Stay safe during holidays - make sure you got the right insurance abroad and for your rentals
So what will it be this year for your summer travels: Iconic theme trip? A nostalgic sojourn? Nomadic adventure? Zen-like isolation?
Whether it’s going to the county fair or taking a cross-country road trip, check out
a few important things before heading off. The little tidbits that you never knew about your auto policy or renting a car could be the difference between financial devastation or comfort in the coverage.
Are you thinking about heading south of the border for a taste of real Mexican food? There are special arrangements that need to be made prior to crossing the border. Mexico won’t make you get insurance, but God help you if you should get into a fender bender there. You will automatically be arrested until they decide who was at fault (hopefully someone speaks English) and you could have jail time if you don’t have proper coverage or a lot of money to pay out for injuries and damage.
Perhaps you are considering visiting our Canadian neighbors, eh? They’d love to have you, but only if you have increased your liability limits to their levels and have a certificate from your insurance company that proves it.
Knowing all you need before proceeding to the checkpoint will save you a considerable amount of grief.
Another area of examination needs to be if you intend to rent a car at any point in your trip. There are quite a few items that are noteworthy on those accounts. You certainly don’t want to be without proper protection, but you also don’t want to waste money on duplicate coverage between the rental car company and your auto insurance. After all, you are paying out enough money on both!
There is also some coverage when a credit card is used to rent a vehicle that might be helpful, but aren’t necessarily something to depend on.
Fine
print is never fun to read, but by checking out a few of these details you will save yourself time, money, and most importantly, grief. The last thing you want to experience on a vacation is grief.
Learn about the ins and outs of the relationships between auto insurance, rental car insurance, credit card perks, and traveling by car and insured to
other countries. You’ll be glad you did.
Bon Voyage!
Image credits go to Elin B.
