Insurance for campervan in NZ
I am traveling to New Zealand in May 2012 (I am a US citizen). I have been looking for a campervan to rent. Unfortunately, insurance seems to be quite expensive (or not very good. Some liability is up to $7500, but the average is $3500).
Can I purchase third-party insurance to help minimize costs? I have called my current insurance company and they said that they do not have international insurance. I have also called my cc (Visa) and they said it was a recreational vehicle, and so it would not be covered. It seems like there should be someone willing to offer insurance, but I can't seem to find it.
Best Answer
I am General manager of a leading online Motorhome booking agency based in New Zealand called Motorhome Republic, so know a bit about excesses and bonds and CDW options on Motorhome and Camper hire in New Zealand as we deal with all of the companies.
As you have found all of the Motorhome companies like to play with excess and bond levels and set them very high in New Zealand and Australia in most cases. They all self insure like the car rental companies where if you take their own CDW options for $20 - $40 per day you can get the excess and bond down to half or $0.00 liability.
We may be able to help you with independent cover though as we have sourced and created Drive Easy Covers which can cover excesses but typically only up to around NZ$3500. So this may not be suitable if you are renting a vehicle that has an excess above that. We are working with our underwriters to create some more encompassing policies. Our policies are designed to give customers a lower cost option than those offered by the rental companies themselves.
Also note where you are using a cover sourced outside of the rental companies own reduction policies the rental company will still expect to take their full security bond amount which can be up to $5000 - $7500. This is taken as a pre-authorisation on your credit card during the duration of your hire and the money released back to you on safe return of the vehicle undamaged. So if you are using an independent cover make sure you have your credit limits on your card extended so as to not need this money during your holiday.
One of our team would be happy to talk to you further.
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How much does it cost to insure a motorhome in NZ?
This will cost you $57 per year. Star is next best - covering you for $150 per incident requiring towing, and $100 for an incident without towing. Unlike the others, AA Motorhome Plus roadside assistance does not limit the number of callouts but has a yearly annual claim cap of $1500 for $75 per year.What insurance do I need to drive a campervan?
You need vehicle insurance to legally drive on the road and that means a minimum of third-party cover. This will pay out to the other party if you have an accident and you are to blame. Remember, third party insurance won't cover the cost of any repairs to your own campervan.Do you need special insurance for a campervan?
To drive a motorhome or campervan, you'll usually need a specialist motorhome insurance policy. That's because we use motorhomes in a different way to our cars. We don't just drive our motorhomes \u2013 we sleep, cook and socialise in them too \u2013 so there are more things to consider in terms of cover.Is it cheaper to insure a van or a campervan?
Cheaper Insurance \u2013 Generally leisure vehicles such as campervans are cheaper to insure than panel vans. This is because they generally have fewer claims, do fewer miles and are not used for commercial use.💳 Is Credit Card Insurance Better than Campervan Rental Insurance for New Zealand?
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Answer 2
You can always buy travel insurance making sure it covers motorhome rental. Most major insurance companies should cover it.
As I work in car rental (for Alpha Car Hire), I would suggest you contact the rental company and see how much their excess waiver is. If you do happen to have an accident then you don't need to pay a massive amount for it and wait for the reimbursement - this is what happens if you get 3rd party insurance. Sometimes this can take 3-6 months to resolve if other vehicles are involved and you will be out of pocket that entire time while racking up interest.
Hope that helps.
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