Unigarant · compared independently · advice from Finass
Bicycle insurance through Unigarant
With an electric bicycle almost all the value is in the battery, the motor and the display, and that is exactly where the lock requirements, the depreciation and the exclusions apply.
The calculator and the quote form below are in Dutch. Prefer to do this in English? Email info@finassverzekert. nl or call 072 - 509 24 56 and we will take it from there.
Work out for yourself what it would cost.
Enter your details; you will receive a proposal within one working day.
We compare the offerings of several insurers
An adviser checks whether the cover suits your situation
A premium indication, not personal advice. Prefer to talk it through? Call 072 - 509 24 56.
In brief
Bicycle insurance (fietsverzekering) is at its core own-damage cover on a movable object: theft, damage and, with some versions, roadside assistance. What the policy is worth becomes clear from the theft conditions. These state which lock is required, what the bicycle must be secured to and how many keys you have to hand in when you claim. Anyone who is a key short receives nothing, however clear the theft may be.
There is also a legal distinction that is often overlooked. An ordinary e-bike with pedal assistance up to twenty-five kilometres per hour is a bicycle. A speed pedelec is a moped: it has a registration number, a helmet requirement and falls under the compulsory liability insurance under Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM). Own-damage cover on a bicycle policy does not replace that statutory obligation.
We therefore first ask about the type, the purchase invoice, the frame number and where it is kept, and then compare the conditions of Unigarant with those of other providers, including bicycle insurance from NH1816.
The structure of the cover in three parts, with an overview per situation below.
Basic cover
The basic cover insures the core of your bicycle insurance. We show what Unigarant and other insurers offer within it.
Injury to persons
Property damage to third parties
Employees included
Retroactive cover (prior risk)
Extended cover
On top of that to damage to third parties, employers' and product liability and damage during work at the client's premises.
Employers' liability at the client's premises
Product liability
Agency workers, interns & volunteers
Care, custody and control (property in your care)
Complete package
The most complete cover. We compare the extended version from Unigarant with the market.
Environmental impairment (unforeseen, limited)
Retroactive cover (prior risk)
Higher sums insured
What is covered
Situation
Theft cover
Comprehensive
Theft away from home, locked with the prescribed lock
Yes
Yes
Theft from a locked shed or store
Provided that
Provided that
Vandalism to the bicycle while parked
Provided that
Yes
Fall or collision damage to the frame
No
Yes
Damage to or theft of the removable battery
Provided that
Provided that
Wear to tyres, brakes and the chain
No
No
An ordinary bicycle and an electric bicycle up to 25 km/h are not motor vehicles: there is no third-party liability requirement, and damage you cause to others with one falls under your personal liability insurance (AVP). A speed pedelec is a motor vehicle and does need its own third-party liability insurance (Article 2 WAM). Almost every policy requires an approved lock and that you keep both keys.
What we do
What we do
At Finass
Direct with Unigarant
Comparison across several insurers
Yes
No
Advice based on your own situation
Yes
Sometimes
One point of contact for claims
Yes
Sometimes
Cancellation with your current insurer arranged
Yes
No
We determine whether Unigarant is the best choice
Yes
No
Advice fees for you as a customer
No
No
This overview concerns our service, not the cover. What is actually covered is set out in the policy conditions and on the insurer's insurance card (verzekeringskaart); you receive both before you take out cover.
Where things go wrong in practice
Four points that make the difference between a policy that pays out and one that does not.
The lock and the keys determine the theft cover
Almost all policy conditions require an approved lock, usually with the ART mark, and require the bicycle to be secured to a fixed object when away from home. When you claim, you have to hand in all the original keys, including the spare key and the code card. If you lost one earlier, report it straight away and have the lock replaced. Explaining a missing key after the event is the most common reason for a claim being declined.
The battery is the most expensive part and the most narrowly covered
Loss of capacity through ageing is wear and not damage; no policy pays for that. Loose batteries stolen from a shed or store often fall outside the cover because they were not attached to the bicycle. Damage from charging with a non-original charger, from moisture or from frost is usually excluded. Take the battery indoors and do not charge it unattended.
A speed pedelec falls under the compulsory insurance requirement
Pedal assistance up to forty-five kilometres per hour makes your bicycle legally a moped. It must be registered, a helmet is compulsory and there is an obligation under Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM) to insure liability. If you ride uninsured, a fine from the RDW (the Dutch vehicle authority) follows and you are personally liable for the victim's loss. The own-damage cover on a bicycle policy is entirely separate from that.
Depreciation, storage and business use
Most policies pay the replacement value as new for a limited number of years and the market value after that, with depreciation applied per month. Where the bicycle is kept counts: a communal store or an unlocked shed is often regarded as outdoors. Use for delivery services or other business transport is excluded as standard, even if you only do it a few evenings a week.
Retroactive cover (prior risk)
Retroactive cover (prior risk) Included for your staff during work.
Defence & legal costs
What does your premium depend on?
Purchase price and type. A city bike, an electric cargo bike and a speed pedelec each have their own rating group.
Make and susceptibility to theft. Some makes and models are stolen more often and are therefore placed in a higher group.
Postcode area. The theft risk where you live feeds directly into the premium.
Where the vehicle is kept. A locked shed of your own is assessed more favourably than a communal store or on-street parking.
Cover chosen. Theft only is cheaper than theft with damage, roadside assistance and battery cover combined.
Excess. An excess per event lowers the premium and often applies separately to battery damage.
Insurers weigh these details differently. That is where your saving is.
How we arrange it
You request a quoteWe take stock of your situation, your risk and your wishes.
We compareseveral insurers, on premium as well as conditions.
You receive a proposalWith an explanation of the differences and the exclusions.
We arrange the switchIncluding cancellation, so there is no gap in cover.
Customers rate our service on four aspects: personal service, service delivery, availability and the outcome. The reviews are collected and published by NH1816 and come from customers who have actually taken out a policy with Finass Advies B.V. or reported a claim.
If the whole bicycle is stolen, usually yes, because the battery is then part of the insured object. If only the loose battery disappears from a store, that is usually not covered. Loss of capacity through ageing counts as wear and always falls outside the cover. Some providers offer a separate module for damage to the battery itself.
What if I have lost a key?
Report the loss to us immediately and have the lock replaced. On a theft claim you have to produce all the original keys. If one is missing, the insurer assumes the thief had it and the claim is declined. Also keep the code card for the lock, because that is often requested along with the keys.
Does bicycle insurance also cover liability?
No, this is own-damage cover on the bicycle itself. If you hit a pedestrian, that loss runs through your personal liability insurance (AVP) under Article 6:162 of the Dutch Civil Code. For a speed pedelec it is different: that counts as a moped and falls under the compulsory insurance under Article 2 of the Dutch Motor Insurance Liability Act (WAM), which you have to arrange separately.
Is my bicycle covered in the communal store?
Often only if it is locked there too, and sometimes such premises are treated as outdoors. The reason is that residents and delivery drivers come and go freely. Check what your policy conditions require and lock the bicycle indoors as well, preferably secured to a cycle rack or another fixed point.
Finass Verzekert is a trading name of Finass Advies B.V. We advise on and arrange non-life insurance on the basis of an objective analysis of several insurers, and receive commission for this from the insurer, which is included in the premium. You pay no separate advice fee. Before you take out cover, we establish your wishes and needs.
You will find our licence, KvK and Kifid details and our complaints procedure at the foot of every page.
