Can I do this for insurance purposes?

[maxrpg]

Hi again fellow bikers,

I don't have a garage, shed, nuclear bunker or invisibility cloak so the only place I feel safe keeping my bike is in the hallway by the front door, which also happens to be the only door in to my ground floor property.

Can I keep my bike in the house and select "Being stored in garage" when getting insurance quotes?

I heard a garage is best because it is a brick structure but so is my house and a lot more secure than any garage. And technically my hallway could be considered a garage from the all the cr*p my partner stores (throws) in there.

The only time my pride and joy will be out of my sight is when I leave it parked/chained/covered in the busy city centre when I go to work.

[Joeman]

Probably not, and will probably invalidate your buildings insurance keeping a bike filled with petrol in the hallway..

[kingmunky]

Have you not got anywhere outside the house or on an external wall where you could fit a ground anchor? That'd be the best solution, you'll still get a reduction on your premium if you use one from the approved list.

[Gerontious]

If you are happy keeping the bike in your house.. then tell the insurers. obviously you will have to keep it inside every night. get lazy.. leave it outside and its stolen, then they wont pay out.

Theres a chap not far from where I live that does the same... keeps his bike in his hallway, he lives in a terrace and has nowhere aside from on the road to keep it.

[maxrpg]

I rent from the local housing authority and only have contents insurance but I'm 90% sure my bike won't spontaneously combust in the hallway.

Where I live is communal so everyone around me has full use of the gardens and do quite often take shortcuts past our windows and door leaving all the gates wide open (young people for you. they just don't care.) and that is why I prefer to keep it indoors. I have purchased a ground anchor from ebay and going to get some of that fast setting postcrete stuff and put it in the ground at the weekend in case the time comes when I do want to leave it outside. I also have a disc lock, grip lock, movement alarm and a wifi security camera trained outside but I still wouldn't feel rite leaving it outside for people to have a fiddle with and possible nick of with as they pass through the yard.

I have asked my housing authority many times for permission to erect a fence (at our own cost) across our yard separating the properties but I'm not allowed. Don't think they care about security.

[Guest]

No, no, no, no, no. Which bit of "no" are you having a problem with? If your housing association finds out about this, you'll be out faster than Usain Bolt. Then you WILL be able to keep your bike in your new accommodation - the gutter! 30 years in the fire service have hinted to me that keeping vehicles containing petrol in living spaces ain't really a great idea. Either for you when it catches fire and you can't get out, your neighbours who did nothing to deserve it or the firefighters who will have to deal with the consequences of your brilliant idea.

"90% sure that the bike isn't going to spontaneously combust in the hallway" equates to a 10% chance that it will. Are you really happy with that? FWIW, it won't be the bike that catches fire, it will be the petrol vapours that WILL leak from it, roll along the ground and find a source of ignition.

PS and if anything did (does?) happen - surprise! You haven't got ANY insurance! At all. And you'll be liable for the entire amount of any damage that will be caused.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Sounds like it might be a no then?! Are there any garages near you? Can you have a look into renting a garage or bit of garage space off someone?

[Guest]

Sounds like it might be a no then?! Are there any garages near you? Can you have a look into renting a garage or bit of garage space off someone?

The problem with this approach is that it is too near to common sense!

[geofferz]

Insurance companies will do anything to not pay out (which is kind of understandable - they're in the money making, not giving, business)...they'll probably trawl your Internet history to find you searching for racing videos and use that to invalidate your insurance in case of a claim*

So, don't lie to them about anything, ever. Otherwise you may as well just not have insurance.

*probs not. But still.