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Irrespective of whether you’re attempting the Epic, or setting out on a recreational ride, mountain biking comes with myriad risks. Red Bull & Bike Rumor have pinned the most common injuries to include head trauma and brain injury, shoulder injuries and fractured hands/wrists. Jack Kruger, Head of Design at Sanlam, says, “Unfortunately, mountain biking accidents are a reality. And, they can be costly. That’s why it’s best for riders to have cover in place every time a ride is planned. Go Cover - an award-winning, on-demand accidental injury insurance solution - can be signed up for in five minutes flat, via the app or web. Ongoing cover purchases can be made in under 30 seconds.”
Kruger says riders can get up to R1 million in cover (for themselves and up to R300 000 for someone else or groups*) from just R12 a day to as little as R2.20. It can be bought once off for 24 hours or for up to 90 days. Or there is the option to purchase recurring cover on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis – or any combination of custom selected days. Cover includes protection against over 30 different accidental injuries and death, wherever someone is in the world.** And there’s no paperwork and no long-term contract. It’s straightforward, on-demand, app-based cover.
For mountain bikers, it’s a simple way to help cover the potential costs of an accident, which can be immense.
Common mountain biking accidental injuries
Broken clavicles are known as ‘the cyclist’s favourite fracture’ according to Bike Rumor. The site referenced an American National Interscholastic Cycling Association study, which found other common injuries include a fractured forearm and trauma to the face. Red Bull additionally called out ankle injuries. Shoulder issues were the big one - especially from riders being thrown straight over the bars.
The costs of replacing a bike should an accident strike
While surgery is seriously expensive - not least of all due to a hospital stay - there are also equipment costs to consider. Thomas Rood, founder of Giant Cape Town, says that the average performance mountain bike costs about R15,000, but top-of-the-range rides can climb to more than R130,000. Common parts that may need to be replaced are wheels, handlebar controls and the frame, which can cost anything from R5,000 to R65,000.
Kruger says that Go Cover pays out for accidental injuries over and above any existing medical aid, medical gap cover, or insurance one might have. “It complements your existing cover, to provide an extra layer of financial security, and a payout amount you can use to cover out of pocket expenses such as equipment replacement.”
Best of all, one person can get cover for a group of people, provided they are either relatives, clients, employees, or event entrants. It’s easy to do:
1. Download the Sanlam Go Cover app from your app store
2. Select or add people you want to cover*
3. Select the period you want cover for
4. Confirm the amount of cover, and accept the quote or amend cover details
5. Check out and pay with your personal or business debit or credit card
When buying cover:
- You will need your and others’ mobile number, email address, nationality, ID number (if South African), or passport number and date of birth (if non-South African).
- Cover for yourself can be activated immediately, but cover for someone else, or a group, requires a 24-hour activation period before it kicks in.
- Cover for another person is limited to a maximum of R300 000, cover for yourself is available up to R1 million.
Get the Sanlam Go Cover app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store or buy online.
*Cover can be bought for yourself, family, employees, domestic workers, clients, paying guests, or event entrants.
**South Africans are covered worldwide, excluding certain conflict zones. Visitors and foreigners are covered while in South Africa.
This post is sponsored, provided and written by Sanlam.
