zombie woman suing the cyclist she collided with demonstrates.


----------



## byegad (26 Jun 2019)

Crankarm said:


> It is more cost effective to have bicycles themselves insured on general house contents insurance. Specifically insuring against loss or bike theft is extremely expensive and prohibitive especially if you live in a dodgy area. Spend your money on very good security instead. The cover you must have is 3rd party cover as the instant case of Yoga mobile zombie woman suing the cyclist she collided with demonstrates.



That works until, as happened to me some 10 years ago, it changes. The house insurer unilaterally decided, at renewal, that they'd not cover bikes valued over £500, at all. I used to get cover from them at extra cost for my 5 most expensive bikes:-
A Thorn Club Tour, value £1000, a recumbent bike, value £1600 and three recumbent trikes, worth a total of £6000.

Since then more and more house insurers have done this and, last time I looked I found nobody offering cover for that kind of values of bikes.

A separate policy from a specialist insurer comes at over 10% of your value. As our 'fleet' of 9 bikes valued out at over £12k I decided to risk it, saving well over £1200/annum. Since then I've had
no reason to claim and several bikes and trikes have been sold. So if the worst happened and I re-purchased our entire fleet I'd still be well in pocket.


----------



## Phaeton (26 Jun 2019)

byegad said:


> As our 'fleet' of 9 bikes valued out at over £12k I decided to risk it, saving well over £1200/annum. Since then I've had no reason to claim and several bikes and trikes have been sold. So if the worst happened and I re-purchased our entire fleet I'd still be in well pocket.


This is the whole issue, I've rode bikes for over 50 years off & on, never had a need to have 3PL so logically saved a bundle, but it only takes one incident, my natural reaction is to continue as I am without, as I cannot see me using any of the discounts as others have mentioned if I do not need to claim, I suppose part of it is peace of mind.


----------



## vickster (26 Jun 2019)

I’m with Lloyd’s. Cover unnamed bikes up to £1500 if I recall, those over are straightforwardly insured as named items. My whole buildings and contents Bill was under £300 in an E rated area. I do accept there’s a £200 excess so wouldn’t be any point claiming for a £200 bike (I don’t have any of those however)

BC for liability


----------



## Phaeton (26 Jun 2019)

Cycleplan https://www.cycleplan.co.uk/options are now offering 25% off so you can get £1M cover with waiver for £9.99 can somebody check it over, as although that is 3PL there is no Legal cover unless I'm reading it wrong & you can use the 3PL to cover the legal as well. https://www.cycleplan.co.uk/importantdocuments


----------



## Tom B (26 Jun 2019)

byegad said:


> That works until, as happened to me some 10 years ago, it changes. The house insurer unilaterally decided, at renewal, that they'd not cover bikes valued over £500, at all. I used to get cover from them at extra cost for my 5 most expensive bikes:-
> A Thorn Club Tour, value £1000, a recumbent bike, value £1600 and three recumbent trikes, worth a total of £6000.



In fairness I check stuff like that at renewal and generally you'll find they have different policies for new and existing customers with different excess away from the headline excesses.

Its also worth double checking with them prior to buying or during the cooling off period.

Another thing to watch is make sure your bikes are covered on the policy even after adding them on a comparison site quote generator wizard.

Insurance companies are often sharks and policies need careful checking. The best advice I ever got was to only use defaquto 5 star insurers. The price difference is usually minimal between the star rated insurers and often the same companies offer differing policies.

Thankfully, touch wood, never had to claim personally but I have for my parents and for a commercial policy.

One of my favourite Churchill Quotes is

If I had my way, I would write the word ‘insure’ upon the door of every cottage and upon the blotting book of every public man, because I am convinced, for sacrifices so small, families and estates can be protected against catastrophes which would otherwise smash them up forever.

Agreed though the TP insurance as bundled with some of these memberships is insane value. I'd be happy with the membership fee for the ctc simply for their work and magazines.


----------



## Crankarm (26 Jun 2019)

Phaeton said:


> This is the whole issue, I've rode bikes for over 50 years off & on, never had a need to have 3PL so logically saved a bundle, but it only takes one incident, my natural reaction is to continue as I am without, as I cannot see me using any of the discounts as others have mentioned if I do not need to claim, I suppose part of it is peace of mind.



But 3rd party liability is different to insuring your bikes against theft, damage or total loss. You are insuring yourself against any claims AGAINST you which could if a claimant ends up in a bad way or dead be extremely costly. OK if you have very deep pockets like Jeff Bezoz you could self insure, but most people would be bankrupted by being made liable to pay damages to a successful claimant. For my bikes they are on house insurance. Not really bothered about this as I prefer to spend money on very secure locks and trackers rather than extortionate specific cycle policies.


----------



## Chris S (26 Jun 2019)

Tom B said:


> For a bike worth £200


My bike would cost £50-100 to replace so this would suit me just fine. I only want the Third Party insurance, the theft is a bonus.


----------



## Richard A Thackeray (27 Jun 2019)

Chris S said:


> You can get bicycle theft and Public Liability insurance for just £16.61
> https://www.lexhaminsurance.co.uk/products/cycle-insurance/
> 
> Given the recent publicity about a pedestrian being awarded £4000 for walking in front of a cyclist you can guarantee others will accidentally do the same.



