Bicycle accidents – are you insured?
As a result of Covid-19 I, like many people have been cycling much more than I would normally do. When I was cycling recently I came across another cyclist cycling 2 abreast on a busy, narrow two-way cycle lane. The cyclist was chatting to his fellow cyclist and not paying any attention to the road conditions and any cyclists, such as myself, who were cycling in the opposite direction! Thankfully I was able to shout a warning which prompted the other cyclist to look up and move out of the way. It made me wonder what would have happened had he been unable to do so and a crash ensued.
As the lockdown is easing and people are slowly returning to work, many people are thinking of commuting by bicycle. There are already many more bicycles on the road. Whilst most obey the Highway Code and are respectful of other cyclists, road users and pedestrians, sadly there are a few that are not!
What about the pedestrian who is really isn’t paying attention and steps out into a cyclist’s path without looking, or the car driver who just doesn’t look and pulls out in front of a cyclist?
What happens if you are a cyclist involved in an accident?
My colleague has provided some helpful pointers in her last blog.
I am part of an excellent personal injury team at HJA who will be able to assist with making a claim for injuries against someone else if they are responsible for an accident.
What happens if it is not as clear cut as that and both the cyclist and the other party are partly responsible?
As a cyclist, if you are found to have caused or partly caused an accident, you will be personally responsible for paying out the compensation.
You may recall that earlier this year the press reported a case involving an uninsured cyclist who was found to have partly caused an accident and who ended up being personally responsible for a high bill of damages and costs. Thankfully he was able to avoid bankruptcy with the assistance of a crowd funding appeal, but of course that may not be available for other cases.
Is insurance available to a cyclist?
The answer is yes. You may wish to check your home insurance if you are covered and if you are not, consider arranging a separate cover.
You may think that you are automatically insured via your home insurance and whilst that is possible, a survey carried out by Which? in 2018 found that just 2 out of 38 policies analysed provided automatic cover for bikes at home and abroad.
Most people would therefore need to contact their home insurers and add ‘pedal cycle’ cover to their insurance. Alternatively there are a number of independent insurers that can offer cover for a few pounds per month.
If you have suffered an injury in a cycling accident due to somebody’s else negligence, you may be entitled to a compensation. For a free consultation with one of our personal injury experts please call 0808 271 9413 or request a call back online.