Velosurance is a national bike insurance specialist founded by two cyclists in response to the insurance needs of bicycle riders nationwide. We partnered with an A.M.Best “A” rated, US insurance company to provide a multi-risk policy offering protection to all types of cyclists.
Uninsured Motorist Insurance for Cyclists
Built for cyclists facing the real risks of sharing the road
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When Safe Riding Isn’t Enough
When you ride, you follow the rules. You use lights, ride predictably, and stay aware of your surroundings. Yet many crashes are caused by factors outside a cyclist’s control. Drivers without valid licenses or adequate insurance remain a serious risk on public roads. In New York City, recent data shows unlicensed drivers are involved in roughly one out of every four serious traffic crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists.
That risk is not limited to one city. Across the United States, millions of drivers are uninsured or underinsured, and many continue to drive despite suspended or revoked licenses. For cyclists, a collision with one of these drivers can mean medical bills, missed work, and long recovery periods with little or no financial support from the at-fault party.
The cyclist-focused Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM) is designed to help protect you financially when a driver causes an accident but cannot fully cover the damage they leave behind.
Your Financial Safety Net When the Driver Doesn’t Have One
Uninsured Motorist Coverage is designed to protect cyclists when a crash involves a driver who has no insurance or not enough coverage to pay for the harm they cause. While it is similar in concept to UM or UIM in auto insurance, this coverage is built specifically around bicycle use and the risks cyclists face when sharing the road with motor vehicles.
Coverage includes support for:
- Medical expenses from the collision - May help cover emergency care, hospital visits, diagnostic imaging, specialist treatment, and follow-up medical care related to the accident.
- Physical therapy during recovery - Can assist with rehabilitation costs when injuries require ongoing treatment to restore mobility, strength, and function.
- Mental health services related to trauma - May help support counseling or therapy related to the emotional impact of a serious crash, such as anxiety, fear of riding, or post-accident stress.
- Lost wages if you’re unable to work - Can help replace a portion of income if injuries prevent you from working during recovery.
- Other accident-related costs tied to being hit by a vehicle - May help with additional necessary expenses, such as transportation to medical appointments or other recovery-related services.
The goal is to reduce the long-term financial impact of a crash caused by a driver who cannot fully cover the damage they leave behind.
Essential Protection for Anyone Who Rides Near Traffic
Sharing the road with cars introduces risks that skill alone cannot eliminate. Whether you are training on open roads, commuting through busy streets, running errands on an e-bike, or riding with children on a cargo bike, even brief interactions with traffic can have serious consequences. Intersections, driveways, and distracted drivers remain unavoidable realities for most cyclists.
This risk is not limited to high-mileage riders. Many crashes happen close to home on familiar routes during short, everyday trips. Recreational riders, weekend cyclists, and social riders are often exposed to the same hazards as daily commuters, even if they ride less frequently.
For anyone who rides where motor vehicles are present, UM coverage provides an added layer of financial protection. It helps reduce the impact of an incident caused by a driver who lacks adequate insurance, so one unexpected encounter does not become a long-term financial setback.
Covered in a Car. Exposed on a Bicycle
UM coverage does not work the same way everywhere, and for cyclists, that difference matters. In some states, it follows the person. In others, it only applies while you are occupying a covered vehicle. That means if you are hit by an underinsured driver while riding a bicycle, your auto insurance may not respond, even if you have paid for UM or UIM for years.
States such as Colorado, California, New York, and Washington generally treat UM and UIM as person-based protection. In contrast, states including Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina allow insurers to limit UM and UIM to people inside a covered vehicle, leaving cyclists and pedestrians unprotected.
E-Bikes and Uninsured Motorist Coverage
E-bikes often follow the same traffic rules as traditional bicycles, but for auto insurance purposes they are generally treated as motorized vehicles. As a result, standard auto UM/UIM coverage typically does not apply when an insured is injured while riding an e-bike. Even in states where UM or UIM follows the person, that protection usually ends when the insured is operating a motorized vehicle not listed on the auto policy.
This creates a clear gap. E-bike riders share the road with cars, often at higher speeds, and face the same distracted drivers, yet auto insurance excludes this coverage.
UM coverage from a specialty bike insurance is designed to help address this gap. It may help with medical expenses, lost income during recovery, and other accident-related financial impacts when an uninsured or underinsured driver is involved.
Who Is The Uninsured Motorist Insurance For?
Daily Commuters
If your bicycle is part of how you get to work, school, or daily obligations, a crash can disrupt far more than your ride. UM coverage helps protect you from the financial fallout when a driver without adequate insurance causes an accident.
