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Car Hire in Australia: need for SLI?



 
 
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  #11  
Old January 4th, 2010, 02:37 AM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
A Mate[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 152
Default Car Hire in Australia: need for SLI?

SLI is not required in Australia.

Personal injury insurance (for all except the driver in some states) is
included either in Licence fees or in vehicle registration.

Check on glass coverage, but it is usually included in the vehicle
insurance. Also check the 'excess' (called deductible in the USA) you will
be required to pay if you claim. It can be as much as $500 - but can be
covered by a small daily payment, which gives you a 'No-Excess' coverage.

Be very careful of most small 'single office' care hire places. While most
are ethical a small number of these 'independents' rip extras and penalty
fees off from your signed credit card authorisation without any approval
after you've returned the car.

Stick to a 'major' hirers for certainty.


..
"neverwas" wrote in message
m...
In summary, is it sensible to take out Supplementary Liability
Insurance (SLI) when hiring cars in Victoria, New South Wales, Northern
Territory and Queensland?

I have read past threads about car hire insurance but cannot find a
clear answer. This is partly because I cannot find out
just what is covered by the mandatory insurance.

By way of background:

o we are UK residents
o we shall be hiring cars in Melbourne, Sydney, Ayers Rock and Cairns
o we intend to take out separate insurance against excess, tyres,
windows etc from Questor or the like since the hire companies charges
seem exorbitant (eg AUD33 a day from Thrifty in Ayers Rock).
o the separate insurance providers invariably offer policies with and
without SLI. I know that SLI is highly desirable (in my view essential
unless one is a gambler) in the USA and Canada where there is otherwise
little or no cover for third party liabilities

What I can't find is the position in Australia (in the States/Territories
mentioned above) as regards damage to third parties and third party
property. The hirers sites generally just say that compulsory third
party insurance imposed by the various State and Territory Registration
Authorities is included in the cost (often with a fee shown for it).
But I can't see what it covers and for how much.

Any advice - if only on where to look - would be much appreciated.

--
R





  #12  
Old January 4th, 2010, 02:41 AM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
[email protected]
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Posts: 18
Default Car Hire in Australia: need for SLI?


[Default] On Sun, 03 Jan 2010 16:00:14 GMT, "neverwas"
offered the following words of wisdom:

almostbob wrote:
gravel roads, road trains, roos, completely different to what most
tourists have encountered b4, high likelihood of glass damage
but still more like buying the car again $230/week
$33/day isnt bad, for the rental co

Fair point (although I am not sure why road trains are a bigger risk
than French artics tail-gating me at 110 kph in the rain on the
autoroute). But damage to the car from gravel* etc are all covered by
the policies I am looking at. The main issue I have is whether or not
to include the SLI.


Having spent a fair amount of time driving around the UK I must say
that one of the biggest mistakes you could make is expecting the
roading standards in OZ to be like those you're used to in the UK.

To put it another way, I live in New Zealand and I always get SLI
whenever I rent a car in either NZ or OZ because I'd rather pay the
extra premium for "peace of mind" than get a nasty surprise on my
credit card.
  #13  
Old January 4th, 2010, 06:49 AM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
Gerrit
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Posts: 3
Default Car Hire in Australia: need for SLI?


" A Mate" wrote in message
u...
SLI is not required in Australia.

Personal injury insurance (for all except the driver in some states) is
included either in Licence fees or in vehicle registration.

Check on glass coverage, but it is usually included in the vehicle
insurance. Also check the 'excess' (called deductible in the USA) you will
be required to pay if you claim. It can be as much as $500 - but can be
covered by a small daily payment, which gives you a 'No-Excess' coverage.

Be very careful of most small 'single office' care hire places. While most
are ethical a small number of these 'independents' rip extras and penalty
fees off from your signed credit card authorisation without any approval
after you've returned the car.

Stick to a 'major' hirers for certainty.


.


And another thing.
Check the insurance papers to ensure you are covered for single vehicle
accidents. Not all have those covered.

  #15  
Old January 4th, 2010, 10:36 PM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
neverwas
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8
Default Car Hire in Australia: need for SLI?

