Insurance for hire bike in Spain

[robjh]

I'm off to Spain soon for a week cycling with friends based on the Costa Blanca - a popular area for this sort of thing - and was planning to hire a bike out there. Some of the bike rental places there seem to offer their own insurance or indemnity against accidental damage to their bikes - and some don't - but all state that loss or theft of bike are not covered at all, and that the renter will be liable for the full replacement cost of the bike. As many of these bikes tend towards the higher end of the market, these costs could run into several 1000s of pounds.

I find a few travel insurers may cover up to say £300 to £600 worth of damage, but none will go near these amounts, and my household insurance will not cover liabilities for rented equipment. A lot of online comment stresses that thefts are rare anyway, and that thousands of tourists take this risk without any consequences.

Any thoughts on this? Is it just a negligeable risk that you have to accept? Anyone had bad experiences through being under-insured for a rental bike, or know of insurers who would cover this at a sensible price?

 

[slowmotion]

See if your home contents insurer will cover it.

 

[PaulSB]

If it's only loss or theft you have to cover I wouldn't bother with insurance. Treat like your own, hotel room at night, sit nearby at the cafe etc. and you won't have a problem.

 

[HLaB]

I've been to costa blanca three times and IMO its a negligible risk, especially in the mountains. The once I stayed in Denia there was no problem with my hire bike along with other hire bikes being stored in a shed and the twice I went to Calpe, I kept it in the room. In fact I've never had any problem with any hire bike locations or whenever I've travelled abroad with my own bike.