More and more French people have taken the plunge by investing in electric bikes . Growth has been constant for several years in this new ecological means of travel and this trend is not ready to stop, despite the relative shortage of electric bikes.
Known to be expensive to purchase, VAEs have steadily declined since then, in particular thanks to various subsidies from communities encouraging their citizens to travel by electric bike. But is it necessary to take out electric bike insurance? What about the civil liability guarantee? Does my home insurance cover my own damage in the event of an accident? We answer your questions in this electric bike insurance guide.
What are the different types of bicycles on the market?
Just like classic bikes, there are as many types of bikes as there are practices for electric bikes. Before taking out insurance for an electric bike , it is important to point out that approval for riding on public roads in France requires a motor with a maximum power of 250W that can couple its electric assistance up to 25 km/ h only .
Beyond that, it is by calf strength alone that you must push your two wheels. Note that the electrical part only comes into play when the user continues pedaling. it cannot be a trigger to control its acceleration.
an electrically assisted bicycle (VAE)
The VAE is found both on urban models such as city electric bikes and on folding electric bikes for ease of transport or storage.
Whether electric VTC or electric mountain bike , the maximum power does not change and you have to be satisfied with a maximum speed of 25 km/h with electric assistance. The difference can nevertheless come down to the battery that equips the VAE. The latter can offer more or less autonomy depending on the use of the electric bike.
An electric cargo bike
In exclusively urban environments, the electric cargobike is increasingly developing. Particularly robust with a very often massive appearance, It is designed for transporting either goods or children, all with reduced effort.
Thus, the electric cargo bike can completely replace a car or even a small utility vehicle. It is therefore very practical as an ecological means of travel, with heavy loads and ease of maneuvering in the city. On these bikes, we find both electric scooters with either a large luggage rack at the front or at the rear or a towed trailer , but also electric scooters with 3 wheels for better stability.
a classic bike having received an electrification kit
There has recently become a relatively simple and effective method for converting your old classic bicycle into an electrically assisted bicycle. With an electrification kit including an electric motor, a battery and a controller, your old bike can be modernized very simply.
This does not differ from a new VAE sold in terms of insurance, as long as it respects the 250W standard for its motor. This must still not exceed 25 km/h in its assistance, just like the fact of having to pedal to continue to activate the electric mode.
a speedbike with compulsory insurance
Called fast electric bikes, or even Speedbike, these two wheels do not comply with French regulations to qualify as an “electric bike”. These move into another category which are mopeds. Allowing you to travel up to 45 km/h with assistance and equipped with a powerful electric motor, the speedbike is an alternative to the electric motorcycle or scooter. Their legislation is the subject of a specificity requiring the wearing of a helmet obligatory for their use, to have a license plate to travel as well as insurance .
Is electric bike insurance compulsory?
To answer simply, no, insurance is not mandatory to ride an electric bike unlike an electric scooter . This is, however, recommended given the high cost of certain electric bikes.
Faced with the ever-increasing number of thefts, the government is forcing cycle sellers to provide each new bicycle (electric or not) with mandatory marking in order to be able to find the owner more easily. But that’s not just the goal. This involves both discouraging theft and receiving stolen goods, while offering better security to the user on a daily basis.
The helmet is also not obligatory but strongly recommended for VAE
For e-bikes, wearing a helmet is not a compulsory accessory (except for children under 12 years old). However, when cycling it is strongly recommended because it is very useful in the event of a fall. In fact, the majority of cycling accidents result in hematomas and head injuries. It is therefore better to be protected, especially on an electric bike that can easily pick up speed without effort.
If possible, please do not use a used helmet but a new bicycle helmet because we cannot know the possible damage that a second-hand model has already suffered.
How to insure your electric bike (VAE)?
As we have seen previously, the electric bike is therefore assimilated to the classic bike without a motor and does not necessarily require electric bike insurance. However, depending on the price of the VAE, it may be wise to check with your insurer to find out the most advantageous rates, particularly if you drive regularly.
Remember that most insurance companies refuse to cover you if your electrically assisted bicycle does not have approval. Find out more about this before buying your approved bike!
Things to check before taking out bike insurance
As a preamble, it is useful to have in your possession the following documents, which will be requested from you by the insurer to carry out the necessary procedures for insurance of an electric bike:
- the invoice for your electric bike (VAE)
- the serial number of your electric bike
- the invoice for an anti-theft device (a model which appears in the list of brands authorized by the insurer)
With these documents in hand, you have all the cards in hand to simply take out electric bike insurance and find the best price.
civil liability insurance guarantee
If you do not have a home comprehensive insurance policy, it is advisable to take out a civil liability guarantee contract with an insurer. It covers damage you could cause to others with your bike.
In the case of a multi-risk home contract, this guarantee also covers members living under your roof. Useful if a member of your family, especially a child, has an accident with your electric bike.
guaranteed material damage bicycle insurance
Be careful, however, because although the civil liability guarantee covers damage caused to others, it does not cover your own damage as well as that of your electric bike. To fully protect yourself in the event of a fall, collision with an animal for example, or even an act of vandalism on your electric bike, you therefore need material damage insurance.
This guarantee will then cover the repair of the electric bike or its replacement if repair is impossible.
bicycle insurance guarantee against theft
If the investment in an electric bike is relatively expensive, we can only advise you to take out theft insurance. If the certified lock is mandatory when taking out this insurance, in the case of an electric bike the insurance company may require attachment by at least 2 locks. Generally with a lock attached to the frame of the electric bike, as well as a second to protect against theft of the battery if it is removable.
Please note that since January 1, 2021 , marking is mandatory when purchasing a new electric bike. If your electric bike was purchased before this date, consider equipping your bike with an inexpensive secure label allowing the identification of your bike. Even if this marking does not prevent theft, it can act both as a deterrent to thieves and fences, but above all to be able to contact you more easily if your bike is found .
Currently nearly 2% of owners recover their cycle in the event of theft. This figure could increase considerably with the installation of these labels making it easy to find the owners in the event of theft or even loss of the VAE. Because if today there are approximately 400,000 bicycles stolen each year, the police can trace, in the more or less long term, almost a quarter of these bicycles (around 100,000). Unfortunately, due to lack of identification, few are returned to their owners.
So remember to tell your electric bike insurance if it is equipped with such an identification system against theft. This should affect the price of the insurance contract.
Is it ultimately useful to take out electric bike insurance?
If electric bike insurance is not compulsory, we advise our customers to find out more about the different insurers. If civil liability covers you on a daily basis on the road, the purchase of an electric bike is an investment which in our opinion requires good coverage.
In the event of theft or accident, coverage of various costs is often well reimbursed by insurance companies. It remains up to you to take the steps to find the best price for your bike insurance, based on your budget.