Road and Performance Cyclists
Training rides, early mornings, and long miles increase exposure to traffic. When speed and distance amplify the consequences of a collision, this coverage helps address medical costs and lost income after a crash with an uninsured or underinsured driver.
E-Bike Riders
E-bikes share the road with cars but fall outside the protection of auto insurance in many cases. Cyclist-specific UM coverage is designed to help close that gap when an e-bike rider is struck by an underinsured motorist.
Cargo Bike and Family Riders
When you ride with children, passengers, or heavy loads, the stakes are higher. This coverage helps protect against the financial impact of serious injuries caused by a driver who cannot pay for the harm they cause.
Transportation-Dependent Riders
If your bicycle supports your daily mobility, being unable to ride can mean lost wages. UM coverage helps provide financial support during recovery when a crash interrupts your ability to work.
Recreational and Weekend Riders
Many crashes happen close to home on familiar routes. Even occasional riders benefit from protection that helps prevent one unexpected encounter with an underinsured driver from becoming a lasting financial setback.Frequently Asked Questions
- Does uninsured motorist coverage protect cyclists?
- Yes, when it is elected on your bicycle policy. Your auto policy's UM coverage may also protect you on a bike, but that depends on its terms, and it only exists at all if you own a car and carry the coverage; riders without an auto policy have none, and some auto policies exclude injuries on a motorized vehicle you own, which can sweep in e-bikes. The cyclist-specific version on a Velosurance policy is built around bicycle use and requires no auto policy, paying when a driver without adequate insurance causes your losses.
- What does UM coverage help pay for?
- It responds when the driver who hit you has no insurance, or not enough to cover the harm. It can replace lost wages while you cannot work and pay accident-related costs such as transportation to medical appointments, physical therapy, and mental health care after crash trauma. Medical bills themselves usually flow through medical gap coverage first, which pays regardless of the driver's insurance; UM picks up what remains beyond it.
- Is this the same as UM coverage on my auto insurance?
- It works on the same concept but is built for the bike. Auto UM exists only if you own a car and elected the coverage, and what it pays a cyclist depends on your auto policy's terms and your state's law; the cyclist-specific version follows you on the bike, with no auto policy required. In the states with the most uninsured drivers, including Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana, roughly one driver in five carries no insurance, which is the gap either version exists to fill.
- Does this coverage apply to e-bikes?
- Yes. UM coverage applies on Class 1, 2, and 3 e-bikes exactly as it does on a conventional bike, like every coverage on the policy. Elect it before the accident and it rides with you on any insured bike.
- How does UM coverage work with medical gap coverage?
- The two coverages divide the aftermath of a car-bike collision. Medical gap reimburses your out-of-pocket medical costs (deductible, copays, co-insurance) after your health plan pays its share, regardless of the driver's insurance. UM coverage picks up losses beyond medical bills, such as lost wages, when the at-fault driver cannot pay. For either coverage to apply, it must be elected before the accident.
- Why would I need UM coverage if the crash was the driver's fault?
- Fault decides who owes you; it does not make them able to pay. About one in seven US drivers carries no insurance, and a judgment against a driver with no assets is hard to collect. UM coverage exists for exactly this situation, so someone else's crash does not become your long-term financial setback.
- Who should add UM coverage?
- Anyone who rides where cars are present. Commuters, road cyclists logging training miles, e-bike riders, and parents on cargo bikes all share intersections and driveways with drivers they cannot vet, and many crashes happen close to home on familiar routes. If your bike supports your income or daily mobility, the lost-wage protection alone makes it worth adding.
- When should I add UM coverage to my policy?
- Add it when you buy the policy, or any time before a crash. Like every optional coverage, it must be in place before the accident; it cannot be added afterward to cover a claim you already see coming. If riding near traffic is part of your routine, add it now rather than after a close call.
Coverages and Features
Velosurance offers must-have protection such as accidental damage, theft, or loss in transit. Each policy can be customized by adding additional coverages such as liability protection, uninsured motorist, and medical payments. Select any coverage to see the details.
Bicycles are very easy to steal and equally difficult to recover, and even a hefty U-lock doesn’t guarantee your bike is still there when you return. Velosurance provides peace of mind if it is stolen or damaged in the process.
Our policy will pay to replace your ride if it is accidentally damaged and beyond repair, including damage that occurs while being carried on or in your vehicle. If it can be repaired, we will pay all the costs associated with the bike's repair, including tax, labor, and shipping, minus the deductible. Cosmetic damage that does not affect safety is excluded.
