Best Travel Insurance Plans for Road Trips

Singaporeans love hitting the road for adventures, with popular destinations including road trips to Malaysia or farther afield with explorations in Australia and tours around Europe, especially during exchange programmes. When embarking on these journeys, it's crucial to have the right insurance to cover unexpected events. This guide highlights the best travel insurance plans for road trips, ensuring you're well-prepared for your next adventure.

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What Types of Insurance Do You Need On Road Trips?


Travel Insurance

 

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Travel insurance is crucial for road trips, offering protection against personal accidents, overseas medical costs, lost or damaged luggage, and travel disruptions. It provides peace of mind by covering unexpected expenses and ensuring financial support during emergencies. According to General Insurance Association of Singapore (GIA), the common types of travel insurance are: Single Trip, Annual Cover, Individual Plan and Family Plan.

Whether it’s a budget getaway from Singapore or an epic cross country journey further away from home, travel insurance is a key component of your road trip planning.


Overseas Car Rental Insurance

 

As you will very likely be driving a rental vehicle, there is one other area of coverage you shouldn’t miss out on – insurance for your rental vehicle. 

It sounds counterintuitive, but rental cars don’t come with very much by way of insurance. Car rental companies are only required to provide third-party liability, which only covers you against claims made by someone injured in a traffic accident involving your rental car. 

That means that you’re on the hook for all other loss and/or damage to the vehicle during the rental period, which can open you up to some pretty nasty bill shocks should someone rear-end you, break into your parked car, set it on fire, steal and thrash it in a joyride, etc. 

You may be able to use your regular car insurance plan (the one for the car you are driving in Singapore) to settle the rental company’s claims, but doing that will mean losing your No-Claims Discount (NCD). 

More insidiously, it will also subject you to premium loading – industry speak for upward adjustment of your premiums upon the next renewal – independent of your NCD penalty. 

Hence, when going on a road trip, you need to make sure you have adequate cover against loss or damage of your rental car with overseas car rental insurance. This means that you should consider adding-on benefits such as:

  • Collision, loss or damage waiver (although there still may be excess charges)
  • Windscreen, windows and tyre repairs and replacements
  • Relocation and towing benefits
  • Theft protection

Different car rental companies offer some form or combination of these (and other) benefits, so be sure to check with them directly for personalised advice on travel insurance add-ons.


Difference Between Travel and Rental Car Insurance

 

Before we start, let’s establish the context for those trying to figure out if travel insurance covers driving abroad. When going on a road trip, there are two forms of insurance you need – travel insurance and rental car insurance. While there may be areas of overlap, it may be more prudent to consider each one separately. 

Here are the differences between the two:

Travel insurance

Rental car insurance

Provides cover for you, your passengers, and your belongings  Provides cover for your rental car, as well as third party liability
Benefits include personal accident, overseas medical, luggage and travel disruption/cancellation Benefits may include loss or damage of rental car, emergency assistance and evacuation, overseas medical expenses, personal accident
Purchased on your own from insurer of your choice May be offered by rental car company, or independent vendor

 


Should I Buy Car and Travel Insurance Policies Separately?

 

Purchasing separate policies for travel and rental car insurance is recommended for tailored coverage that meets specific needs without overlap. It allows for customised protection and flexibility, ensuring comprehensive coverage for both personal and vehicle-related risks.

Special Bonus: 

A detailed review of Singlife and Allianz policies will highlight exclusive benefits for road trippers, focusing on features and coverage options that provide optimal protection for your journey, ensuring informed decisions on travel insurance choices.

 


What Type of Situations Can You Make Insurance Claims for During or After Your Road Trip?

 

Adjustments to Travel Plans

 

Imagine you're packed and ready for a long-anticipated road trip. But just days before departure, you're diagnosed with a severe flu. Your doctor advises against travel, forcing you to cancel. Without trip cancellation insurance, the financial losses can include non-refundable hotel bookings, pre-paid tours, and car rental reservations. Insurance that covers trip cancellations or interruptions can reimburse these expenses, mitigating the financial impact of such unforeseen events. Ensure you avoid expensive travel mistakes by thoroughly reviewing your travel insurance policy's terms and conditions related to trip cancellations and interruptions.


Health-Related Emergencies

 

Embarking on an exciting road trip, only to be hit with severe abdominal pain requiring urgent medical attention, is a situation no traveller wants to face. This could occur anywhere, from the US's Rocky Mountains to Italy's Amalfi Coast, where emergency medical care costs can skyrocket, especially in countries like the United States. Overseas medical expense coverage is vital in such scenarios, as it handles the financial burden of hospital and medical costs, including surgeries and medications. This insurance ensures you can focus on recovery without worrying about the financial impact of unexpected medical expenses, keeping your adventure from turning into a financial nightmare.


