It’s not a case of if you’re
going to crash, but when, and
when it’s your turn, a burped
tyre, a momentary lapse in
concentration or a particularly
slippery root can leave you
with a broken body, totalled
bike and in the worst case a
mountain of legal expenses.
But you’re prepared, you’ve
got insurance from Mountain
Bike Australia (MTBA) and
maybe even third party bicycle
insurance too. Your claim is
ready, and there will soon be a
cheque waiting for you in the
mailbox, right?
Unfortunately, it’s not always
that easy, and there are plenty
of horror stories involving
claims denied based on poorlyworded technicalities and
lack of communication from
insurers once claims havebeen filed.
Equipment, injury and
liability insurance is available
in various forms through arange of third-party insurers,
MTBA and maybe even your
home and contents insurance.
But which should you choose?http://www.ambmag.com.au 39MOUNT AIN BIKE AUSTRALIA
To race in any event, whether it be cross country
National Championships or a club enduro at your
local trail network, you will be required to hold
a valid MTBA membership or licence. The main
reason being it protects you and the promoter
should you clip a tree and hurt yourself during the
event. But what does this actually cover?
Joshua-Kaleb Faulkner, a Member Services
Officer from MTBA, explains that the policy
provides a 24-hour Public Liability and Personal
Accident cover for any recreational riding;
mountain bike, road bike, commuting, BMX,
unicycle, you name it. The caveat, however, is the
coverage does not extend to racing in any other
discipline, including multi-sport and adventure
racing that may include a mountain bike segment.
The MTBA insurance also does not extend
to gear for individuals or clubs and the extent
of cover differs based on the level of your
membership—for example, Free Trial Members
don’t receive loss of income protection, while Race,
Recreation or Value Add licences receive this and a
higher level of benefits and compensation.