British Cycling or CTC?

[NeilM]

I am not a cautious type, but I am sensible enough to know that public liability insurance is something I really should have.

Looking around the web, it appears that British Cycling and CTC both offer almost identical levels of insurance (probably though the same provider), but I am undecided which organisation to choose, especially as I'm not really a 'club' sort of a person and that I just want a bit of personal protection, JIC.

Any experience of either / both organisations would be helpful.

 

[Ian Raleigh]

I'd go with CTC! found BCF just want your money and is much more expensive than CTC

I've been with them for three years now and can't fault them, you get £10m 3rd party insurance cover,
free legal advice, notify you of over 1000 CTC events around the country, monthly email containing an E letter
which gives you great reading and there is the free cycle magazine which you get 6 times a year via' the post.

Contacting and talking to CTC and have the time to chap and be at your level, unlike BCF who put on to the next person and the next person.

CTC use Slater & Gordon for any such claims/advice.

Remember though if a car driver hits you with his vehicle both CTC & BCF will help, but if the driver gets out and actually hits you, then they can't help you because it becomes a criminal mater.

 

[NeilM]

Remember though if a car driver hits you with his vehicle both CTC & BCF will help, but if the driver gets out and actually hits you, then they can't help you because it becomes a criminal matter.

I hope neither situation ever occurs to me, but worthwhile advice never the less.

 

[Ian Raleigh]

Don't know if you ever read my thread about an out right assault at me by a car driver
who jumped out of his car and knocked me through an hedge, pinned me down and started
to strangle me ? But because the driver got out of his car and decided to give me some fist
it became a police/criminel matter, but if the driver had stayed in his car and assaulted me by the use
of his car,then it would not be considered as criminal but civil matter instead and the CTC insurance
department would have gladly took up my case, these rules in my eyes should be changed.

 

[NeilM]

Re:

I did read the thread, and I find it both astonishing and sad that such incidents happen, which of course they do, there are plenty of helmet cam videos and reports to prove it.

As I said, I hope neither situation ever occurs, but if I am hit, or need public liability insurance for any other reason, I want to make sure I am giving my money to the most appropriate provider.

 

[Ian Raleigh]

In my eyes with the CTC they seem to care for the everyday cyclist from a BMXer to an old goat on a sit up and beg,
whereas BCF seem to lay their routes around the the racing scene and are always telling riders they MUST wear an helmet.

Wonder if there is some sort of blog page regarding these two ?

Not so long ago a woman in Nottingham was knocked off her bike and the police wasn't interested in it neither
so she contacted CTC who won her case and was awarded several thousand pounds plus a new bike.

 

[pigman]

Re:

If you're intending to race then it has to be BC. I find the different levels of BC membership confusing - Bronze, silver, gold (but then I've not looked into it really). They are more for those with a competitive element to their cycling, be it race/sportives/training.

I'm with the CTC - they do far more campaigning for the general cyclist and have the cyclists' defence fund (where in their opinion you have been wrongly convicted of / blamed for something). So if you're convicted say of RLJing or going onto the pavement to let an ambulance through, or 'blamed' for sustaining an injury by not wearing a helmet, they will fight your case.
But (and I hesitate to say this) the CTC has some real 'one less car' and self-righteous nerds that I don't want representing me.

 

[NeilM]

Re:

I'm not intending to race, at least not without a decent sized engine to assist me, but I know British Cycling now have a non racing membership which includes PL insurance.

Not much or a nerdy type either, and as for 'one less car' not for me I'm afraid, I cover 35,000 business miles pretty much every year.

So far we have CTC -2, BCF - 0.

 

[TGR]

A hard question to answer - insurance companies or their providers can really only be judged once you have the unfortunate need for them. Cover must be compared to ensure you are getting like for like coverage too and this is not an easy thing to do sometimes.

I priced insurance to cover theft of my bikes from my house, I was shocked by the quote and am still looking for 'reasonable' rates.

Richard

 

[NeilM]

Re:

I gave up on individual bike cover the second I went past three bikes!

Hard to judge, but on the face of it the PL cover offered by CTC and BCF are pretty much the same, plus they both have legal hotlines, hence my original question.