Renting a scooter or quad abroad? Think of the risks!

Insurance of a rented scooter

Let's get right to the point. When you cause damage with a rented scooter or quad while traveling, you are not insured for this with your Dutch travel insurance. Not even on any scooter or quad insurance you may have taken out in the Netherlands. To cover the risk of damage, you should take out separate insurance with the rented vehicle. In many cases, this can be done with the foreign company where you rent the scooter and is often even mandatory.

However, there is also a great risk involved here. Many people blindly commit themselves to an insurance offered by the rental company, without being aware of the corresponding insurance conditions. It may happen that in case of damage you will have to pay a large part of the amount of the claim to the rental company, despite the fact that you are insured. Well, if you had known that there was an excess of €200 attached to the event, you would probably have changed your mind. So always ask for the rental agreement and read the document carefully. That way you won't have any unpleasant surprises.

Medical costs in the event of an accident

We have now talked about damage to the vehicle itself, but how does it work with personal injury? If you have been involved in an accident abroad and suffered personal injury, you would obviously like to be able to recover the medical expenses associated with this from your insurer. Medical expenses abroad may be covered by travel insurance or health insurance. Only treatment costs are reimbursed at Dutch prices. In certain countries, medical rates can be up to five times higher than in the Netherlands. For this, take out travel insurance that covers medical expenses and possibly repatriation (literally: returning to the homeland).

Wearing a helmet

You would do well to reduce the chances of a serious injury as much as possible. Therefore, wearing a helmet is obviously not to be missed. In the Netherlands, wearing a helmet is mandatory for drivers and riders of scooters, mopeds and quads. In most European countries, the helmet requirement applies to the above vehicles. This also applies to many countries outside the EU. Wearing a helmet not only affects your safety, but also when claiming a personal injury claim from an insurer. If you are involved in a collision and you are not wearing a helmet, the insurer will almost certainly not pay the claim amount. Local police are also usually extra vigilant about tourists driving the aforementioned motor vehicles without helmets.

Don't be surprised!

The risks involved in renting motorised vehicles abroad are often underestimated. Do not be surprised and be aware of the fact that the risk of damage is greater than in the Netherlands. Road users abroad often behave differently than in our own little country. Also make sure that you always have your driving licence at hand. In the unlikely event that you are involved in an accident, you can always show that you are competent to drive.

Different traffic regulations may also apply to drivers of such motor vehicles abroad. Make sure you are well informed about these traffic rules. They can differ per country and per type of vehicle. In general, the police are stricter against tourists who do not respect the traffic rules than against the local population.