Urgent Situations Requiring Immediate Departure

 

During your road trip, you could face a situation where immediate departure becomes necessary. Emergency evacuation coverage becomes a lifeline in such scenarios, covering the costs of swiftly and safely relocating you, which may include an unplanned flight back home. This insurance coverage ensures your safety without the burden of last-minute expenses, allowing you to respond quickly to natural disasters or other urgent situations without financial stress.


Rental Car Concerns

 

Navigating unfamiliar terrain, such as Tuscany's winding roads, could lead to accidental damage to your rental car, like scraping it against a wall. Having travel insurance with car rental excess cover becomes essential in these moments, covering repair costs or high insurance deductibles. This protection ensures you're not financially responsible for the full extent of the damage, offering peace of mind as you explore with your rental car.


Liability for Damages or Injuries

 

When you're driving in unfamiliar territories, the risk of accidentally causing injury to others or damaging property increases. Whether it's a street in Paris or Morocco, a momentary distraction can lead to a car accident, such as inadvertently colliding with a cyclist. Personal liability coverage in your travel insurance can cover legal expenses and compensation for injuries or damages to third parties, protecting you from significant financial and legal repercussions.


Accommodation Issues

 

Travelling can sometimes bring unexpected accommodation challenges, such as arriving at your destination only to find your booking has fallen through. This can happen anywhere, from the Scottish Highlands to Cameron Highlands. Imagine driving all day, anticipating a restful evening at a booked hotel, that due to a plumbing disaster, your accommodation is unavailable, and the area is fully booked. Accommodation cancellation insurance can reimburse you for the lost booking and cover additional costs incurred in finding alternative lodging, often at a higher last-minute price.


Vehicle Breakdowns

 

When going on a road trip, the possibility of vehicle breakdowns is an unpredictable factor that can occur in the most inopportune locations, from the isolated stretches of the Australian Outback to the winding roads of rural Europe. Imagine the scenario where you're miles away from the nearest town, and your rental car breaks down unexpectedly. Roadside assistance insurance coverage can be a lifesaver, providing services like towing, on-the-spot repairs, or a replacement vehicle, ensuring you're not stranded in remote locations or faced with hefty towing fees.


Delays in Travel

 

Travel inherently comes with uncertainties, including flight disruptions or baggage delays that can significantly alter your plans. These delays can be caused by a variety of factors, such as unexpected weather events. Imagine you're on your way to a much-anticipated ski resort, and a sudden weather change leads to road closures, pushing back your arrival by days. In these situations, trip delay insurance is invaluable. 

It can cover unexpected costs arising from such delays, including additional nights in hotels, meals, and rebooked tickets for activities you've missed, ensuring that unforeseen weather conditions don't ruin your trip financially.

 


 Best Travel Insurance Plans For Road Trips

 

Product

Product Benefit Highlights

Rental Vehicle Excess

Buy
Starr TraveLead Gold Plan - Worldwide (Annual)
Starr TraveLead Gold Plan - Worldwide (Annual)

    

Up to S$500,000 accidental death and permanent disability

Up to S$1,000,000 overseas medical expenses

S$1,200

MSIG Premier Plan
MSIG Premier Plan

    

Up to S$500,000 accidental death and permanent disability

Up to S$1,000,000 overseas medical expenses

S$1,500

FWD First
FWD First

    

Up to S$400,000 death or permanent disability caused by accident

Up to S$1,000,000 overseas medical expenses

S$300

Direct Asia Travel Insurance - Voyager 500
Direct Asia Travel Insurance - Voyager 500
Up to S$500,000 death and permanent disability
 
Up to S$500,000 medical expenses overseas

 

S$1,500
Singlife Travel Prestige
Singlife Travel Prestige

Up to S$500,000 accidental death and permanent disability

Up to unlimited overseas medical expenses

Up to S$20,000 trip cancellations

Up to S$2,000 travel delay (S$100 for every 6 hours)

S$200 for every 6 hours for baggage delay overseas

Up to S$2,000 for baggage delay in Singapore (S$150 for every 6 hours)

S$2,500

Allied World Travel Protector Premier
Allied World Travel Protector Premier

    

Up to S$750 rental vehicle access
 
Up to S$500,000 personal accident coverage
 
Up to S$500,000 overseas medical expenses

S$750

 

So, rental car insurance really should be considered separately, but does that mean that travel insurance policies are completely unrelated? Not exactly. 

