Car insurance

[Chestermunch]

I have heard that if your normal travel insurance covers you for enough personal liability e.g. $2,000,00 - this would cover you to drive the car on holiday. This seems to have quite a ring of common sense to it as if you had an accident you would have a personal liability to the other party and the rental firm.

Coming from the UK, it is the car rental firm's insurance which is the single biggest expense when travelling to Florida - always around £200 - £300 for a couple of weeks. My Annual insurance in the UK doesn't even cost that!

Please help.

 

[RogueHabit]

DON'T DO IT...

That is all I can say. You must have valid MOTOR insurance to drive, I think you will find that it is an offence to not have motor insurance, just as it is at home.

Yes, it is expensive, but in a country were liabilty and litigation claims can run into the big numbers, is it really worth it.

Also, think about this. Your travel insurance cover of £2 million is probably not high enough. Independant travel advisors (the ones who aren't selling you a holiday, but are giving travel advise on shows like 'Holiday') are now recommending a minimum of £5 million cover to people travelling to the USA. This is because medical bills can soon mount up, if you are unlucky enough to need to use them. £2 million can disappear VERY quickly.

Also, I would expect that you travel insurance excludes driving insurance.

 

[The Mom]

You might want to check with your insurance company to see if you can get a special "rider" to cover you overseas. Just make sure it covers everything the rider offered by the rental agency does....including replacement cost/loss of use for the car.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Originally posted by Chestermunch
Coming from the UK, it is the car rental firm's insurance which is the single biggest expense when travelling to Florida - always around £200 - £300 for a couple of weeks. My Annual insurance in the UK doesn't even cost that!

Yes it is expensive and makes a mockery of "free rental car included" in all the brochures.

BUT it is a very small amount to pay for complete peace of mind. Remember that insurance is a legal requirement and in the US you simply cannot have enough cover.
My advice - buy the insurance and have a wonderful holiday, use the car to the maximum (WDW, SW, US, IOA and Kennedy) you'll need a car to do it all properly and if you're properly insured you can travel without worrying.

 

[starsky]

Originally posted by Chestermunch


Coming from the UK, it is the car rental firm's insurance which is the single biggest expense when travelling to Florida - always around £200 - £300 for a couple of weeks. My Annual insurance in the UK doesn't even cost that!

Please help.

What do you drive, a go-kart?

 

[RogueHabit]

Re: Re: Car insurance

Originally posted by starsky


What do you drive, a go-kart?

Maybe he has plenty of non-claims discount. We only pay £320 a year fully comprehensive on one of our cars because we have 70% NCD.