Taking a Vacation

Just because you're on vacation, doesn't mean bad things can't happen.  Unfortunately, you have to be on guard going there, being there and coming back.  But having the right insurance can help you relax and enjoy yourself.

Here are a few thoughts to consider as you plan your trip. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.

Should I Get Rental Car Insurance?
How your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance can cover you even away from home
Going abroad? Your health insurance might not come along.

Buy the Rental Car Insurance

Start your vacation off right by knowing how to deal with one of the first questions you'll get hit with, "Would you like to buy car insurance?"  Don’t let surprise questions catch you off-guard at your destination. When it comes to rental-car insurance, our answer and easy and straight-forward: Buy the insurance.

You have the option to purchase a “Loss Damage Waiver” (LDW) from the rental car company. If purchased, this waiver relieves you from financial liability for the loss of, or damage to the rental car and the parts and accessories that come with it.

We recommend buying the LDW for a variety of reasons:

• If you cause damage to the rental car, the rental car company will likely require immediate reimbursement for the repairs. They won’t wait until a claim is submitted and processed. That means, they will charge (and possibly max out) your credit card to get the car fixed as quickly as possible. They won’t do that if you purchase the LDW.

• Not only that: A rental car company only makes money when they rent out their cars. If the car is “on hold” because it is in a repair shop due to the damage you caused, the rental car company may also charge you for “loss of use”. This is also covered if you buy the LDW.

• If you don’t have collision / comprehensive coverage on your personal auto policy, there also won’t be collision / comprehensive coverage available for the rental car. That means, you will be responsible if you don’t buy the rental company’s insurance. So – again. Buy the LDW.

• If you do have collision / comprehensive coverage on your personal auto insurance, your policy will extend, but you still have to pay the deductible. Also, you may face a rate increase at your next policy renewal. If you buy the LDW, there is no deductible, and no potential rate increase for your personal auto policy.

Keep in mind: Even if you buy the LDW, there are likely to be some exclusions, such as only listed drivers are covered, you are not covered if you drive while intoxicated, or may not be covered on certain sections of road or off-road (such as the infamous road to Hana on Maui So, take a moment to read the fine print.

As to your credit card: Some credit cards will, indeed, extend to provide coverage for a rental car. But contracts vary from card to card, and some cards may only provide secondary or excess coverage, which requires you to file a claim with your auto insurance first. Call your credit card company to confirm coverage before your rely on them

How Your Homeowner’s or Renter’s Insurance can Cover you Even Away From Home

A homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy doesn’t only protect you and your possessions while you’re at home. It also protects your belongings away from home.

Even the stuff that you have in your car  is covered by a homeowner’s or renter’s policy. And NOT by your auto policy, as you might expect. Of course, you should never leave valuable possessions in your car if you can avoid it.  If you can't, make sure they are out of sight.

A homeowner’s or renter’s policy doesn’t only cover items; it also provides liability protection.  This is a very important point because, if you accidentally damaged somebody else’s property or, worse, hurt somebody, you could be held liable.

And if you are held liable for medical expenses or loss of income, you could be in debt for the rest of your life.

It can happen quite easily…

A homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy can help you out. Please give us a call (818) 233-0825 for more information.

Going abroad? Your health insurance might not come along.

Unfortunately, your health insurance plan might not cover you while you are abroad. And even if it does provide basic coverage for hospital or emergency costs, it might not cover your medical evacuation back to the United States.

If you are planning a trip abroad, you should call your health care provider to confirm whether or not your coverage extends to your destination.

Be sure to ask whether the policy covers medical payments abroad, includes high-risk activities that you might want to pursue (such as skiing, scuba-diving, paragliding or mountain-climbing), and whether they pay foreign doctors and hospitals directly or if the foreign service provider will charge you. 

Even if you travel within the United States, you might be surprised to find that you are not covered when traveling out of state, or even outside your coverage area in your home state! Wherever you go, be sure to contact your health insurance company before you take off, and set yourself and your family up with the right coverage.

There are a variety of very affordable medical travel insurance plans available that may return your investment in added peace of mind as you explore new corners. For a major trip, you also have the option to purchase a travel insurance package that includes medical coverage, trip cancellation or interruption coverage, lost or stolen baggage coverage, or even accidental death coverage, among others.