Apart from any moral reasons to have insurance, cases like the above ^^ highlight the need for it!!


----------



## Crackle (27 Jun 2019)

Phaeton said:


> This is the whole issue, I've rode bikes for over 50 years off & on, never had a need to have 3PL so logically saved a bundle, but it only takes one incident, my natural reaction is to continue as I am without, as I cannot see me using any of the discounts as others have mentioned if I do not need to claim, I suppose part of it is peace of mind.


I'm the same. The risk to me is far the greatest part of cycling and the mistake this bloke made was not to sue the woman back. I am thinking about it a little more these days as I get older and more risk averse but I'm not yet convinced.


----------



## Drago (27 Jun 2019)

Phaeton said:


> For £45 ??



Marry a disabled person and become their carer and you get it half price. It's extreme, but that what I did.


----------



## Garry A (28 Jun 2019)

Renewed my BC membership today. Now I'm on a mission to recoup the cost in discounts


----------



## Dm800 (28 Jun 2019)

So what happens if a BC member ends up in a legal dispute with another BC member. I would have thought the same firm of solicitors could not represent both parties?


----------



## Drago (28 Jun 2019)

Its unethical for the same solicitor to do so, bit there are no rules preventing the same firm from doing so, just as long as different solicitors do the deed. In reality the 2nd person to approach the firm would likely be redirected elsewhere.


----------



## vickster (28 Jun 2019)

Dm800 said:


> So what happens if a BC member ends up in a legal dispute with another BC member. I would have thought the same firm of solicitors could not represent both parties?


They don’t. Presumably you’d need to find alternate legal representation.
I have BC to support me should I be knocked off my bike (as happened in 2014) or should I hit a ped or a car. Having an issue with another cyclist is much less likely as I don’t ride in groups, do sportives or race


----------



## Dm800 (28 Jun 2019)

Just found this on BC website.

*What is not covered?*
Unfortunately, the British Cycling Incident Helpline and British Cycling’s solicitors will not support a legal action:


against another British Cycling member.
against a member of one’s immediate family.
where there is a conflict of interest between a member and British Cycling eg. where a claim may be against an organiser or official of a British Cycling registered event(2).
involving contractual, sale of goods and services or product liability issues such as faulty bikes or equipment (see below for information on assistance available if you have injuries which may have been caused by a defect with your bike).
involving criminal legal advice or representation.
where the incident takes place outside of Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands (see below for information on assistance available if you are involved in an incident abroad).
where membership was not current at the time of the incident(3). 
where the incident involves a Ride member taking part in a competitive race or time trial.
where the incident involves a Commute member taking part in cycling events or group cycling activities involving multiple participants, such as races, sportives, club rides and group rides.


----------



## Dm800 (28 Jun 2019)

so in effect if another BC member wipes me out on a group ride and I am seriously injured then my policy is a waste of time and money.


----------



## glasgowcyclist (28 Jun 2019)

Dm800 said:


> so in effect if another BC member wipes me out on a group ride and I am seriously injured then my policy is a waste of time and money.



It depends on how likely you think that outcome is, but yes.
This is why I switched to CUK at my last renewal.


----------



## The Central Scrutinizer (28 Jun 2019)

I am interested in this cover as the other day i came very close to swiping the side of a stationary car.
It seems BC helps you with some legal aid if someone injures you but i could not see that on the CUK website.


----------



## vickster (28 Jun 2019)

The Central Scrutinizer said:


> I am interested in this cover as the other day i came very close to swiping the side of a stationary car.
> It seems BC helps you with some legal aid if someone injures you but i could not see that on the CUK website.


It’s the same for CUK. Different legal firm tho


----------



## Crackle (28 Jun 2019)

The Central Scrutinizer said:


> I am interested in this cover as the other day i came very close to swiping the side of a stationary car.
> It seems BC helps you with some legal aid if someone injures you but i could not see that on the CUK website.


Yeah but it's a car, how would 3rd party insurance help you there?


----------



## vickster (28 Jun 2019)

Crackle said:


> Yeah but it's a car, how would 3rd party insurance help you there?


Covers damage by cyclist to vehicles (3rd party property) too if the fault of said cyclist (and not deliberate)

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/thirdpartyliability


----------



## Crackle (28 Jun 2019)

vickster said:


> Covers damage by cyclist to vehicles (3rd party property) too if the fault of said cyclist (and not deliberate)
> 
> https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/thirdpartyliability


You're right it does, I'm sure it never used to but really, how much damage are you as a cyclist going to do to a car, I think it's faintly ridiculous to consider it for this reason. Be a bit cleverer when you take out your house insurance is my advice.


----------



## vickster (28 Jun 2019)

Crackle said:


> You're right it does, I'm sure it never used to but really, how much damage are you as a cyclist going to do to a car, I think it's faintly ridiculous to consider it for this reason. Be a bit cleverer when you take out your house insurance is my advice.


