We all do our best to avoid incidents, but if the unfortunate happens and you are to blame, it's good to know you have some peace-of-mind cover. With liability insurance, you're covered for third party claims against you for up to £20m.

Our friendly and dedicated team are on hand to take your call on the members incident helpline, and there are no excess fees to pay when a claim is made against you.  We want you to enjoy your daily cycling without the stress.

Liability insurance - learn more

Who is it available to?

Race Gold, Race Silver, Ride and Commute Members

What is Third Party Liability Insurance?

If you are involved in an incident causing injury or property damage that was (or is alleged to have been) your fault your insurance cover may indemnify you in respect of the legal costs of defending a third party claim and any resulting damages awarded against you. Cover is up to a limit of £20 million(6) and British Cycling will pay any insurance excess that applies.

Who is covered?

• Race Gold, Race Silver, Ride and Commute Members who are normally resident in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

What is covered?

• Incidents in which you are involved whilst riding or wheeling your bike (including an e-bike(7)) and which are alleged to have been your fault.

• Physical injury to third parties caused by your actions.

• Damage to third party property caused by you.

• Legal costs incurred in forming your defence.

• Damages awarded against you following a successful claim by a third party.

• Total cover for legal costs and awards of up to £20m(6).

Race Gold and Race Silver members benefit from individual liability insurance for competitive cycling events held under the auspices of British Cycling and whilst participating in competitive events held under the auspices of other cycling organisations whose rules and regulations (including Event Safety Guidelines) are acceptable to British Cycling.

Race Gold, Race Silver and Ride members benefit from individual liability insurance cover for non-competitive, social, leisure, utility cycling and commuting and also whilst participating in timed events such as sportives.

Commute members benefit from individual liability insurance cover for utility cycling and commuting only. Cover does not extend to participation in cycling events or group cycling activities involving multiple participants, such as races, sportives, club rides and group rides.

British Cycling’s member liability insurance is arranged on a ‘primary specific’ basis - which means that a claim will not be referred to any other insurance policy that our members may have.  It should however be noted that whilst cover is provided on a worldwide basis, members travelling to the United States of America or its incorporated or unincorporated territories or Canada or its territories or provinces will be insured on a contingent(1) basis and only if they have travel insurance that includes personal liability for the cycling activities that they are planning to undertake.

What is not covered?

Important exclusions include:

• Business use (e.g. cycle courier) but commuting is covered.
• Deliberate acts.
• The following member to member liability claims (claims made against one British Cycling member by another(2)):
• One member against another in a cycling competition, race, time trial or timed event(3).
• Any liability directly or indirectly caused to a member’s immediate family.
• Claims against members who are not resident in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands(4).

Events held under the auspices of other cycling organisations

Cover at events is restricted to those events held under the auspices of British Cycling and whilst participating in competitive events held under the auspices of other cycling organisations whose rules and regulations (including Event Safety Guidelines) are acceptable to British Cycling(5).

The following organisations promote competitive events under rules and regulations (including Event Safety Guidelines) that are acceptable to British Cycling(5):

• Scottish Cycling (Scottish Cyclists’ Union)

• Welsh Cycling (Welsh Cycling Union)

• Cycling Time Trials (CTT)

• BSCA (British Schools Cycling Association)

• BUCS (British Universities & Colleges Sport)

• UCI affiliated National Governing Bodies

Event guidance notes for members

• Always check that the event is insured. Before participating in competitive events always consult the event organiser with regard to the existence and extent of liability insurance cover provided for all riders and officials.
• Check how much cover is in place. Whilst members may be covered under the organiser’s insurance arrangements they should be aware that some cycling organisations and promoters of competitive cycling events provide a significantly lower level of indemnity for their riders and officials

• Will you have to pay an excess? Some organisers buy insurance that may leave the member found to be at fault paying a large ‘excess’

• Make sure cover is not just ‘contingent’. Some cycling organisations may only arrange ‘contingent’ liability insurance cover for their event, which means that their policy will only provide cover in the absence of any other insurance policy. Under these circumstances any other insurance cover that the member or participant may have will be at risk

Events held under the auspices of British Cycling and insured under British Cycling’s policy enjoy primary, not contingent, cover, have a policy limit of £20m(6) and insured members are not expected to pay an excess.

References:

(1) This means that our insurers will call upon the member’s travel insurance policy in the event of a claim.

(2) A member for these purposes being a British Cycling Race Gold, Race Silver, Ride or Commute member.

(3) Typically, but not exclusively, a Sportive or other such organised mass participation event where times are recorded.

(4) This exclusion does not apply to members of the armed forces temporarily abroad.

(5) Correct as at 1st April 2014. Members wishing to check whether or not their individual insurance cover extends to a competitive event held under the auspices of another cycling organisation should contact Membership Services on 0161 274 2010.

(6) For incidents occurring on or after 31 March 2021. For incidents occurring between 31 March 2018 and 30 March 2021 the indemnity limit is £15million. For incidents occurring before 31 March 2018 the indemnity limit is £10 million.

(7) E-bike (Electrically assisted pedal cycle) must have pedals that can be used to propel it, the electric motor should have a maximum power output of 250 watts or less, and the motor should not be able to propel the bike when it is travelling more than 15.5mph. In addition your E-bike must display either the power output or manufacturer of the motor, as well as either the battery voltage or maximum speed of the bike, as defined by the manufacturer.
If you want to take part in a cycling event on your e-bike, please check with the event organiser whether there are any rules governing the use of e-bikes.