Finally, it’s summer! It’s time to pack the car and head to your favorite spot to enjoy some fun in the sun while you can. While you’ll want to walk through your classic packing list before you leave home with the family in tow, you’ll also want to consider your vehicle and, more specifically, your car insurance policy. Are you ready for summer? Do you know your options for road trips, should you need them? If you aren’t 100% sure if you are up-to-date, take a look below, and we’ll cover the basics to think about!
Your car, your road trip, and you
There are two main areas to keep in mind when it comes to preparing for a road trip in your family vehicle. Even if you’ve done a lot of the maintenance work, including checking fluid levels, changing oil, and refreshing your tires (if needed), there is still your car insurance to think about! As mentioned above, there are going to be two main areas to check into.
Rental car coverage
Some auto policies include coverage for a rental car, should something happen to your vehicle while you are on your trip. You surely don't want to be stranded and not have fun. Whether it’s something as simple as a fender-bender or a severe crash, you can rely on that rental car coverage. Depending on the policy you have in place, some of those policies have limits on mileage, so make sure you check out the specifics for your actual plan!
In most cases, the insurance you have for your own vehicle will extend to your rental vehicle. This includes liability insurance and any other protections you have in place. But that is something you can check with your Harbour Insurance Service agent about.
The difference between a rental car and renting a car
Just to be clear, let’s pause here for a moment. A rental car may be included as part of your policy if something were to make your personal vehicle undrivable during your vacation. This is something entirely different from actually renting a car to drive on your vacation. Making the choice to rent a car for your drive is not going to be covered under your policy, because there is no need for it, from your insurance policy’s perspective.
You can absolutely still rent a car, if you wish, just ensure you know the ins and outs of how it works, the kind of coverage you can get, and the numbers you may have to work into your budget.
Roadside assistance
The other main area that really comes in handy is roadside assistance! While it is going to depend on the policy that you have, there are many ways that roadside assistance can help you out in a pinch. These areas include fuel delivery, jump starts, and towing. As mentioned, however, you’ll want to check with your agent on what you have coverage for in your specific policy!
Now that you are more familiar with your insurance policy and what it can provide you with for your road trip, you’ll be all set to get the car loaded and head out!
Contact us at (281) 520-4090 with any questions or for a free quote!