Do you have to make sure when you ride a bicycle?
Verified 10 April 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Do you want to ride a bicycle and wonder if you need to take out compulsory insurance? It depends on the type of bike: bike without electric assistance or VAE with or without a power exceeding 250 W and with or without a speed exceeding 25 km/h. We present the applicable rules.
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Bicycle without electric assistance
The bicycle without electric assistance (or classic bicycle) is a bicycle that has no motor, and that advances only by pedaling.
The bicycle without electric assistance is not submitted the obligation to insure. You can therefore ride this type of bike without taking out liability insurance.
But if you cause an accident by driving your bike without electric assistance and you have no insurance civil liability, you will have to personally pay for the damages caused to others.
He is therefore recommended to take a liability insurance because it can cover you when you are responsible for an accident that caused damage to third parties.
Your insurance multi-risk housing may cover you for journeys made by bike if provided for in the contract.
If this is not the case, you can subscribe to a specific contract to protect yourself when traveling by bike.
FYI
You can also take out additional guarantees to cover your own damages, such as the life accident guarantee, theft and damage guarantee, and legal protection guarantee.
EEV with a power not exceeding 250 W and a speed not exceeding 25 km/h
The electric assistance bicycle (or EAV) is a bicycle equipped with an electric motor.
The EAV with a power not exceeding 250 W and a speed not exceeding 25 km/h is not subject the obligation to insure. You can therefore ride such bikes without taking out any liability insurance.
But if you cause an accident by driving your bike without electric assistance and you have no insurance civil liability, you will have to personally pay for the damages caused to others.
He is therefore recommended to take a liability insurance because it can cover you when you are responsible for an accident that caused damage to third parties.
Your home insurance may cover you for journeys made by bike if provided for in the contract.
If this is not the case, you can subscribe to a specific contract to protect yourself when traveling by bike.
FYI
You can also take out additional guarantees to cover your own damages, such as the life accident guarantee, theft and damage guarantee, and legal protection guarantee.
EAV with a power exceeding 250 W or a speed exceeding 25 km/h
The electric assistance bicycle (or EAV) is a bicycle equipped with an electric motor.
The EEV with a power exceeding 250 W or a speed exceeding 25 km/h shall be subject toliability insurance obligation.
This insurance is used to repair the damage you may cause to others by circulating with your EAV.
FYI
You can also take out additional guarantees to cover your own damages, such as the life accident guarantee, theft and damage guarantee, and legal protection guarantee.
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For more information
Info Service Savings Bank Insurance
Definition of the different categories of vehicles
Rules on the obligation to insure
France Insurance Companies