Scenario: I'm the pillion, going abroad on the bike trip :)   So...... and I hope this all makes sense.............went with AXA for annual multi-trip Holiday Insurance, paying for premium cover. D'oh - should have rung them first before I parted with my monies. . . expensive mistake.    Rang them up today - was I covered for personal accident/injuries if I came off the bike when pillion? I was told 'no - you're covered by the bike insurance'.   So rang and spoke to the bike insurance company - only to be told if third party involved in the accident and they accept responsibility of the accident, then rider and pillion claim off the third party insurance for personal injuries, compensation. But, if for example we're involved in a road accident, no third parties involved, if pillion in this country then I'd expect to be rushed off to hospital. If I come off the bike whilst abroad, then I assume I'll be taken to hospital (Health Card will pay for the expense) - but if I need to get back home quickly e.g. by plane, then I'm not covered by insurance to pay to get me home.   So, turns out, I'm not covered by insurance for personal accident/injuries. I've been googling tonight but haven't really got anywhere.   Has anyone who rides pillion, especially abroad, taken out an insurance that covers them for Personal Accident/Injuries, and if so, who was it with? Or is there anyone out there who works 'in Insurance' who can advise?   All I'm after is to make sure that I'm covered to pay for medical expenses and transport home.......   thank you                                                                                                                                                                                   

Its a minefield out there with insurance for travelling abroad, the only company I know of who does a specific insurance for it is http://www.hctravel.com/html/travel_insurance.html give them a call and they will sort you out, might cost a bit more than the usual holiday insurance but well worth it for the peace of mind, if I remember correctly I paid about 85 squid but that was 5 years ago when me and Misses went to America. Hope it helps                                                                                                                                                                             

I checked my policy a while ago for this trip Daft-un and it automatically covers me for western europe (plus some other countries not in eu like switzerland) and as the policy also covers a pillion (it was a specific question on the insurance proposal) I'm assuming my missus Kim will be ok but now you've pointed it out,I'm going to phone and check!

But surely thats the point of holiday insurance,to get you home in case of emergency? Otherwise,whats the point? After all,like you've said the health card gets you treatment if needed. Is it a case of insurance company's fine print or some obscure exception to help them wriggle out of any payment??                                                                                                                                                                             

Surprising this, to be honest not something Ian or I thought about when I went pilly in France with him before I passed my test.

But surely a riders insurance should cover you in europe ... That's why you pay extra premiums to carry a pilly?? Isn't it??

Don't most fully comp in uk only cover third party in Europe,                                                                                                                                                                              

I checked with my insurance - Bennets - before we went to spain last year, and my fully comp policy was still valid as fully comp in europe. One question i didnt think to ask was if the pilly was still covered, so Ill be watching this with interest. . . Let us now the outcome DaftUn                                                                                                                                                                             

i would get it all in writting rather than someone at the end of a phone saying it will be ok.                                                                                                                                                                             

Wheelbarrow - a very big thank you for the website link   - I spoke to HC-Travel, very helpful - put me in touch wih www.bikerstravelinsurance.co.uk. Holiday Insurance provided for anyone on a motorcycle, i.e. me as a pillion     The insurance covers me for what I'm after - medical expenses and repatriation home.   Single trip quote £36 - so yes, more expensive than a bog standard quote, but well worth the money for peace of mind.   So.... good news is that I've been able to cancel Axa Insurance, no quibbles and a refund of monies......... and with bikerstravelinsurance, I've got the holiday insurance that I want.   Shell - from what I can gather, the rider declares on his bike insurance he's taking pillion, so that if they're involved in an accient, the insurance is valid with the pilly on board. Insurance company will act on behalf of rider and pilly when claiming compensation from third party. Pilly not necessarily covered for personal accident/injuries if no third party involved esp when abroad. You are best to check with your bike insurance company and/or make sure you've got the correct Holiday Insurance when taking the bike abroad.                                                                                                                                                                             

well lets hope ya dont actually need to be flown back home  adn you have a brill holls and ride back safe an soooond wi a big smile on ya face                                                                                                                                                                              

i have insurance for a pilly -  but i cant find one ....all say awwwww poor Ian lol                                                                                                                                                                              

Ooh I helped someone, have a great time, :-))                                                                                                                                                                             

aaawww poor ian                                                                                                                                                                             

Has anyone yet managed to check if a pilly is covered if no 3rd party is involved in an accident weather it's here or overseas?                                                                                                                                                                              

There are on mine with Carol Nash                                                                                                                                                                             

Is that UK only Bill?

Thought this needed to be in active topics as it seems to have surprised a lot as to what cover a pilly does or does not have and where                                                                                                                                                                              

What an excellent thread, glad the subject has been raised before more of us get ripped off for insurance that doesn't cover what we need.  As Clinton has said above though, I would ask the specific questions in writing and ask them to response specifically to those questions in writing rather than refer you to policy wording.   If they can get out of paying, they will.                                                                                                                                                                             

I know mom ... to be honest it was never something I thought of in all the years I have been pilly with Ian, he pays out extra to carry a pilly so why would I not be insured if we had an accident ?                                                                                                                                                                             

That was my thinking too shell,I meant to phjone mine yesterday and forgot I'll do it today                                                                                                                                                                             

Great thread guys, Thank goodness I ain't got a pilly on this trip, Insurance companies are the pits.