You see, collision, loss or damage waivers may still include an excess charge, which is payable out of your own pocket. (You can opt for a higher-cost rental insurance plan that completely absorbs the excess charges, but not all rental companies may offer them.)

However, with a travel insurance plan that offers rental excess cover, you can reduce this extra expense, or even stave it off completely. 

Of course, car rental excess cover alone isn’t the only thing you should consider when choosing a travel insurance plan for road trips, so remember to examine the rest of the benefits in these two plans before making your choice. 

Two such plans are Allianz Travel Insurance, and Singlife Travel Insurance. Both offer car rental excess cover, as follows:

  • Allianz Travel Insurance: Up to S$1,500
  • Singlife Travel Insurance: Up to S$2,500

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Bonus Mention: Allianz Travel Insurance

 

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Medical coverage

For overseas medical and dental expenses, you can claim up to S$1,000,000, while personal accident will cover you up to S$200,000.


Trip cancellation or trip disruption

For travel inconveniences like trip cancellation or trip disruption, you can expect to claim up to S$10,000. 


Rental vehicle excess

When it comes to rental vehicle excess, Allianz emerges as the top with the highest coverage of up to S$1,500 when you purchase their Platinum plan.


Trip delay or baggage delay

For travel delays, you can get up to S$1,600. Baggage lost, damaged or stolen can be claimed up to S$5,000, while baggage delays allow you to up to S$1,000.


Allianz Travel Insurance Promotions


Bonus Road Trip Travel Insurance: Singlife Travel Insurance

 

logo-singlife-450

Medical coverage

Singlife offers coverage of up to S$500,000 for accidental death and permanent disability, and up to unlimited coverage for overseas medical expenses — the highest coverage on the list so far.


Rental vehicle excess

For rental vehicle excess, they come close to Allianz of up to S$2,500 if you purchase their Prestige plan. 


Trip cancellation or trip disruption

You can claim up to S$20,000 trip cancellations, and they have this nifty coverage of up to S$5,000 for trip cancellations for any reason, with no questions asked.


Trip delay or baggage delay

You can claim S$100 for every 6 hours of travel delay, up to S$2,000, while you can claim S$200 for every 6 hours for baggage delay overseas and S$150 for every 6 hours for baggage delay in Singapore, up to S$2,000.


Singlife Travel Insurance Promotions

Singlife Travel Insurance Promotion:

Single Trip: Enjoy a 28% discount when you use the promo code FLY28 for Single Trip. Valid till 18 November 2024. T&Cs apply. 

Annual Trip: Use promo code ANNUAL25 to get 25% off Annual Trip plans when you buy now. Valid till 11 November 2024. T&Cs apply. 

Also receive:

  • Up toS$80 eCapitaVouchers. Valid till 11 November 2024. Fulfilled by Singlife. T&Cs apply.
  • Up to S$70 Lazada voucher. Valid till  30 December 2024 5:30 pm. T&Cs apply. 
  • A chance to win a year's worth of free flights or up to S$160,000 in rewards.  Valid till 30 December 2024 5:30 pm. 




Conclusion: Always Check With Your Insurer

 

Road trips often feature prominently on the travel bucket lists of many adventurers. But navigating the complexities of travel insurance for such adventures can be daunting.The tricky thing about travel insurance for road trips is working out what events and occurrences your plan will actually cover, and under what circumstances. 

This can be further complicated by the fact that different insurers have different exclusions, which means that between two similar-looking plans, maybe only one will give you the cover you actually need. 

But fret not, confirming whether a particular travel plan is right for you is relatively simple. Just contact the insurance company, tell them exactly what you will be doing on your trip, and ask them to confirm if the plan will cover you. They’ll tell you yes or no – and suggest alternatives or add-ons in the latter scenario. 

And while you’re at it, might as well ask them if they allow double indemnity; i.e., whether you can make a claim on your plan if you are also claiming against your licensed guide, travel agent or relevant third party.

Yes, all that sounds like quite a bit of work just for a holiday, but the clearer you are about your coverage, the more you will be able to enjoy your road trip, water sports or extreme sports holiday.

 

Looking for travel insurance deals?

 

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Read these next:

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Protected up to specified limits by SDIC.

Note: This is only product information provided. You may wish to seek advice from a qualified adviser before buying the product. If you choose not to seek advice from a qualified adviser, you should consider whether the product is suitable for you. Buying an insurance product that are not suitable for you may impact your ability to finance your future healthcare needs.

If you decide that the policy is not suitable after purchasing the policy, you may terminate the policy in accordance with the free-look provision, if any, and the insurer may recover from you any expense incurred by the insurer in underwriting the policy.


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