Bike stolen, no lock on - will insurance pay?

[Luisa]

Hello,

 

My first post here is an unhappy one....

Last wednesday my bike was stollen in Angel, London. I have an Oxford hardcore chain that I use to lock it when I'm parked at home but that I don't carry with me when I'm out and about, due to how heavy and large it is.
Obviously I now wish I had...

 

I'm insured for Theft but since the bike wasn't secured with the lock will I be entitled to any compensation?

Does anyone have a similar experience and can share any insights?

 

Thank you,
 

Edited February 21, 2022 by Luisa

[Ian Frog]

Hi

You might like to change your post a little on a public forum.

It`s a shame to hear your bike was stolen complete with the lock and chain.

Cheers

Ian

[Guest]

Might depend on what you declared when you took out the policy. If you told them it would be secured with a lock but haven't used one, guessing it could be an issue. 

[daveinlim]

It depends on what you declared on your insurance. I've found that putting locks on my policy didn't reduce the premium so I didn't put it on.

If you had the steering lock on then you might be ok. 

[Bender]

14 minutes ago, daveinlim said:

It depends on what you declared on your insurance. I've found that putting locks on my policy didn't reduce the premium so I didn't put it on.

If you had the steering lock on then you might be ok. 

Same here, even though I use one, adding security made no difference to policy price. 

 

In London though I can imagine it makes a  big difference. 

[daveinlim]

1 minute ago, Bender said:

Same here, even though I use one, adding security made no difference to policy price. 

 

In London though I can imagine it makes a  big difference. 

 

I'm fairly central in London and chains, locks etc even sold secure ones meant nothing to the policy with mce. Even a tracker had minimal effect so my policy has no security named in it. For the sake of literally a few pounds at least as long as I have the steering lock on I'm covered.

Having said that my bike always has multiple locks and other security regardless of where I go. 

[Bender]

1 minute ago, daveinlim said:

 

I'm fairly central in London and chains, locks etc even sold secure ones meant nothing to the policy with mce. Even a tracker had minimal effect so my policy has no security named in it. For the sake of literally a few pounds at least as long as I have the steering lock on I'm covered.

Having said that my bike always has multiple locks and other security regardless of where I go. 

Mce didn't care, they were never paying out  

[Luisa]

Thanks folk.
Yeah, I'm learning the hard way that you're right, and I shouldn't have named any security... I don't think it made a difference in my quote or at least a significant one... But at the time the focus was to bring the cost down so I've added the chain I use while I'm parked at home. So I think now I'm pretty much f**ked as they are asking if it was on at the time of the theft.

[MikeHorton]

Take a read of your t's & c's of your policy. Sometimes you can quote that. My wife had a house insurance claim denied many moons ago when we first met. I was able to throw their conditions  back at them and they paid up. Don't give up without reading it fully 

[S-Westerly]

Your lock WAS on and the toerags stole it anyway. There's enough portable angle grinders being used for just that in London. 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Did you receive a significant discount on your premium for having the lock? If you got, for example, a 10% reduction then you ought to expect a similar reduction in payout if the lock wasn't used.

 

If there was no reduction then the insurance don't see it as significantly reducing their risk. In which case I would play them at their own game and do as @S-Westerly suggested.

 

I'm pretty sure that mine is based on my home security arrangements which are clearly not portable. I use alarmed disc locks when on the move. 

[Luisa]

Thank you all for the comments and suggestions!
Problem is there's CCTV of it... Not sure if they can request it to the police?

[husoi]

I strongly advise @Stu or any admin to delete this thread and as @Ian Frogsays you need to be cautious in stating that you didn't lock the bike properly.

 

If you check the T&C's and exclusions it will be clear that if you declare (or they can proof) the bike wasn't lock they will declare the policy void and you won't get anything.

 

Whatever you have said to the insurer you must make sure the lock is never mentioned unless you're asked. Then you need to either say that it was locked and the bike was taken with it or say that you can't really remember (both subject to fraud investigation).

 

The bottom line is, you are at risk of not getting compensated because you didn't comply with T&C's on your policy.

[Stu]

Just now, husoi said:

I strongly advise @Stu or any admin

 

For what reason?  

[husoi]

Just now, Stu said:

 

For what reason?  

Because insurance companies will look for any excuse to not pay out and you can be sure they will look for anything everywhere...

[Stu]

Just now, husoi said:

Because insurance companies will look for any excuse to not pay out and you can be sure they will look for anything everywhere...

 

This is true but I can't see them trawling forums for evidence also the poster could be any one of the thousands of bikes stolen each day in London 

 

There is no info to suggest that this post is a real person or who the person actually is 

 

There is nothing publicly available that links usernames/email addresses so insurance would really be clutching at straws 

[Steve_M]

One piece of advice. Do not lie to the insurers. Having done work with the fraud team at my previous employers, I can assure you they take a very dim (legal) view which does not end well.

[MikeHorton]

Just check your policy first. I have garage mentioned in my policy I only have to have to bike in there in the hours if darkness some policies are quite specific in the fact it has to be in there whilst at home not being used. I only mentioned a disc lock and I always use that as its portable. It might me if your bike wasn't locked the policy will only pay out a percentage of the loss, take a look. As said tho don't lie as if they revoke your policy on the grounds of that insurance will become expensive to unobtainable. All may not be lost 

[bonio]

As said, check your policy. Read all the small print. There might be a clause which says what they will do if they bike isn't locked. If there is, then they will stick by it. If there's nothing in the small print, then, as far as I know, they will have to pay out.

[S-Westerly]

Looked at my policy and the bike security only applies to when it's at my place of residence. I don't use it for commuting or for work so I'm not expected to drag full security around wherever I go. My experience with stuff being stolen was all the insurers wanted was a document from the police. Its a motorbike not the crown jewels.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Agreed. My heavy duty lock only says it is used in my garage.

 

If the steering lock is engaged then the bike is locked.

[Luisa]

Thank you all for your suggestions and insights.
My policy explicitly says that if the security device is not applied to the motorbike at the time of theft then the policy will be void. So unfortunately I don't expect I'll get any compensation.

This is all very frustrating as it feels there's no point of having insurance if i'm punished for someone else's crime...

 

But a few lessons learned (the hard way) on my part as well.
 

Cheers

[MikeHorton]

That's not good news sorry to hear that. Hope you can get back on  the road somehow 

[Gerontious]

5 hours ago, Luisa said:

My policy explicitly says that if the security device is not applied to the motorbike at the time of theft then the policy will be void.

this sounds a bit odd to me. Locks and chains are nearly always about the bikes security over night while parked up at home. Not when out and about. I’m fact I’ve never seen a clause like that in the small print. Turning on the bikes own alarm, yes. But not taking a huge chain with you everywhere you go.

[Guest]

I wonder if it refers specifically to the steering lock?