Cracked Frame - Insurance Claim - do I have a chance?

[cathmtb]

Hi everyone

 

So my bike shop noticed a crack on my carbon frame, I am not the first owner and the first owner has lost the proof of purchase so I have gone the insurance claim route. I have no idea what caused the crack, its not bad and hasn't even been creaking. It's near the BB at the bottom. Its a 2014 Spez Epic Comp. I am insured with Cyclesure. 

[Super Sywurm]

Yes, probably.

Edited October 27, 2020 by Super Sywurm

[Grease_Monkey]

Hi everyone

 

So my bike shop noticed a crack on my carbon frame, I am not the first owner and the first owner has lost the proof of purchase so I have gone the insurance claim route. I have no idea what caused the crack, its not bad and hasn't even been creaking. It's near the BB at the bottom. Its a 2014 Spez Epic Comp. I am insured with Cyclesure. 

 

If your bike is insured it is irrelevant whether you are the first or second owner. From my experience with CycleSure (a few claims including a cracked carbon frame) I see no reason why they will not pay out. They will most likely send out their own assessor, and it might take a week or two, but I am sure you will come out whole.

[DR ◣◢]

If your bike is insured it is irrelevant whether you are the first or second owner. From my experience with CycleSure (a few claims including a cracked carbon frame) I see no reason why they will not pay out. They will most likely send out their own assessor, and it might take a week or two, but I am sure you will come out whole.

 

Did they replace or repair? 

[Paul Ruinaard]

It totally depends on the type of cover you have got TBH and what the policy says. Read that first and check with them as your insurance provider rather than post here. they are the guys who will be able to tell you what you are covered for and its in the policy wording.

 

If you aren't covered there are many carbon repair folks out there who will fix it like new for you as well.

 

However the policy will tell you whether you are covered for repair or replacement etc. 

 

 

[Grease_Monkey]

Did they replace or repair? 

 

Replace. When I moved from an Alu Giant Trance to a Carbon Spez Stumpy frame a few years back I was with MiWay. I happened to read a few threads on carbon frames being repaired and as a result called a few insurers and asked what their policy is on repair or replace - CycleSure said they always replace so I went with them. 

 

I was actually in a similar situation as the OP (although I was the original owner). I found a crack on the back of the seat tube. Spez said it was a crash (I didn't crash and there was no other damage) and denied the warranty claim. I went the insurance route and told them I honestly don't know how the crack happened. They sent out an assessor. The whole process took around 10 days before they paid out. 

 

Although Spez did offer me a frame at cost price I opted to take the cash and buy something else as the fact that the warranty was not honored left a sour taste in my mouth (at that point I had always had some sort of Spez bike in my stable from 2004 to 2016). Anyway, that's besides the point.

 

I now have an alu bike, but am still with CycleSure because carbon wheels and other bits and pieces. They have also paid out on two other separate occasions, one for a faulty crank, and the other for broken bits in a crash. As you can imagine, my premium has creeped up a bit over the years, but I am okay with that knowing that they will pay out when I need them to. My bike is also the only thing I have ever claimed for on personal insurance... so my other lower premiums make up for it haha

Edited October 27, 2020 by Grease_Monkey

[Pure Savage]

I thought for an insurance claim there had to be an event that caused the damage?

 

Would the crack not be a warranty issue and therefore not a insurance issue.

 

If you dropped in over a road gap and crack appeared, then I would say insurance.

[lechatnoir]

I thought for an insurance claim there had to be an event that caused the damage?

 

Would the crack not be a warranty issue and therefore not a insurance issue.

 

If you dropped in over a road gap and crack appeared, then I would say insurance.

 

as per the OP's post, they are not the original owner (does the warrantee transfer) and the previous owner lost proof of purchase

 

I'm pretty sure you can insure anything and will pay the appropriate premium - just like you can take a bet on anything... oh wait... 

[DieselnDust]

Replace. When I moved from an Alu Giant Trance to a Carbon Spez Stumpy frame a few years back I was with MiWay. I happened to read a few threads on carbon frames being repaired and as a result called a few insurers and asked what their policy is on repair or replace - CycleSure said they always replace so I went with them. 

 

I was actually in a similar situation as the OP (although I was the original owner). I found a crack on the back of the seat tube. Spez said it was a crash (I didn't crash and there was no other damage) and denied the warranty claim. I went the insurance route and told them I honestly don't know how the crack happened. They sent out an assessor. The whole process took around 10 days before they paid out. 

 

Although Spez did offer me a frame at cost price I opted to take the cash and buy something else as the fact that the warranty was not honored left a sour taste in my mouth (at that point I had always had some sort of Spez bike in my stable from 2004 to 2016). Anyway, that's besides the point.

 

I now have an alu bike, but am still with CycleSure because carbon wheels and other bits and pieces. They have also paid out on two other separate occasions, one for a faulty crank, and the other for broken bits in a crash. As you can imagine, my premium has creeped up a bit over the years, but I am okay with that knowing that they will pay out when I need them to. My bike is also the only thing I have ever claimed for on personal insurance... so my other lower premiums make up for it haha

 

 

I was in a similar situation a couple of years ago.

Frame cracked and there was no suitable replacement available for warranty so I went the insurance route.

They replaced based on quote for replacement parts. 

 

So my advice to the OP is:

1) When you claim be specific about the damage.

2) When you get quotes for a replacement frame make very sure that you include all parts to get your new frame back to a working bike. So if you old frame is non boost and all new bikes are boost then you need to include a rear hub or wheel set, crankset,bottom bracket. seat post size, stem and handlebars (since bike geometry has changed a lot since 2014)

3) be prepared for the assessor to try his luck and offer to repair the frame. make sure that you stand your ground on this. I'm not a fan of repaired frames as this lowers the resale value of the frame considerably. if the bike has been insured for ages you've paid your dues in terms of managing your risk.