Hire car insurance: extra options or not?
If you plan to rent a car, it is important that you choose the right car insurance and read up on it in advance. This way, you avoid having to make decisions when you pick up your rental car. Think about the options and extras you would like the car to have, such as air conditioning or a navigation system. Also think about the car insurance you want to take out when renting the car.
Insuring a hire car is necessary, but at the same time, the additional costs for extra insurance are one of the biggest annoyances. If you choose not to insure your hire car, you risk losing a lot of money if something goes wrong. In fact, you are more or less obliged to insure the rental car. This makes renting a car still a very expensive joke.
Car rental insurance
What exactly about insuring a rental car? What is insured as standard and what is smart to insure extra?
Virtually every rental car has third-party insurance as standard. In fact, in most countries, car insurance with third-party coverage is required by law for every car. Insurances offered by the rental company, such as liability, are usually in addition to the standard third-party insurance. When insuring your rental car, make sure that the car is indeed WA insured. In the Netherlands, this is compulsory insurance. Are you going to insure a rental car abroad? Ask about the local rules and determine whether additional insurance is necessary.
Hire car insurance abroad
When you go for car insurance for a rental car abroad, you may find that different rules apply with regard to car insurance than in the Netherlands. You will have to deal with different insurances abroad that often have a different name than in the Netherlands. Not only the name of the insurance may differ but also the coverage may be different from what you are used to with Dutch insurances.
Below are a few more important things to bear in mind when renting a car abroad.
With a third-party insurance, you are covered as a driver for damage you cause to others with the car. As the renter, you are responsible for all damage to the rental car. With WA limited casco insurance, you are (largely) covered for these damages to the rental car. This insurance usually has an excess. It is also possible that certain damages are excluded from coverage. This could be damage to the underside of the car or damage that occurs on unpaved roads.
It is also important to check if your rental car is insured against theft as standard and how high the excess is, should the car be stolen. Ask the rental company in advance to avoid unforeseen costs as much as possible.
Important: Alpina does not have options to insure a rental car. This must be arranged by the rental company at all times.
Related pages about getting car insurance
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