Road Trips and Insurance: What To Consider

Road trips are awesome. The music the food the impromptu stops at places of incredible (and in the case of pit-stops sometimes questionable) beauty… whether you’re headed on a big family vacation a weekend getaway with your friends or an adventure on your own both the US and Canada offer some great roads to explore. You might be wondering if your insurance is affected or if there are any special considerations while you’re away. As people travel in different ways so that will depend on what you’re doing where you’re going and how long you’re gone.

Road Trip Travel Medical Insurance

First of all if you’re travelling out of province you need to be aware of the provincial limitations to your health care coverage. You should get travel medical insurance to ensure you’re covered. This is absolutely essential if you’re going to the United States as a medical bill there is a scary prospect that is daunting to have to pay out of pocket. Travel medical insurance will ensure you get the medical care you need without worrying about the associated costs – and it’s incredibly affordable. You can also add on general travel insurance to cover things like lost baggage. Trip interruption insurance will also provide refunds if you need to abruptly end your vacation.

Home Insurance While You Road Trip

If your home will be empty while you’re away you’ll need to ensure it is being checked on by a trusted friend or family member. Most policies require someone to visit your home every 48 hours. Talk to your broker to find out what your insurance company requires then make your arrangements accordingly.

Road Trip Car Insurance

How your car insurance is affected during your road trip will depend mostly on where you’re going. If you’ll be driving your vehicle the following endorsements may be useful for you to have on your insurance policy:

• Loss of Use – Officially known as SEF20 this endorsement covers the cost of a rental car if yours is damaged in a covered loss (like an accident).
• Legal Liability for Damage to Non-Owned Automobiles – In insurance lingo this is known as SEF27 and it extends your insurance to cover rental cars (this means you won’t need to purchase insurance coverage from the car rental company).
• Emergency Service Expense – Also known as SEF35 this endorsement provides coverage for towing and emergency service expenses if your vehicle is undrivable.

If you’re travelling with others they can occasionally drive your car and you won’t need to add them to your policy. However if the person lives in the same household or regularly drives your vehicle they should be listed as a named insured. Your insurance broker will be able to advise you if you need to add a driver.

If you’re going to the United States you may have limits to the length of time you can travel and be covered. While the amount of time depends on your insurance company the accepted average is thirty days and under spent in the United States. Anything over that time you’ll need to contact your insurance company or broker . Some companies also impose a surcharge for covering you while in the US due to the higher risks and expenses.

Road Trip RV Insurance

If you’re hauling a travel trailer or driving a motorhome be sure you’re properly covered with the appropriate insurance policy . Insuring your RV under your car or home insurance leaves you vulnerable as your damages and losses may not be fully covered and you will have higher premiums if you have to make a claim. You can read more about the benefits of a separate RV insurance policy here .

It’s okay if your travel mates occasionally drive your motorhome – you won’t need to add them to your policy. However if the person lives in the same household or regularly drives your RV they should be listed as a named insured or additional driver. Your insurance broker will be able to clarify this for you.Luckily all of this can easily be taken care of before your trip with the help of an insurance broker . With this all in place you shouldn’t have to worry about anything but getting to your next destination.