Is cosmetic damage covered?
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No, cosmetic damage is excluded. Dings, scuffs, and scratches that do not affect how the bike rides fall outside the policy, much as your car insurer does not pay for door dings.
What the policy does cover is damage that affects safety. If a crash or impact causes structural damage that makes your bike unsafe to ride, that is a covered loss, repaired or replaced minus your deductible. The deciding question is whether the damage is structural and compromises safety, or only affects the finish.
When the damage is cosmetic but still bothers you, it is very fixable outside a claim. A bicycle restoration or repair company can refinish a scuffed frame to "as new" condition, and these shops are easy to find, with at least one in every major metropolitan area in the United States. For carbon frames, a specialist such as Kane Bikes handles cosmetic refinishing and carbon work.
When is damage to my bike covered?
Damage is covered when it is structural and makes the bike unsafe to ride. In that case the policy pays to repair the bike, or to replace it if it cannot be safely repaired, minus your deductible. How a damaged frame is handled depends on the material and the location of the damage, which we cover in when a frame gets replaced.
How do I fix cosmetic damage?
A bicycle restoration company can refurbish a cosmetically damaged bike to "as new" condition, restoring the paint and finish without touching the structure. Carbon specialists like Kane Bikes can also blend repairs so the refinished area is invisible.
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