Could total an £800 electric wing mirror, scrape down a wing or two I guess. Although clearly not my fault, my pedal caused a fair amount of damage apparently when I was knocked off as I and my bike presumably bounced off the side of the car. I guess that could happen if a cyclist were at fault

Ultimately, BC ride is under £50 a year, hardly a kings ransom in the general scheme of things. Legal cover on a home policy is £30 typically I think and not everyone has or needs a home policy


----------



## Crackle (28 Jun 2019)

vickster said:


> Could total an £800 electric wing mirror, scrape down a wing or two I guess. Although clearly not my fault, my pedal caused a fair amount of damage apparently when I was knocked off as I and my bike presumably bounced off the side of the car. I guess that could happen if a cyclist were at fault
> 
> Ultimately, BC ride is under £50 a year, hardly a kings ransom in the general scheme of things. Legal cover on a home policy is £30 typically I think and not everyone has or needs a home policy


You're right, wing mirrors are a ridiculous price but to total one on a pushbike is going to bloody hurt and see you off. I've hit them with motorbikes and not damaged them. My son hit a car abroad on holiday once. I could've claimed on the HI but we agreed for the bloke to go to a garage and get a quote and I gave him the 300 euro. My feeling is if you've done enough damage to a car for a claim against you, you won't be in a position to care.


----------



## vickster (28 Jun 2019)

Crackle said:


> You're right, wing mirrors are a ridiculous price but to total one on a pushbike is going to bloody hurt and see you off. I've hit them with motorbikes and not damaged them. My son hit a car abroad on holiday once. I could've claimed on the HI but we agreed for the bloke to go to a garage and get a quote and I gave him the 300 euro. My feeling is if you've done enough damage to a car for a claim against you, you won't be in a position to care.


It may hurt and you may be injured but that’s not the 3rd party’s fault if you ride into it. Doubt you’d die though


----------



## Crackle (28 Jun 2019)

vickster said:


> It may hurt and you may be injured but that’s not the 3rd party’s fault if you ride into it. Doubt you’d die though


As we've said all along in this thread, it very much depends on your own viewpoint. Personally I doubt very much I'd ride into someone's mirror unless I was forced into it. We all ride fairly defensively on bikes because we're vulnerable. If by chance I did ride into someone's mirror and totalled it, I'd pay for it, I don't need insurance for that. In exactly the same way if in life I did something which damaged something, I'd pay for it, I don't think the risk is any greater on a pushbike, except to me.


----------



## Drago (28 Jun 2019)

Dm800 said:


> so in effect if another BC member wipes me out on a group ride and I am seriously injured then my policy is a waste of time and money.



Which is probably a likely scenario considering the standard of the BC roadcraft.


----------



## steverob (28 Jun 2019)

I wonder what would happen if you were in an incident with another BC member, but they weren't cycling at the time and you were - for example, they were in a car, or were a pedestrian. Would the "can't claim against other BC members" clause still be in effect there? You'd think not, but at the same time it doesn't explicitly say "when on a bike".


----------



## vickster (28 Jun 2019)

steverob said:


> I wonder what would happen if you were in an incident with another BC member, but they weren't cycling at the time and you were - for example, they were in a car, or were a pedestrian. Would the "can't claim against other BC members" clause still be in effect there? You'd think not, but at the same time it doesn't explicity say "when on a bike".


Email and ask them. But I’d say the chances of either were minimal unless you happened so be at a BC event


----------



## vickster (28 Jun 2019)

Crackle said:


> As we've said all along in this thread, it very much depends on your own viewpoint. Personally I doubt very much I'd ride into someone's mirror unless I was forced into it. We all ride fairly defensively on bikes because we're vulnerable. If by chance I did ride into someone's mirror and totalled it, I'd pay for it, I don't need insurance for that. In exactly the same way if in life I did something which damaged something, I'd pay for it, I don't think the risk is any greater on a pushbike, except to me.


Indeed and I have BC membership to cover me on a bike against a car or a pedestrian against me on a bike


----------



## Tom B (29 Jun 2019)

Crackle said:


> As we've said all along in this thread, it very much depends on your own viewpoint. Personally I doubt very much I'd ride into someone's mirror



Given that proclaimation I'd give it month!

I've done it. Was riding the MTB with wide bars after being used to a bike with narrower bars.

Clipped and knocked a mirror off a parked nearly new van, owned by a large utility company. Glass broke and the painted cover was scratched. 

To my amazement the guy didn't care and said it was fine and to leave it with him. 

So I did


----------



## Crackle (29 Jun 2019)

Tom B said:


> Given that proclaimation I'd give it month!
> 
> I've done it. Was riding the MTB with wide bars after being used to a bike with narrower bars.
> 
> ...


probably, it's always tempting fate to say things like that. I'm not completely scott free though. I rode into a lorry wing mirror on my chopper once but my head took that one. I hit it so hard my feet came off the pedals. I've hit quite a few on my motorbike weaving through traffic, including one bloke who set off in a kind of slow pursuit but somehow managed to catch me at some lights and remonstrated with me, whereupon I got off my bike got hold of his mirror which was completely facing the wrong way and heaved it back into it's slot like a practised mechanic. I'm not saying I might have had practice at it or anything.....


----------

