There are many things about foreign lands that Brits find confusing, specifically when it comes to motoring – driving on the other side of the road, for example, or knowing when to give way. Before all that becomes an issue, however, you’ll need to find yourself a set of wheels, and that can be equally complicated. Renting a car abroad might seem relatively simple, but you’ll often find yourself faced with a flood of optional extra cover SLI packages that aim to help keep you financially secure in case of accident or theft – but may just end up leaving you confused.
If you want to rent a car, it’s vital to look at the excess that comes attached to it. The excess for rental cars works in much the same as it does other vehicles – it’s the amount you have to pay towards a claim before the insurances picks up the rest of the bill. This can be very high for rental cars, occasionally up to a thousand pounds or more. Not many people would be able to pay that much money out against an accident with any ease, especially if they weren’t to blame, and as such a lot of people choose to take out an optional SLI policy.
Supplemental liability insurance, or SLI, is a broad name that encompasses several types of optional extra insurance packages, all designed to give you a greater amount of cover than the standard package you can expect will come bundled in with your hire car. This can include policies such as Collision Damage Waiver insurance (or CDW), as well as Theft Protection Insurance – and the ‘Super’ varieties that offer you a greater deal of protection still. SLI policies work by cutting your excess down to a more manageable level, meaning that you’re more likely to be able to afford to pay for any repair bills without breaking a hole in your wallet trying to do so. The Super SLI packages can even reduce your excess to zero, but these are likely to be expensive (and, as they’re added up daily, rather than as a lump sum, it could give you a particularly large bill at the end).
If you plan ahead, especially if you can be sure you’re going to hire a car once you get to your destination, can cut down on your SLI bills. There are many SLU providers online who will allow you to book extra cover before you get to wherever it is you’re holidaying, which can help you to shrink your excess for reasonable and affordable fee. SLI bought online can be bought in annual insurance packages in addition to day-by-day cover, saving you still more money if you decide to hire more than one car in a year.
No matter how you choose to purchase your SLI cover, it can be a fantastic way to ensure you keep some peace of mind and know you’re protected on the off-chance you do have an accident while you’re driving a hire car in a foreign country.
Tags: SLI