Home insurance company gives bike warning

Britons must ensure that their bikes are securely stored and that all necessary precautions are taken to avoid their theft, a home insurance provider has advised.

Halifax Home Insurance, commenting ahead of the Tour de France which starts in London this year, released figures showing that a bike is stolen every 71 seconds in the UK.

Additionally, London is the hotspot for bike theft, potentially resulting in a high number of home insurance claims for incidents of this nature in the capital, the company said.

The home insurance provider also issued advice to bike owners, such as always locking the cycle, parking it in a busy and well-lit area and using an ultraviolet pen to write a postcode on the frame.

Vicky Emmott, senior manager of underwriting at Halifax Home Insurance, commented: It's important that people take adequate measures to protect their cycles and also make sure they are insured both in the home and when out in public.

Many home insurance providers recently gave advice to Britons affected by the severe flooding seen in many areas of the UK.