They will sign off on the spot as Norman says. I am not sure what
extra policy you are contemplating I do take extra coverage with me
through my travel insurance. I did have an accident in Tasmania, but
that time my coverage had been arranged locally so I do not know if
supplemental insurance was a part, but I did not have to pay even
though the front corner of the driver's side was clipped by a right
turning vehicle.

Thanks (to you and Norman).

An example of the insurance I have in mind is
www.questor-insurance.co.uk It seems to be pretty much a UK-based
product - possibly driven by the number of Brits who fly/hire rather
than enduring a channel crossing.

--
R


  #16  
Old January 4th, 2010, 10:39 PM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
neverwas
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8
Default Car Hire in Australia: need for SLI?

I hope this helps.
Not sure of the exact coverage but I doubt if many Australians take
out extra insurance of the kind you are thinking about.
Perhaps you could check out the web pages of the various licensing
authorities.

yes, thanks. But sadly Wikipedia doesn't give figures so it looks as if
I'll be off to look for those state by state. I put it that way 'cos in
some US States there are similar requirements for 3rd party liability
cover but the sum assured can be as low as USD 15,000. The impression
I'm getting is that Oz is more regulated than that but it'd be nice to
be sure.
--
R


  #17  
Old January 4th, 2010, 10:41 PM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
neverwas
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8
Default Car Hire in Australia: need for SLI?

I think most major credit cards do this, at least if you're above the
basic level. I know my Visa Platinum card does.

FWIW nor do any of my 3 UK credit cards provide cover for car hire.
--
R


  #18  
Old January 4th, 2010, 10:44 PM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
neverwas
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8
Default Car Hire in Australia: need for SLI?

Check on glass coverage, but it is usually included in the vehicle
insurance. Also check the 'excess' (called deductible in the USA)
you will be required to pay if you claim. It can be as much as $500
- but can be covered by a small daily payment, which gives you a
'No-Excess' coverage.


Not in any of the firms I've checked so far. Indeed, my impression
(albeit just from a handul of trips in recent years) is that all the
main companies now exclude damage to windows, lights, tyres and
underbody (and towing cost following any accident) from their basic
insurance so they can then sell you an expensive add-on policy.

Be very careful of most small 'single office' care hire places.

Check the insurance papers to ensure you are covered for single
vehicle accidents. Not all have those covered.


Thanks. My checklist is growing fast.
--
R


  #19  
Old January 4th, 2010, 10:51 PM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
neverwas
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8
Default Car Hire in Australia: need for SLI?


Having spent a fair amount of time driving around the UK I must say
that one of the biggest mistakes you could make is expecting the
roading standards in OZ to be like those you're used to in the UK.


Point taken - although with the past 4 weeks freezing weather here, and
the squeeze on public expenditure, I've seen more potholes and gravel
driving around East London in the past week than I met in 3,000 miles in
NZ.

BTW, If anyone wants to enjoy really good road surfaces in the Podes I
recommend Southern Spain: the combination of no frost and vast EU
subsidies (grrrrrrrrrr).

To put it another way, I live in New Zealand and I always get SLI
whenever I rent a car in either NZ or OZ because I'd rather pay the
extra premium for "peace of mind" than get a nasty surprise on my
credit card.


May I check that it is SLI - ie cover for third party liabilities -
rather than collision excess waiver or the like? Sorry to ask but I'm
wondering if I am using the wrong language.

--
R


  #20  
Old January 4th, 2010, 11:47 PM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
Joseph Coulter[_6_]
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Posts: 135
Default Car Hire in Australia: need for SLI?

On Mon, 04 Jan 2010 21:41:38 GMT, "neverwas"
wrote:

I think most major credit cards do this, at least if you're above the
basic level. I know my Visa Platinum card does.

FWIW nor do any of my 3 UK credit cards provide cover for car hire.

It sounds like you are contemplating the kind of third party insurance
that I encourage and that I take on my rentals in Australia. ie in
lieu of the CDW from the car hire company.
Joseph Coulter
Joseph Coulter Cruises and Vacations
www.josephcoulter.com
 




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