Categories
Car Insurance

Do I need rental car insurance?

The most common question about renting a car for domestic or international travel is, “Do I need to purchase rental insurance cover?” Generally, insurance of any type, including travel, health and vehicle, is vital. It protects you financially from unforeseen circumstances and gives you peace of mind.

However, when it comes to rental car insurance, it depends. While you want to ensure you and your rental car are covered, you don’t want to pay for additional duplicate insurance policies that double your price. To help you get started, here’s a guide to buying rental car insurance.

Domestic travel

If you’re renting a vehicle for domestic travel, contact your provider first if you already have a personal car insurance policy to see what type of rental coverage you have. Most insurers may provide liability and comprehensive coverage for a rental vehicle as long as you drive it for personal use.

If you don’t have a personal vehicle insurance policy, it’s time to start shopping around for a comprehensive policy. Always compare quotes from various insurers before selecting one that suits your budget and needs.

Similarly, you should check with your credit card company as some provide rental car coverage when you use the card to pay for your rental. Credit card coverage comes in handy when there are gaps in your personal auto insurance policy, ensuring you get secondary cover.

International travel

If you’re travelling overseas and will need a vehicle to tour the city and move around, it’s wise to protect yourself against any damages, repairs or accidents.

In most cases, your personal auto policy won’t cover international car rentals, so you’ll have to purchase a policy alongside your travel insurance cover. This also includes taking a road trip with a rental car.

There are two ways to get rental car insurance for international travel. For one, you can include it as an extra in your travel insurance policy or purchase it separately as another policy. Either way, ensure it provides adequate cover.

All in all, never drive a rental car without rental car insurance. Feel free to use our tools to find the right rental car insurance cover for you.

Photo: Free image by Pixabay
Categories
Travel Insurance

5 signs you need travel insurance

Whether you’re travelling for business or pleasure, purchasing international travel health insurance can give you peace of mind throughout your stay. Unfortunately, many travellers forgo insurance, resulting in significant losses. If you’re on the fence about buying travel insurance, here are five signs you need it.

1) You’re travelling internationally

Travel doesn’t always go as planned. You might lose your wallet, fall ill, or get mugged, making insurance a necessity to cover you against any additional costs or losses if something goes wrong.

2) You’re worried you might get sick

Getting the flu or a cold while travelling can be many people’s worst nightmare. These conditions can not only make the trip uncomfortable, but they can also result in significant financial losses if medical treatments are required. Fortunately, most travel insurance policies cover emergency medical treatments, ensuring you can get free medical care.

3) You’re travelling with valuable luggage

Travelling to a new destination with luggage has many risks, including theft, burglary, and vandalism. If you’re carrying important documents, expensive gadgets, designer clothes, or cash with you, consider purchasing travel insurance to cover your possessions.

You’ll feel safer knowing you can be reimbursed if your items get lost or stolen.

4) You plan to partake in adventurous activities

Mountain climbing, sky diving, white-water rafting, zip-lining, and kayaking are part of holiday travel. While these outdoor activities are fun, they are dangerous and can lead to severe and life-threatening injuries that require medical attention, making insurance crucial.

However, you’ll need to pay extra for your cover as most insurers exclude certain activities in basic insurance policies.

5) You booked non-refundable flights and hotels

Life happens, and you may need to cancel an upcoming flight to tend to other vital matters. If you purchased a non-refundable hotel stay or flight, you could stay at home, but you won’t get your money back. Luckily, insurance covers non-refundable trip deposits, cushioning you from such losses.

Travelling locally or abroad can be stressful, but with the best international travel insurance, you can have peace of mind knowing you’re covered if things don’t go as planned. We can help you find insurance cover that suits you today. All you have to do is use our handy comparison tools.

Photo: Free image by Pixabay