The proportion of car insurance claims that insurer More Than has received for bodily injury involving cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists has doubled in recent months.
Claims have increased from one in 10 to around one in five, according to More Than, which suggested that a greater number of cyclists on the road, in response to both fears about Covid-19 and a desire to keep fit during lockdown, may have led to a rise in injuries.
With car drivers returning to roads in greater numbers following the end of nationwide lockdown and the government encouraging the general public to take up cycling and walking as part of its as part of its strategy to tackle obesity, More Than warned all road users to apply extra caution and leave each other enough space to avoid injury.
Gareth Davies, head of car insurance at More Than, said: “Bike sales have boomed during lockdown as Brits are looking to stay active and avoid public transport. But unfortunately, our data shows this has prompted an increase in car insurance claims for injured cyclists.”
“As drivers, it’s really important to take extra precautions now that there are more cyclists on the road. Indicate clearly and give yourself and cyclists plenty of space to manoeuvre so that, if anything unexpected occurs, there is more margin for error. Junctions and blind corners are also hot spots when it comes to accidents with cyclists, so be extra careful and slow down when navigating these tricky turns.”
Davies added: “For cyclists, please wear a helmet and bright or reflective clothing—it could save your life. It is also important to use cycle lanes where possible and be extra wary of the cars around you, giving them plenty of space for overtaking where it is safe to do so. Cyclists undertaking or passing motorists on the left-hand side can also cause accidents, so try to avoid that as much as possible.”
More Than is also seeing more claims for bicycle theft, so urged new cyclists to check that their bike is covered for loss or theft away from their home, invest in a good lock, mark their bike so it is distinguishable, and never leave it unsecured.
SUBSCRIBE TO CLAIMS MEDIA
and receive all of the latest insurance claims news via our weekly newsletter
"*" indicates required fields