Insurance and Security of my bike

[robbo777]

Hi All

Just going through my insurance and I always say whilst applying that my bike has an Almax secrity 4 chain and padlock, which it does but only whilst locked up in my garage. The chain weighs around 16KG's so I never take it out anywhere with me.
So my question is, would I be covered if my bike was stolen away from my home without this chain fitted?

[Riejufixing]

Give 'em a buzz and find out.

[Kentol750]

Before calling, look through policy. You don't want to invalidate your insurance and have them charge you.
____________________
Some bikes.

[Freddyfruitba...]

[Ste]

You should check your documents and or phone your insurance company but I'm sure that they do require you to use your chain when you're away from home.

In the event of your bike being stolen when you haven't locked it up with the Almax, your insurance company will laugh at you.

I wouldn't bother declare the chain to the insurance company in the first place. By declaring it they're expecting you to use the chain every time you park your bike up anywhere.

How much did declaring the chain reduce the price of your insurance?

[-]

[bigdom86]

tbh I wouldn't add any security features when obtaining insurance as if you don't use them on once occassion and it goes missing that will be the card they play to not pay you. only thing I would add would be HISS, YISS etc but thats about it.

I think most insurance T&Cs say you must use a chain or disc lock when parked at all times or it is invalidated? atleast that is what it said on my Lexham insurance whether I claimed to use any devices or not

[chris_hu_cheng]

Insurance is a game, a number of years ago I was working on software development in the insurance industry, they are just playing probabilities.

My Bike insurance just states that that it is invalidated if I leave the keys in the bike, and it made bugger all difference if I selected security devices to price. That is only in consideration of other circumstances though. If I stated security device it would just give them an excuse to not pay out if I hadn't used that device at the time.

Try different combinations, although I was programming car insurance I imagine bikes are similar, occupation can make a big difference if there are more than one that are factually correct try combinations.

Many companies are only trying to be competitive to a selection of customers and are very attentive to their quotes and potential liabilities for that market. For outliers their tables will just quote a BIG number and if anyone is stupid enough to buy it then fair play they will insure it.

There are always gaps, my eldest son, got through the car driving hurdles by learning in a 1980s mini, he got fully comp insurance for himself (accruing no-claims) as an under 20 learner driver (with anyone over 21 and fully licensed sitting in) for just over 400quid. We bought the mini with the money he saved compared to what his mates were paying for insurance (that was five years ago mind). When he passed his insurance was about 350.

Aim to answer everything as least specifically as possible to remove potential excuses, some things are based on combinations of circumstances, sometimes it might make bugger all difference whether you say you are going to keep it in a garage, driveway or anywhere else, other circumstance could be a big difference.

They will take any obvious opportunities to wriggle out of paying out though.

EDIT, I remember on a news item a long time ago there was a teenager in Northern Ireland who was driving around his city on a classic tractor, because he got the insurance for about 80quid or similar which just goes to show ..... something.

[J4mes]

Its much the same as my caravan - I have a hitch lock and 2 wheel locks but I don't declare any of them. Because when you declare them, you're required to have them fitted at all times when the vehicle is unattended, including if you stop at motorway services!!

It cost me an extra £30 to not declare them, but it's worth it so if it does get pinched theres no finger wagging because I didn't have all the security fitted at the time.

[Freddyfruitba...]

Same with declaring a garage - some insurers will then decline a claim for any theft from within a half-mile radius of your home unless it's locked in there (so don't leave the bike on the drive to dry off after washing it)
____________________
KC100->CB100N->CB250RS--------->DL650AL2->R1200RS->R1250RS

[t121anf]

[ThunderGuts]

I've just read through my policy (via Carole Nash) and although I declared a chain (or disklock) at the time of getting the policy, there's nothing in the documentation other than when it's at home and unattended, it must be in the locked garage as per the policy. There's nothing anywhere else in the policy or T&Cs, so that implies that I could theoretically just leave it in a parking space and it'd be covered (although I obviously wouldn't dream of doing so!).

Very much down to the small print . . . if in doubt, as the insurer!
____________________
TG.

[chris_hu_cheng]

[ThunderGuts]

[DJP]

[Joncrete Cungle]

Declare nothing, use something.

[TbirdX]

Hello Mr insurer, my bike was stolen.

Ah, did it have the security devices you specified fitted.

Yes it did, all of them.

If your bike, car caravan was stolen, how would they know what was on it at the time?
____________________
VFR800X - TTR250

[ThatDippyTwat]

For future reference, and as said by many... Declare nothing, use something.

Mine, won't pay out if I leave the keys in it, but I don't have to have the steering lock on (Called to clarify this), nor do I *have* to lock it with any device, but even a simple disc lock prevents most casual/opportunistic thefts. As it is, at home they're locked up to the point if they can get them, they can take them. Anywhere I don't know while out and about gets a cable lock in addition to the disc lock.
____________________
'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[J4mes]

[Wyberton John]

My policy stipulates my ground anchor & chain must be used between the hours of 11pm and 6am.

I have mounting points both in my workshop and outside the back of the house, for summer and fair weather periods.

If the bike gets stolen during those times and I don't have it anchored, I lose 50% of the payout.
____________________
Fazer Thou Gen 1

[Baffler186]

I did a quote using disclock and security chain once, and it came out more expensive than using nothing.

As said, declare nothing, use what you think best.

I still think that if you declare security on quotes, they will think "he must live in a dodgy area or know something we don't" and quote you more, regardless of postcode.
____________________
Current: 2009 SV650 S, 1990 Kawasaki GT550
Previous: 2009 CBF125, 1998 GSF600, 2004 FZ6 Fazer, 1978 CB400a Hondamatic

[Ste]

With the policy that says you have to use a ground anchor & chain between the hours of 11pm and 6am (presumably only when at your home address?), how much cheaper was that than without having the chain and ground anchor declared?