Travel insurance has always been a little bit tricky for cycling, with cover often ambiguous and rarely including all of the features we need while riding.

The best comparison you can make is with winter sports. If we want to go skiing and be covered for medical mishaps or repatriation, our insurance has to list winter sports specifically. The same is true for cycling abroad, but unfortunately the travel insurers don’t make it anywhere near as easy.

Check the small print. I have seen travel insurance that lists cycling as a covered activity, but exclude racing. “Fine,” you might think, “if I’m not racing then it’s not a problem”. However, looking a bit closer their definition of a ‘race’ includes any organised event where you are given a time at the end, therefore excluding pretty much every big European sportive.

Check to see if there are any restrictions on distances. There are a few travel insurers that will cover triathlon events, for example, but most have restrictions on distances. If you are entering a 70.3, there’s not much use in travel insurance that only covers up to sprint distance.

Do you know the restrictions on European Health Insurance? Most of us carry EHIC cards with us on the continent, but few are aware of their limitations. While riding in the Alps, Pyrenees, Spain, Portugal and Mallorca, public hospitals are far and few between. If you have an accident and get taken to a private hospital in one of these areas, your EHIC card won’t cover you.

If in doubt, ask. If you’re not sure if your ride or holiday is covered by an insurance company, give them a call. Tell them exactly what you will be doing with your bike and ask if their insurance covers it.

Yellow Jersey Cycle Insurance have recently released their own Cycle Travel Insurance to try and solve this problem. It is designed to remove the hassle, providing the cover you need regardless of how you are using your bike, wherever in the world you are. If you just want to insure your kit then check out their comprehensive bicycle insurance.

La Fuga guests can enjoy a 10% discount with Yellow Jersey Cycle Insurance. Contact info@lafuga-staging.wlxyml6-liquidwebsites.com for more details.

Thanks to Will Needham of Yellow Jersey Cycle Insurance for these top tips on travel insurance