How to compare and choose a bike insurance in Belgium ?
With more than 31,000 bikes stolen in Belgium every year, bicycle insurance can be very useful, but how to choose it?! Below we explain what you need to take into account when making your comparison.
How not to be fooled when choosing your bike insurance?
Here are the 7 key points to consider when choosing your bike insurance.
- Deductible and depreciation
- Exclusion during the night
- Do you need a specific anti-theft device?
- Professional use
- Pay attention to the type of bike
- Check the clauses of your home insurance
- The premium
1. Deductible and depreciation
In order to reduce the risk of fraud, the insurer may apply a deductible and/or depreciation of your bicycle in the event of a claim.
The deductible is generally quite easy to understand, for example when a 10% deductible is applied to a €3,000 bike, if your bike is stolen you will be reimbursed €2,700 (i.e. €3,000 - €300).
The English deductible is a kind of beneficial deductible for the customer which is applied to material damage. If the amount of damage is below the English deductible, you pay for your material damage. If the amount of damage is higher than the English deductible, you pay nothing and the insurer pays for the full repair.
Depreciation can in some cases be much less transparent for the customer and can be applied in addition to a deductible. In Belgium, in most cases the insurer applies a depreciation of the value of your bike of 1% per month from the 13th month, but it starts from the date of purchase of your bike, which means that if your bike is stolen after 18 months, you will have to pay the equivalent of an 18% excess!
At Qover-me, we have decided to apply a standard deductible of 10% in case of theft or total loss and an English deductible of 10% in case of repairable material damage, always with a minimum of 50 € and a maximum of 200 €. We do not apply the depreciation, we insure the replacement value of your bike.
Let's take a concrete case:
You bought a new electric bike for €3,000 and you get it stolen after 2 years.
- With an insurer who applies a depreciation from the 13th month of 1%, you will be reimbursed €2,280.
- With Qover-me, you will be reimbursed €2,800.
2. Exclusion during the night
Check the exclusions, many insurance companies exclude from their guarantee the theft of the bike during the night. At Qover-me, your bike is covered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you can make room in your cellar and park your bike outside, respecting the locking measures.
3. Do you need a special anti-theft device?
Some insurances force you to take the best lock on the market which is often heavy and expensive. At Qover-me, we require a lock that is either FUB or Sold Secure Silver (or Gold) approved or ART Category 2 (or higher) approved, you can already find some starting at 45 €. Do not hesitate to ask your bike dealer for advice, he will be happy to help you.
4. Professional use
If you use your bicycle for professional use, be careful, as most insurances exclude professional use. With Qover-me, you can be sure that you are covered even when you are on the road on business.
5. Pay attention to the type of bike
Be careful also to look at the exclusions according to the type of your bike, we have already observed that some competitors don't hesitate to change their conditions if you have a mountain bike or a racing bike, which is not always clear on the website, but nevertheless well detailed in the general conditions.
6. Check the clauses of your home insurance
In general, if you cover your contents, it covers the theft of your bike when it is stolen from your home and in certain circumstances, but it probably does not cover the theft of your bike if you go out for a drink in the city. Check the different exclusions carefully.
7. The premium
And finally the premium. The premium is the amount you will pay each year to insure your bike. ⚠️ Be careful, a low premium often hides exclusions, so read the general terms and conditions carefully before taking out the insurance.
The offer of Qover-me
With Qover-me, have peace of mind by insuring your bike in less than 5 minutes. Get your bike insurance contract online easily.
An efficient complaint management service by phone or 100% digital.
Ask now for a free and non-binding offer for your bike insurance.
