Bikes, Kayaks, and Rooftop Gear: What Your Insurance Covers

Summer road trips often mean loading up your vehicle with extra gear. Bicycles on a hitch rack, kayaks strapped to roof rails, and storage bins filled with vacation essentials are just a few extracurricular items your vehicle might be tasked with hauling to your next destination.

But if something happens to those items while you're on the road, will your auto insurance cover the damage or loss?

The short answer: it depends.

Coverage will be dependent upon what happened and how your policy is structured. Let’s dig a little deeper.

Personal Property Isn’t Covered Under Auto Insurance

In general, standard auto insurance policies do not cover personal belongings, even if they're attached to or inside the vehicle. So if your bike is stolen off a hitch rack, your homeowners or renters insurance (not your auto policy) would be the coverage that potentially responds. These policies typically cover personal property off-premises, but may be subject to a deductible and coverage limits for certain items like sporting equipment.

Collision or Comprehensive May Apply (In Part)

If you’re in a car accident and your rooftop cargo box or kayak is damaged due to the crash, your auto insurance’s collision or comprehensive coverage may pay for the damage to the vehicle itself, but likely not for the damaged contents. Again, you'd turn to your home or renters policy for the items.

Now, if the gear comes off your vehicle and causes damage to someone else’s car or property, that could trigger a liability claim under your auto policy. For instance, if a poorly secured bike falls off onto the highway and hits another car, your property damage liability coverage may respond to pay for the other driver’s repairs.

Secure Your Items and Protect Your Liability

According to a study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, road debris, including unsecured cargo, caused over 200,000 crashes and 500 deaths between 2011 and 2014. Improperly securing bikes, kayaks, or storage bins isn't just risky for your gear; it can be a serious safety hazard.

Final Thought

If you travel frequently with gear attached to your vehicle, make sure you understand how your auto, home, and renters insurance policies coordinate. Secure all items properly, review your personal property limits of insurance, and contact our office to ensure you're fully protected, on and off the road.