Ask for better insurance for children’s bikes – NRK Trøndelag – Local news, TV and radio

Last week, NRK reported on Ina (9) that she spent her birthday money on a new bicycle, but then the bicycle was stolen during school hours when it was locked outside the Singsaker school in Trondheim.

Now Ina has a new bike. But her parents had to pay out of pocket. Travel insurance could not cover anything, and with content insurance it was not profitable because the deductible was NOK 3,000. The bicycle costs 3500 crowns.

– There will be almost no money left for a new bike. It’s so unfair, says mother Monica Øyangen.

The Øyangen Hjellen family had not considered it appropriate that it would be a problem to recover the insurance money from the bicycle. They paid 5,000 crowns for the new bicycle.

– We just had to buy a new bike. We can’t wait for the old bike to show up.

Insurance companies understand the problem

Travel insurance does not cover anything as the bike was parked outside the school. The family was rejected when they requested compensation, because the loss occurred within the city of education.

“The insurance does not apply to bicycle theft that occurred within the hometown, city of education and municipality of work,” Storebrand writes in the letter.

– It’s completely incomprehensible, says mother Monica.

Storebrand press officer Synnøve Halkjelsvik confirms that travel insurance cannot cover bicycle theft.

– First of all, it was very sad that Ina had her bike stolen, and we understand that it feels unfair. However, it is true that travel insurance does not apply if the bicycle is the seat of a teaching city during teaching time, she says.

She will advise Ina and all other cyclists to register their bicycle in a bicycle registry; then the deductible will be reduced if the bike is stolen.

– We understand Ina’s problem, she is very familiar with a deductible of NOK 3,000, says communications consultant Grete Trulsrud at Fremtind Forsikring.

He emphasizes that the deductible includes everything from living in a home.

Frende Forsikring estimates that only one in four police officers report bicycle theft, and the “Don’t steal my bike” action group claims that 55,000 bicycles are stolen per year. This means that a bicycle is placed every ten minutes.

Ask for better insurance for children’s bikes

– It’s a shame the insurance industry doesn’t have a better offer covering children’s bikes. This would be a useful product, so that children can also secure their bikes, says department head Mats Larsen of the National Cycling Association.

He believes that a throwaway mentality can explain parts of the problem.

– There is clearly one aspect. Some children’s bikes are so affordable that many people think it is not worth buying bicycle insurance.

Larsen advises people to check with the insurance company if they can get insurance that is in line with the value of the bike.

Don’t feel safe

Ina goes back and forth on her new bike in Trondheim’s Øya neighborhood. At the end of September, Ina turns 10 years old. The new bike is a birthday present from parents in advance.

– I am happy with my new bike. Now I have a very good lock, so it is much more secure, he says.

She still doesn’t feel completely safe.

– I’m a little scared to put my bike away, but I’m starting to lock it to a tree instead of the bike rack, says the nine-year-old.

– What do you want to say to those who stole your bike, Ina?

– Not well. I regretted it.