Trail bike riding is a popular pastime for many tradies in Australia, and the question often comes up whether or not this activity is covered by income protection insurance.
Many self-employed tradesmen are required to hold income protection insurance in order to enter the worksite.
One of the great things about income protection is the fact that it also covers you away from the worksite, but some pastimes, such as trail bike riding, aren’t looked at favourably by some insurance companies.
Thankfully there are a number of insurance companies who are comfortable with trail bike riding and motocross, and the team at Trade Risk know exactly who they are.
A Quick Refresher
There are some income protection policies that will cover trail bike riding, but before we get into that we will have a quick refresher on what income protection is, and why it is relevant to motocross and trail bike riding.
Income protection will replace up to 75% of your income if you are unable to work for a period of time due to injury or illness.
The coverage extends to activities away from the worksite, however there are some exclusions for pastimes that the insurance companies believe pose a higher potential risk.
If you were to injure yourself whilst riding, some policies will cover you whilst others won’t. If you do enjoy trail bike riding, it is vitally important that you have an income protection policy which covers your riding.
Recreational Trail Bike Riding
Many tradies enjoy recreational trail bike riding, and the good news is that some insurers will cover this activity under an income protection insurance policy.
Not all insurers offer the extended coverage, and those that do have varying ways of dealing with it.
A very small number of insurers will include cover for recreational riding at no extra cost, whilst some include cover at a higher premium. The rest of the insurers don’t cover your riding at all.
In order to be covered it is imperative that you tell the insurance company upfront that you partake (or are planning on partaking) in trail bike riding. If you don’t tell them, they may decline any claim which relates to your riding.
Competitive Trail Bike Riding
Unfortunately none of the insurers we know of will offer income protection to cover competitive motocross or trail bike riding.
The definition of ‘competitive’ can differ, but generally it comes down to whether or not you are racing other riders, or if you are competing in timed events of any kind.
Practising at the local motocross track will generally be fine if you have the right policy, but as soon as practice turns into racing you will be out of cover.
Trade Risk
Here at Trade Risk our team of tradies insurance experts understand what tradesmen need in their insurance, and they also know how to get the cover you need for various pastimes such as trail bike riding.
Our team can provide you with quotes and advice not only on income protection for trail bike riding, but also for life insurance and TPD insurance which can also be affected by participation in certain pastimes.
If you would like a quote on your income protection or other forms of tradesman insurance please complete our online quote request or give our office a call.