Our policy optional coverage purchase will protect and defend you from your personal liability (injury, sickness, death, or damage to property, including fire damage) that you are found legally liable for. Coverage limits offered: $25,000, $50,000, $100,000, $300,000 or $500,000 per occurrence.
E-bike liability insurance →If you’re hurt and require medical attention, our optional medical gap will take care of your medical bills, up to the selected limit. The payments are paid directly to you to supplement the deductible of your personal health insurance policy.
Medical gap insurance →Depreciation is a hidden deductible that increases every year and is applied if the bicycle is stolen or totaled. No one is ever happy with an Actual Cash Value insurance settlement: the bike is first devalued, and then a deductible is applied, resulting in a reimbursement that is far less than the cost of a replacement. We reimburse without depreciation, for the cost of a replacement that is of like, kind, and quality similar to your totaled bike.
One of the scariest things that can happen to a cyclist is getting hit by a car. This coverage will pay for medical expenses, physical therapy, mental health services, lost wages, and other expenses that arise from a bicycle-car accident.
Uninsured motorist insurance →We cover all electrically assisted Class 1, 2, and 3 bikes with a maximum assisted speed of 28 mph. All protections available for conventional bicycles also apply to electric ones.
E-bike insurance →Bikes often get damaged in transit by personal vehicles, airlines, or courier services. Filing a claim with the airlines and courier services is a notoriously difficult process with a questionable outcome. We cover the insured bicycle for loss or damage while it's on its way to or from your destination by air or road. Even if it falls off a vehicle rack or is hit in a rear-end accident, it is covered, no arguments.
Bicycle travel coverage →If you go down in a crash, we cover your ride as well as your apparel, such as helmet, shoes, glasses, or riding kit that are torn up, and pay up to $500 per accident and $1,000 per term. Spare parts that are not installed, such as a spare wheelset, are also covered up to $500 per loss and $1,000 per year.
Our policy does not piggypack on any coverage you may already have, such as homeowners policies. Filing a claim won’t impact your rates with other carriers. With home insurance premiums rising each year in the U.S., it’s wise to reserve that policy for major incidents, because no matter how valuable your bike is, it’s still a lot cheaper than a kitchen fire or a flooded basement.
We cover the insured bike at all times, anywhere in the USA and Canada, and can be extended worldwide on request. There are no exclusions on the time of day or limitations on how long it can be stored away from home. 24/7/365 means every minute of every day, no matter where or when.
In the heat of a race, the focus on speed often outweighs concerns for safety, leaving little margin for error. If you go down in a crash, this optional coverage takes care of repairs or replacement. If you use your bike in a competitive environment, this is a no-brainer because it offers protection in the highest-risk category.
Bicycle racing insurance →If your travels take you beyond the USA and Canada, for a small additional premium, this option extends the physical loss and damage protection, including loss or damage caused by an airline, to any country in the world.
International coverage →You can lend it to anyone you choose, and it will be covered. The bike and the person riding it are covered as if it were you riding it‚ this includes theft and crash damage as well as any purchased optional coverages.
We do not dictate what type or brand of lock must be used to protect your ride from theft – you are welcome to use any lock that you trust. The best security is provided by metal locks combined with a high-quality chain. Securing your ride to a solid and immovable object, such as a bike rack, with a high-quality lock will send the thief onto the one secured with a more vulnerable lock.
Why Velosurance is best for your bike
Not all types of insurance are created equal. Velosurance levels the playing field by offering stand-alone bicycle coverage, where claims won’t affect your homeowner's or renter’s policy premiums.
| Policy Coverage |  | Homeowner/Renters Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Insured at Full Value | Yes | Possibly |
| Crash Damage | Yes | No |
| Theft Coverage | Yes | Limited |
| Theft by Force | Yes | No |
| Theft of Accessories | Yes | Limited |
| Theft Away From Home | Yes | Possibly |
| Vehicle Contact | Yes | No |
| Personal Liability | Yes | Possibly |
| Permissive Use Policy | Yes | No |
| Replacement Rental | Yes | No |
| Event Fee Return | Yes | No |
| Cycling Apparel Coverage | Yes | No |
| Medical Payments | Yes | Possibly |
| Racing Coverage | Yes | No |
| E-bikes | Yes | No |
| Coverage in-transit | Yes | No |
| USAC, USAT and IMBA Member Discount | Yes | No |
| FREE INSTANT QUOTE |
Not all insurance policies provide the same level of protection, and many people only discover gaps in their coverage after filing a claim. We’ve done the hard work of reviewing the fine print. To see how plans compare, check out our insurance comparison.
Client satisfaction is our #1 goal. Here's what our clients say about Velosurance
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America's best bike insurance
Built for cyclists facing the real risks of sharing the road