Car rental insurance for trip to BC, Canada

TazCaz

Hello, does anyone know an inexpensive, reputable third party rental car insurer that covers damage to the car? Rental cars in the US state I'm visiting seem to include this as standard as part of their car hire, but in BC, Canada, the rental car company is asking for $25 a day, which seems excessive. My own travel annual travel insurance (through Virgin Money) doesn't cover damage to the car, just medical in case of a car accident. I've never gone via a third party insurer before as it's usually only a few extra dollars/pounds a day with the car company itself. I don't have a credit card such as American Express that I can get this through. My travel insurance covers everything else so I just need car damage insurance for this particular trip (well, really just a few days of this particular trip). Would be handy to know for future trips as well though, particularly for when I visit family back in Australia, where damage insurance is also separate and expensive.
Thanks in advance!

eDicky

Insurance will be included if you book on a hire firm's or a broker's UK or Irish site, you only need cover for the excess which is what they are trying to sell you as an expensive extra.

There are two or three recommended suppliers, see the MSE articles about this. Don't bother telling the hire desk staff that you have this when they offer you their cover, just say no thanks and make sure all existing damage is marked on the report.

TheRightOne

eDicky said:

Insurance will be included if you book on a hire firm's or a broker's UK or Irish site, you only need cover for the excess which is what they are trying to sell you as an expensive extra.

There are two or three recommended suppliers, see the MSE articles about this. Don't bother telling the hire desk staff that you have this when they offer you their cover, just say no thanks and make sure all existing damage is marked on the report.

MSE doesn't recommend any suppliers. They just suggest the use of MoneyMaxim to search from a list of seventeen or to go through an affiliate link.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-car-hire/#needtoknow-5

shaun_from_Africa

I've had an annual policy with Questor:
https://www.questor-insurance.co.uk/car-hire-insurance
for the past 6 or 7 years and although I've only had to make one claim (£170 for a lost key), they paid out about 10 days after I submitted the paperwork.
My latest policy cost me £52 for worldwide cover for a year.

Alexd52

shaun_from_Africa said:

I've had an annual policy with Questor:
https://www.questor-insurance.co.uk/car-hire-insurance
for the past 6 or 7 years and although I've only had to make one claim (£170 for a lost key), they paid out about 10 days after I submitted the paperwork.
My latest policy cost me £52 for worldwide cover for a year.

This is who I use also, much more cost effective than using the car hire company's excess insurance

sazaccount

Just be aware that there is only 1 insurance company in BC, which is why the insurance on the hire car is so expensive. Are you hiring the car in BC or driving up from the Us, where are you travelling to to need the car if its around Vancouver, Vancouver Island or Whistler TBH public transport is the easiest and far more cheapest way to go. 

TazCaz

sazaccount said:

Just be aware that there is only 1 insurance company in BC, which is why the insurance on the hire car is so expensive. Are you hiring the car in BC or driving up from the Us, where are you travelling to to need the car if its around Vancouver, Vancouver Island or Whistler TBH public transport is the easiest and far more cheapest way to go. 

Hi sazaccount, we're heading about 5-6 hours from Vancouver so definitely need a car. We'll be catching a bus from Seattle to Vancouver, and just needing a car for a few days of the time we are there. I think I have actually managed to find a place that includes the insurance in the price through Canadian Affair, which I found through Skyscanner.

sazaccount

Perfect are you heading towards Sun Peaks? 
The Bus from Seattle to Vancouver is defiantly the way to go I spent 3 hours in the queue for the boarder the other weekend, going from Canada to US (it was a long weekend in both BC and the US which didn't help) in a car and the buses were just driving straight past 30/40mins for everyone to go though back on the bus and away.
I was originally meant to be taking the bus but they over sold online between Greyhound and Bolt bus and all of the greyhound passengers weren't allowed to board the Bolt bus in Vancouver.

If your spending time in Seattle I highly highly recommend the free walking tours company they do 2 tours one for Pike market in the morning and the other at 12 around the older parts and history of Seattle. The guide was amazing!!! you pay what you want defiantly worth the $20 CAD I had (no US currency left and only there for 2 days)