WASHINGTON, DC — July 20, 2026 — BikeInsure, the Official Bike Insurance Partner of USA Cycling, today released claims data from more than three years of partnership experience, providing a detailed view of the financial risks competitive cyclists face while riding, racing, traveling, and transporting high-value bicycles.
"Competitive cyclists invest substantial money in the bicycles they rely on to race in USA Cycling events," said Buzzy Cohn, Founder and CEO of BikeInsure. "A cycling accident, cracked frame, transit mishap, or theft can create a financial setback that interrupts an entire race season. That's exactly why we offer Bike Race Insure — coverage built specifically for competitive bicycle usage, with the added benefit that a BikeInsure claim never touches a cyclist's homeowners insurance or any other policy they hold."
Competitive Bike Insurance by the Numbers
Across more than three years of USA Cycling partnership claims experience, BikeInsure data showed:
• $3,584 average paid claim
• Millions of dollars in bicycles insured by USA Cycling members
• $8,833 average insured bicycle value
• More than $350,000 paid across the first 100 claims
• 97% of claims involved accidental damage while riding or during transit
• 3% of claims involved theft
• Approximately one-third of claims involved a cracked frame
• 18% of claimants received payment for multiple covered losses
• 15% of claims were paid within seven days
• 5% of claims were paid within one day
The findings show that competitive bicycle losses are not limited to isolated race-day cycling accidents. Riders face continued exposure during training rides, group rides, organized competition, vehicle transport, and airline travel.
Why Competitive Usage Carries the Highest Accident Exposure
Among BikeInsure's usage categories, competitive cycling carries the highest relative exposure to accidental damage. Race speeds, close-group riding, technical courses, frequent travel, and repeated bicycle transit create more opportunities for unexpected covered losses to occur. This reflects how and where competitive bicycles are used — not a lack of care by cyclists or any individual partner organization. Bike Race Insure was designed around those realities.
That's why Bike Race Insure exists as its own category. The coverage under competitive usage — and how it's priced — is grounded in more than five years of real paid-claims experience across the competitive usage category, not a general estimate of risk.
That exposure shows up clearly in the claims themselves. Ninety-seven percent of claims involved accidental damage while riding or during transit — during a race, training ride, group ride, vehicle transport, airline trip, or other form of bicycle transit — compared with just 3% involving theft. Even the most experienced cyclist cannot control every rider, vehicle, road hazard, course feature, or airline; the data reflects that reality rather than any shortfall in preparation or care. It's why competitive usage carries BikeInsure's Very High accidental-damage risk classification — and why Bike Race Insure exists to meet that level of exposure directly.
The Costliest Bike Insurance Claim: Cracked Carbon Frames
Approximately one in three claims involved a cracked carbon frame — one of the most financially significant losses a competitive cyclist can experience. BikeInsure treats OEM replacement as the standard rather than the exception: every covered claim involving a cracked carbon frame or fork to date has been resolved with an original equipment manufacturer replacement frame or fork.
Not every bike insurance company guarantees OEM replacement on a cracked-frame claim. Velosurance, underwritten by Markel, and Markel's directly sold bicycle insurance policy — per Velosurance's own published claims guidance — determine repair versus replacement on a damaged carbon frame by inspection, on a case-by-case basis. That process can leave a competitive cyclist with a frame that does not match the original warranty or performance expectations at precisely the point in the season when consistency matters most.
More Than a Bike Insurance Discount
"The real value of bike insurance is knowing you're supported when it matters," said Katherine Santos, Director of Marketing, USA Cycling. "Members choose to enroll in BikeInsure through our partnership, and that choice reflects the trust and consistency we've built together over time."
An official partnership offers more than a discounted price. BikeInsure's relationship with USA Cycling includes shared accountability for how members are treated and more than three years of claims data demonstrating how the coverage responds under real-world use — a record no discount code alone can provide.
Coverage Built for Competitive Usage
BikeInsure offers Bike Race Insure for competitive use, Bike Ride Insure for casual use, and Electric Bike Insure for e-bikes. Bike Race Insure offers coverage for riding, competitive cycling events, racing, travel, and transit. Optional theft protection can also be selected.
Bike Race Insure, classified as 'Competitive,' covers all riding and racing by cyclists who participate in at least one organized competition annually — including triathlons, gran fondos, gravel events, criterium races, or any cycling event requiring a racing license.
The bike race insurance includes Replacement-Cost Value coverage for accidental damage while riding and during transit, with the option of theft protection, for bikes, trikes, and para-adaptive cycles, including all listed non-stock attached accessories and components. Bike Race Insure applies to both individual and group rides, on roads and off-road.
Coverage is underwritten by Great American Insurance Company, rated A+ (Superior) by AM Best, and is available to eligible cyclists in all 50 states and Washington, DC.
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About USA Cycling (usacycling.org)
USA Cycling is the national governing body for the sport of cycling and oversees the disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, cyclocross, gravel, BMX, esports, and paracycling. USA Cycling's mission is to grow participation and engagement in the sport of bicycle racing and to achieve sustained international success across all cycling disciplines. USA Cycling supports cyclists of all levels and abilities, from those just beginning in the sport to international-caliber athletes. The organization identifies, develops, and selects cyclists to represent the United States in international competition through support of youth and interscholastic programs, amateur and grassroots racing events, athlete development initiatives, and operational support for cycling clubs, racing teams, and event organizers. USA Cycling has a membership of 60,000, sanctions over 1,500 events annually, and is a member of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC). USA Cycling's national headquarters is in Olympic City USA, Colorado Springs, Colorado, with a regional office in Bentonville, Arkansas, home to the U.S. Mountain Bike National Team.
About BikeInsure (BikeInsure.com)
BikeInsure is a leading provider of bicycle and e-bike insurance in the United States, offering comprehensive coverage designed specifically for bicycles, e-bikes, and para-adaptive cycles. As a licensed insurance producer operating nationwide, BikeInsure administers the insurance program underwritten by Great American Insurance Company, rated A+ (Superior) by AM Best, and authorized to operate in all 50 states and Washington, DC. BikeInsure is the Official Bike Insurance Partner of USA Cycling, the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA), and USA Triathlon — and of select bicycle brands including Canyon Bicycles USA, Pivot Cycles, and Tern Bicycles USA. For more information, visit BikeInsure.ai or bikeinsure.com/contact.
