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Bicycle and E-Bike Accidents

Bikes show up in property files two ways. A rider hits your insured's car, fence, storefront, or property. Or your insured's bike or e-bike is damaged by a driver, a pothole, a defect, or a bike shop's bad repair. E-bikes add a third: battery fires, covered in the Electrical and Product Fires guide. Recovery depends on who caused the crash and whether they have coverage, since bikes usually have no insurance of their own.

What it coversRiders hitting cars and property, e-bike battery fires, rentals

Step-by-step checklist

Identify

Contact the claim adjuster right away. Ask them to hold the scene and for permission to retain an expert at the client's expense. Note the call in the file.
On every claim, ask the client whether they want an origin and cause investigator to review the scene, or confirm one is already assigned. Note their answer in the file so the decision is on record.
Make sure no evidence is touched or moved until the expert has secured the scene
Get the client's approval for the scene exam cost. Most run at least $1,600 with travel, the day rate, and expenses.
Get the police report, the rider's and driver's information, and witness names
Identify the bike or e-bike make, model, and class
Find out if the bike was rented, shared (a bike-share or scooter-share), or owned

Hands off until the expert arrives. Nothing at the scene gets touched, moved, repaired, or thrown out until the origin and cause investigator has secured it. Evidence that's moved early can sink the whole recovery.

Notify

Notify the rider, driver, or company responsible and their carriers
Ask that the bike, helmet camera footage, and app ride data be kept

Investigate

Photos of the scene, road condition, and damage
Traffic, doorbell, and business security video
Repair records, for a recent bike shop job

Demand, negotiate, and settle

Send the demand packet
Follow up, then send the second demand if needed
Review the release, pay the deductible, and close

1. Identify

Who may be responsible

What happened	Who may be responsible
A rider hit your insured's parked car or property	The rider, and their homeowners or renters liability coverage
A rider on a bike-share or scooter-share bike	The rider, and possibly the share company, depending on its terms
A driver hit your insured's bike	The driver and their auto carrier
A delivery rider on the job	The rider's employer or the delivery app, depending on the arrangement
The bike failed after a repair	The bike shop
A frame, fork, brake, or wheel failed	The manufacturer. Check CPSC recalls.
A pothole or road defect	A city or state road agency. Watch for short notice deadlines.

Where coverage comes from: A rider's homeowners or renters policy often covers liability for damage they cause on a regular bicycle. Many homeowners policies exclude motorized vehicles, so e-bikes can fall into a gap. Check the rider's policy and the state's e-bike law.

E-bike classes: Many states use three classes. Class 1 is pedal-assist up to 20 mph, Class 2 has a throttle up to 20 mph, and Class 3 is pedal-assist up to 28 mph. A faster or modified e-bike may count as a motor vehicle, which can change who's responsible and what coverage applies.

2. Notify and investigate

Evidence checklist

The police report and witness statements
Photos of the bike, the damage, and the scene
Video from cameras nearby, and helmet or dash cams
App ride data from bike-share or delivery apps (ask quickly, it can be deleted)
Repair invoices and the purchase receipt
The bike itself, held for a joint exam if a defect is suspected

3. Demand, negotiate, and settle

Liability theories: negligent riding or driving, negligent repair, product defect, and road defect.

Defenses to expect

Defense	How to answer it
The rider has no insurance	Check their homeowners or renters policy, the employer, or the delivery app.
The homeowners policy excludes e-bikes	Check the exact exclusion and the state's e-bike definition.
The rider was partly at fault	Comparative fault rules decide how much is recoverable.

4. Letters for this loss

Step	Letter
Identify	Subrogation Opening Letter to Insured
Notify	Notice of Subrogation Interest and Insurance Request, to Adverse Carrier
Demand	Subrogation Demand to Adverse Carrier
Negotiate	Second Demand with Escalation Notice
Settle	Release Review Checklist, Deductible Reimbursement

Related guides: Electrical and Product Fires (e-bike batteries), and Vehicle into Structure.