Mobility Scooter Insurance.quest

Theft & security

Lock it, or the claim may not pay

Theft cover comes with conditions about how and where your scooter was left. Two insurers publish theirs on their product pages. Test a situation, then see how to make theft less likely in the first place.

Updated 6 October 2026 · Figures sourced and linked
Would my claim pay? →
1hrSurewise: unlocked outside a shop, still coveredSource: Surewise
12hrsETA: maximum unattended in public, locked to a fixed objectSource: ETA
UnplugBefore you sleep: London Fire Brigade battery adviceSource: London Fire Brigade, March 2024

Theft claim checker

Would your claim pay?

Theft conditions are some of the most common reasons claims are turned down. Surewise and ETA spell theirs out on their product pages; other insurers put them in the policy wording. Pick a situation to see what each says.

Where was it left?
For how long?
SurewiseNot covered
Not covered: the unlocked-outside-a-shop allowance is 1 hour.Surewise published conditions ↗
ETANot covered
Not covered: unattended in public for more than 1 hour.ETA published conditions ↗

These two providers publish their unattended-scooter conditions on their product pages. Other insurers have their own rules in the policy wording, and every theft claim is assessed on its facts.

Prevention

Six habits that stop thieves

Take the key

Every time, even for a minute. A scooter without its key is far harder to ride away.

Lock to something fixed

A chain or cable round a railing or post. ETA's 12-hour allowance only applies when it's secured to an immovable object.

Store it indoors

Or in a locked garage or shed. Surewise requires it to be locked while stored.

Mark it

Write your postcode on the frame under the seat and photograph the serial number for your claim.

Add an alarm or tracker

A motion alarm deters; a tracker helps police find it. Tell your insurer: some ask about security.

Insure for outdoor storage

If it has to live outside, look for extended theft cover, such as Adrian Flux's.

Battery safety

Charging safely

The London Fire Brigade warns that lithium batteries in mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs can be a fire risk if overcharged, tampered with, exposed to extreme temperatures, submerged or damaged. Its advice: never cover a charging battery, unplug it when full or before you sleep, and stop using it if it overheats, bulges, smokes or fizzes.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards adds: use the right charger, charge while you're awake and at home, and never charge or store a battery where a fire would block your escape route.

A note on data: we couldn't find a reliable national count of mobility scooter thefts. ONS and police figures don't separate them out, so we don't quote one. Compare theft cover →

Questions

Straight answers

Will my insurance pay if my scooter is stolen while unlocked?
It depends on the policy. Surewise covers a scooter left unlocked outside a shop for up to an hour, but it must be locked while stored. ETA won't pay if it was unattended in public for over an hour, or over 12 hours even when locked to something fixed.
What's the best way to lock a mobility scooter?
Lock it to something that can't be moved, take the key, and store it indoors or in a locked garage or shed. Some insurers make locking a condition of theft cover, so read yours. Adrian Flux sells extended theft cover for scooters kept outdoors.
Is it safe to charge a mobility scooter overnight?
The London Fire Brigade says never cover a charging battery and unplug it when it's full or before you go to sleep. Stop if it overheats, bulges, smokes or fizzes, and don't charge it where a fire would block your way out (OPSS).

Sources

Where the numbers come from

We use primary sources only: insurers' own product pages and policy documents, regulators and government. Figures were checked on 6 October 2026. Spot something out of date? The source link is the fastest way to check.

  1. London Fire Brigade. Fire safety advice for users of health care products and equipment (v4). March 2024.
  2. Office for Product Safety and Standards. Buy safe, be safe: avoid e-bike and e-scooter fires. 24 October 2024.
  3. Surewise. Mobility Scooter Insurance: product page and policy documents. Checked 6 October 2026.
  4. Fish Insurance. Mobility Scooter Lite: product page and policy documents. Checked 6 October 2026.
  5. Fish Insurance. Mobility Scooter Extra: product page and policy documents. Checked 6 October 2026.
  6. ETA. Mobility Scooter Insurance: product page and policy documents. Checked 6 October 2026.
  7. Mark Bates Ltd. Scooter & Powerchair Standard: product page and policy documents. Checked 6 October 2026.
  8. Mark Bates Ltd. Scooter & Powerchair Plus: product page and policy documents. Checked 6 October 2026.
  9. CareCo Protect + Go. Essentials / Enhanced: product page and policy documents. Checked 6 October 2026.
  10. Adrian Flux. Mobility Scooter Insurance: product page and policy documents. Checked 6 October 2026.
  11. First Senior. Powerchair, Wheelchair & Scooter Insurance: product page and policy documents. Checked 6 October 2026.

Keep going

Compare providers →Nine policies side by side, filtered to your scooter.Breakdown cover →Who recovers you, how far, and why the AA and RAC won't.Second-hand scooters →Insuring a used scooter: market value vs new-for-old.How much it costs →Published starting prices, and which apply to your scooter's value.