UK insurance for overseas car hire
 

Please does anyone have any experience or thoughts on buying insurance cover in UK for overseas car hire (LDW, SLI etc)?

I'm planning a trip from UK to Canada where hire companies seem a bit sniffy about use of their cars on unsealed roads. Some ban it, others do not give LDW cover for it.

One way round the LDW issue may be to get cover in UK before we go.

Thanks.

(I know UK forum may not be the right place for the topic, but is seems the best place to get a response from UK based members who may have used such insurance.)

Most Canadian and US rental agencies won't allow their cars to be driven on unpaved roads.

So since it is not an authorized use, most insurance won't cover you. Even IF a policy allowed off roading in the UK, it would still only cover "authorised use". So if the useage is not authorized by the rental agency, my guess is the coverage would be voided.

Maybe if you find a hire company that allows off roading, you could look for a travel insurance policy that might cover you.

Good luck . . . .

janisj,

Thanks for response.

Your point about authorized use is well made and I would not do anything that is prohibited.

Certainly some companies ban use on unsealed roads. One bans use on "roads that are not government maintained" (whatever that means - I'm trying to find out) but voids LDW on unpaved roads. Information from some others should be coming soon.

It's actually quite difficult to get specific details as websites don't seem to give links to rental agreements. I suppose after recent trips to NZ and Iceland (where companies seem to be more phlegmatic about lack of tarmac) I was surprised by the situation in Canada and find myself wondering how hiring tourists get on with getting to some sites or indeed to accommodation off the public road. But that's a different issue!

You might get some help if you post on the Canada forum. My experience is in the States, and over the border there might be some other options.

It would be very difficult in the US -

Just to round this one off Enterprise have confirmed "driving on Province gravel roads in Canada is permitted and covered". So they get the business and there will be no need for insurance arranged in UK, the possible need for which led to my OP.

Yes - that allows you to drive on gravel roads that are maintained by the government - not on unoffical tracks and not off-road at all.

Not sure about Canada - but this is universal in the US - unless you rent a sport vehicle specifically for that - at very high price. (They won;t take chances on your ruining a $40,000 car.)