If you live in London make sure you have adequate motorbike insurance. A recent survey has revealed bikers in the capital are six times most likely to have their motorcycle stolen than elsewhere in the UK, with North West London topping the list as the bike theft ‘hot spot’.

Motorcycle insurance specialist, Carole Nash surveyed 230,000 biking policyholders living in 117 main UK postcode areas. It found that eight of the top ten highest risk areas are in London. In North West London bikers are five times more likely to have their motorcycle stolen than the lowest ranked region, Northern Ireland. Outside the capital, Liverpool tops this list.

Dave Bowcock, Operations Director at Carole Nash blames the authorities for failing to provide adequate parking.  “Year in, year out, our survey finds that Londoners face what is frankly, an unacceptable theft risk,” say Dave Bowcock, Operations Director, Carole Nash. “We might be talking about a bike worth more than a small car, perhaps £10,000, and yet there is still a desperate shortage of secure motorcycle parking places, not just in London but across the UK.”

Bikers themselves need to take steps to protect their machines, fitting security devices and ensuring they have adequate bike insurance in place so that they are covered in the event of theft.