Covers people aged 21-84. Up to £2000 excess covered per claim (to total of £3000 per rental agreement) / $80,000 on WW rentals. Insures up to 6 people on policy. Annual policies continuous duration no longer than 31 days - unlimited trips / daily policies no longer than 180 days in one trip. Near home rental available and dual lead driver - see T's and C's for more information
Archive for the ‘Rental Car Insurance’ Category
The Importance of a Car Insurance Policy
One of the most coveted privileges in American culture is driving a vehicle. It defines out teenage years and is essential for living well in country where cities are designed around cars. But with that privilege comes a responsibility of protecting both yourself and those around you. The importance of a car insurance policy cannot be overstated, and there are several compelling reasons why you should have a car insurance policy.
It Makes Financial Sense
Driving can be risky. In 2009 alone, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports more than 33,000 people died, and there were millions of accidents. Each of these accidents came at a considerable cost, with repair and medical bills ranging from a few hundred dollars to hundreds of thousands. With the average American household making $44,800 every year, hitting and totaling a $20,000 car, let alone a $50,000 or more luxury car, can have devastating financial results. Auto insurance protects you from footing the bill in these situations.
Required by Law
While many people understand the benefits of insuring themselves against possible financial ruin, there are those who aren’t afraid of taking risks. It was with those people in mind that states began mandating insurance coverage in the 50s. But liability laws began much earlier than that.
As early as 1925, Massachusetts had passed the first compulsory insurance proposal into law. Already a few decades old, the automobile was already a source of many accidents. What used to once be a toy for the wealthy was now increasingly used by the masses. The need for financial responsibility became apparent as incidents of people not paying for accidents rose in number.
Following Massachusetts in 1925, New York was the second to require car insurance in 1956, followed by North Carolina the following year. Today, all 49 states require compulsory insurance coverage, with New Hampshire as the exception.
The Reasons Behind the Mandates
Most people are familiar with auto insurance as a requirement by state law, but many don’t realize the arguments behind the mandate. The primary arguments rely on financial responsibility. Accidents result in damage to vehicles and property, and sometimes people are injured. Auto shop repair bills and hospital costs often are much higher than most people can afford on their own. Most accidents would not be paid for if insurance wasn’t around, and owning a car would be out of reach for most due to the high risk of financial ruin. While personal financial responsibility laws, attempt to address this issue, these laws are often inadequate and difficult to enforce. This leaves other drivers at risk of getting hit by drivers who can’t pay for the damages.
A car insurance policy is vital for ensuring financial health. If you are without a policy, it’s important to get insured and stop taking risks. After all, it’s not just your life and well-being that you’re risking, but also that of those around you.
Saving your bucks on your auto insurance policy – Steps to take
With the present market conditions in the United States, an increasingly large number of people have been hardly hit due to the increase in the auto insurance premium rates. Though getting an auto insurance policy is a necessity in the US, there are some who skip taking out one as they can’t bear the costs on the policy. It is not that there are no ways in which you can lower the auto insurance premium costs. If you aren’t aware of the ways in which you can do so, read on the concerns of this article.
- Shop around: The first step that you need to take is to shop around and get multiple quotes from multiple auto insurance companies so that you may get to know that you’re choosing the best policy in the market. Get quotes from at least 5-6 companies and then choose the one that suits your present needs and affordability. Don’t forget to compare the coverage in accordance with the price too.
- Raise your deductible: Before taking out an auto insurance policy, you have to agree on a deductible amount that is the money that you’ll pay out of pocket when you file the claim and before the auto insurance company starts paying for you. If you choose to pay a higher deductible, you can easily be deemed to be a creditworthy borrower and the premium rates will be lower for you. However, decide on an amount that is within your budget.
- Show a clean driving record: When you take out an auto insurance policy, you have to show a clean driving record so that the insurer is sure that lending you a policy won’t be at their risk. Make sure your driving report is free of accidents, traffic violations and red ticket charges. If it is free of all the aforementioned charges, you can get an affordable premium rate.
- Install safety devices: If you can reduce the risk of your vehicle being prone to road accidents, you can grab an auto insurance policy at a covetable cost. Install features like anti-lock brakes, alarms so that you may reduce the chances of your car being stolen. If they see that there is less risk in insuring your car, they will charge you favorable premium rates.
- Have a good credit score: Your credit score speaks about your financial history and shows the lender whether or not you were timely while paying all your debt obligations. With a poor score, they will charge you high rates and with a good score, you can get reasonable rates.
Therefore, if you want to save your bucks on your auto insurance policy, follow the points mentioned above. Manage your finances and pay the premiums on time so that you don’t hurt your credit score.
Getting a good deal for rental car insurance
Whatever your reason for needing to hire a car, you have probably searched for the best deal you could find for the cost of the rental. So why not get the best rental car insurance that you can? Following these tips, you can find something that suits your needs and your budget.
Get a number of quotes
Although it can be convenient to purchase rental car cover from the company that is hiring the car to you, they may not be the most competitively priced provider. By getting a few quotes for the same cover, you can be satisfied that the provider you eventually choose is offering a good deal.
Study the excess
Excesses vary between rental car policies. The excess is the minimum claim that the insurer will consider, so if your rental car suffers damage that costs less than this amount to repair, you will have to meet the cost from your own pocket. And if the cost of the repair is higher, you will have to pay the amount up to the excess. The excess on some rental policies start at around £500; others can reach in the region of £1,500.
However, if you are unable to find a policy with a lower excess, cover is available to “top up” your rental car insurance by insuring the excess amount. This extra cover need not be expensive, and can give you peace of mind that you will not have to pay a penny if the car gets damaged.
Name your drivers
Naming the people who will be driving the rental car gives the insurer confidence, especially if you including their ages and details of their driving experience. But make sure that their names are also included on the rental documents with the car hire company, and that the hirer also knows who will be driving the car.
Do you fit into a group?
Occasionally insurance providers offer rental car insurance to specific groups which is tailored for their needs. For example, the family holiday market might have different car rental insurance needs than a business who has hired an extra pool car.
Ask for the best deal available
Sometimes the best way to get a good deal is to ask for one. Can the insurer improve on the price they have quoted? Are there any discounts available? It is always worth asking as the worst that can happen is that the insurer says no!
Check the policy’s provisions about crossing borders
Sometimes rental car insurance policies have geographical limits on their application. So if you are planning a road trip in a hired vehicle around Europe, double check that the policy covers you in any part of the continent.