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Many bicycle insurance companies have specific policies for electric bikes, but what if you’re insuring an e-bike conversion kit? Or more specifically, what if you’re insuring a bike that’s been converted to electric using one of the many electric bike conversion kits on the market today?
This is a question that’s no doubt arisen to thousands of cyclists who have taken the route of adding motorised assistance to their previously pedal-powered bikes. However, despite the popularity of the devices such as the easy bolt-on Rubbee X, the fully integrated Swytch electric kit, or the budget-friendly Bafang conversion kit, there doesn’t seem to be much information out there.
In a bid to demystify the problem of insuring your electric bike conversion, I spoke to David George, CEO of the leading bike insurer Bikmo, to find out.
An e-bike conversion is just an e-bike
Different parts of the world have different laws governing electric bikes. In the UK, the EU, and Australia, an electrically assisted pedal cycle is subject to a maximum output of 250 watts, must not have a throttle for motorbike-style ‘twist and go’ acceleration, and the motor’s input must be limited to 25km/h. Things get a little muddier in the USA, where three tiers of e-bike classes come with differing laws by state.
This is all important because a bike with an electric conversion kit is, in the eyes of the law, no different to an e-bike bought in a store.
“Regardless of how it’s got that power, whether it was built into the manufacturing stage, or if it was built in afterwards in a retrofit kit, or however you’re powering it, it can’t exceed those limits,” explains George. “Otherwise, it’s automatically tipped into the same category as scooters and motorcycles, which means that you need to have motor liability insurance, it needs to be taxed and needs to be licensed.”
Do I need e-bike insurance or specialist insurance for my e-bike conversion?
Assuming that your newly converted electric bike meets the aforementioned requirements, then in the eyes of the law, you’re riding a standard e-bike, and as such, standard e-bike insurance will suffice.
If it doesn’t, then you’ll need to contact your local vehicle licencing agency, such as the DVLA in the UK, in order to register your newly converted bike as a moped or motorbike. This, as George explains, will require insurance, licensing, and will be subject to the relevant local taxes.
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