THIRD PARTY LIABILITY INSURANCE
Club membership requires that you have Third Party Liability insurance when riding with the club.
What is Third Party Liability cover?
It is not bike insurance, travel insurance or personal accident insurance! Third Party Liability (also known as public or personal Liability) insurance protects you as an individual against third party claims for personal injury or damage to property.
Typically, it will cover
- Incidents in which you are involved using your bike and which are alleged to have been your fault
- Physical injury to third parties caused by your actions e.g. injury to a pedestrian or fellow cyclist
- Damage to third party property caused by you e.g. damage to a parked car or another bike
- Legal costs incurred in forming your defence.
- Damages awarded against you following a successful claim by a third party.
The limits of indemnity will vary (£1M to £10M per incident) and just like Third Party motor insurance, it is a legal liability / negligence based policy and fault will need to be established for cover to apply.
Who provides it?
Cover can be purchased either from a specialist cycle insurance provider (through the various usual distribution channels) or via a cycling association such as British Cycling, where the third party insurance policy is provided as a benefit of membership.
Why does the club insist on it?
Accidents happen, and in an increasingly litigious society it is essential for VCC members to purchase individual insurance protection for your cycling activities with the club.
Do the policies differ in extent of cover?
Yes.
As with all insurance policies the extent of cover varies greatly and is subject to policy terms conditions and exceptions.
You should consider what type of cycling you are intending to do. Are you only attending club runs or do you participate in time trials and racing? Outside of the Club do you commute to work or attend mass participation events, sportives and triathlons?
What the insurers are prepared to cover differs and you should ensure that all your activities are covered by the insurer you select.
You must check the exclusions too, for example
- British Cycling has a member to member exclusion which excludes the cover for timed events (including sportives and racing) when both parties to an accident are British Cycling members
- LVRC excludes use for commuting to and from work.
Also, check whether an excess applies. Most policies have a nil excess but others will have an excess for Third Party Property Damage (damage to a parked car or another bike). For Velosure it is £500 and for the British Triathlon association it is £250.
This PDF provides a comparison of a selection of insurance providers and associations.
We hope you find this useful background information.
Can I rely on my household insurance?
No. A home policy has many limitations and each is different; the cover might not include Third Party liability, especially whilst racing or participating in an organised event. The home underwriter usually does not ask specific questions on the use of your bike and problems may arise in the event of a claim. VCC requires all members to have a specialist cycling Third Party Liability policy in place.
Is wider cover available?
Yes. Most providers will extend the Public Liability insurance to include other classes of insurance, such as bike insurance, personal accident or travel insurance too. Separate cover for these can also be obtained from many providers.
What should I buy?
It is up to you to arrange cover that meets your particular cycling needs. VCC is not able to advise or recommend any insurance policy.
Do I need to confirm I have placed or renewed cover?
As with any personal insurance it is your responsibility to arrange and maintain the appropriate cover. However, we do ask you to confirm who you have third party insurance cover with when you first join and on renewal each year.
