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CyclePlan Review: A Measured Look at Insurance for Cyclists

The thing about insurance is that you never really want to need it. This is especially true if you're a cyclist, where the most expensive thing you own might not be your house or your car, but your Pinarello. Enter CyclePlan - a UK-based insurer pitching itself as the bicycle enthusiast’s best mate. It's been around a while, more than 20 years apparently, which in insurance terms is roughly equivalent to venerable old age. But maturity is not the same as wisdom. And sticking around doesn’t always mean standing out.

The Basics: What CyclePlan Actually Offers

CyclePlan is a trading name of The Insurance Surgery, a broker that also dabbles in covering other niches. Their bicycle insurance ticks most of the boxes you’d expect from serious cycling coverage: theft, accidental damage, vandalism, personal accident, third-party liability. In short - typical stuff, dressed up neatly with branding that's vigorously cycle-positive.

One of the bigger carrots here is that CyclePlan doesn’t charge excess on theft claims. That’s unusual, and for those who’ve faced the administratively grim reality of getting their stolen bike covered, it’s one less moment of despair. Another eyebrow-raiser: they’ll cover claims up to £30,000. Generous, theoretically enough to replace a meticulously specced dream build - or at least make a serious dent in the guilt of losing it.

Third-party public liability cover is offered up to £5 million, which sounds impressive. Though you'd be forgiven for wondering what exactly one would have to do on a pushbike to rack up damages on that scale. A critical mass collision in Mayfair, perhaps?

Perks, with Caveats

CyclePlan claims flexibility is its thing. You can insure multiple bikes and knock a few pounds off with their multi-bike discount. Coverage can be expanded to include family members. You even get a 30-day cooling-off period - if you have commitment issues or suddenly decide you're more of a pedestrian these days.

But, as with any insurance, you're only as protected as your exclusions page is short - and CyclePlan's is not especially brisk reading. International travel, for instance, is a grey area unless you’ve shelled out for their additional worldwide cover. And even then, don't expect your insurance to be helpful while your bike is chewing time in an overhead locker. Many cyclists will miss these nuances, too deep in dreams of Stelvio descents and Tuscan gravel.

Global Tribulations

Speaking of international cover - CyclePlan does offer it. There’s no acrobatic pricing structure; it's fixed, which is nice. But as with any policy that courts globetrotting travellers, there are footnotes to read, especially if you're cycling anywhere more exotic than Bruges. Expect limitations that become apparent only when you need them least - mid-crash in a rural switchback, say.

Without naming specific regions or alert levels, the fine print seems to quietly suggest that not all destinations are made equal. But if your idea of ‘cycling abroad’ mostly involves riding to the French bakery each morning while on holiday, you're probably safe.

What's Missing?

CyclePlan doesn't offer much in the way of digital integration. There’s no app, no fancy usage-based tracking, no Strava integration - things that other "modern" insurers like Laka have started to toy with. It's refreshingly old-school, but that may disappoint those hoping for a slick, connected experience.

On the plus side, CyclePlan appears unburdened by gimmicks. No celebrity partnerships, no morally ambiguous sustainability pledges, no AI-powered claims adjusters (though one wouldn’t bet against that in the fine print someday). What you get is insurance paperwork that looks and behaves roughly the way it always has - still mostly reliant on phone numbers and PDFs.

Should You Insure With Them?

If you're the sort who quietly obsesses over drivetrain upkeep and keeps your frame indoors at night, you’re probably already investigating CyclePlan or something like it. If you’re newer to cycling - and wouldn’t immediately notice your bike going missing for a few days - you might be fine rolling the dice.

Against alternatives like Yellow Jersey or British Cycling’s included member benefits, CyclePlan positions itself as solid middle-ground. Not the cheapest, not the flashiest, but competent.

And yes, for those wondering: your homeowner’s insurance might cover your bike. Just don’t look too closely when it doesn’t, or when they say you left your carbon-framed liability "unsecured" because it was only locked to itself in a city centre.

The Bottom Line

CyclePlan is not radical, but that’s not a criticism. It doesn’t need to be. It offers well-rounded bike insurance with a few standout details, like no theft excess and the ability to cover multiple bikes and users. It quietly over-delivers in some areas, especially if you value customer service over app design.

Still, it’s not the last word in innovative cycling protection. You’ll need to read the policy carefully, especially if your lifestyle includes airports, races, or anything not covered by the clean symmetry of a Sunday loop around the suburbs.

As with all insurance, you’re buying something you hope you’ll never use - but paying for it anyway. In CyclePlan’s case, at least the transaction is mostly painless. Even if the paperwork, like aero handlebars, always takes a little getting used to.

What you need to know