Car rental insurance in South Africa is an absolute necessity when visiting the country.
But it can be confusing if you are not fully aware of everything involved, which can lead to you choosing an option which might not provide you with full cover.
Not sure where to start with rental car insurance in South Africa? Below we look at the most asked questions and provide easy-to-understand answers.
What Happens When I Damage A Rental Car in An Accident?
If you are involved in an accident, you will need to obtain the names and details of the other parties involved in the accident. You will also need to provide them with your details, as well as the name of the car rental company.
If the accident does involve another party, you must report it to the nearest South African Police Service within 24 hours. This will provide you with a case reference number, which is required by the rental company for the hire car insurance claim.
You must report the incident immediately to your car hire company, as well as advise them of your location, contact details, and the details of the damages to enable a replacement vehicle to be sent if required.
Take as many photographs of the accident and damages as possible for the insurance claim.
What Happens If A Vehicle Is Broken into Or Stolen?
Vehicle theft is an unfortunate reality in South Africa, so it is important to know what to do in terms of car hire insurance.
You must report the incident immediately to the nearest South African Police Services and obtain a case number. Once you have done this, contact the rental car company immediately and provide them with the police case reference number.
You will also need to advise the rental car company of your location and contact details so that a replacement vehicle can be sent to you.
What Happens If My Rental Vehicle Breaks Down?
It is always best to be prepared for a breakdown situation, which is why you need car rental insurance in South Africa.
In case of a breakdown, your rental contract will have an emergency contact number listed. You should keep your contract with you while driving so you have easy access to this number.
You will need to phone that number and provide them with your location, your contact number, and describe what the problem is with the vehicle. You must make a note of the name of the person you speak to.
Contact your car rental company as well so that they can follow up on their side to ensure proper protocol is followed.
A replacement vehicle will be dispatched to you as soon as possible.
What Happens If I Lose My Keys?
If you lose your car rental keys, there is no need to panic if you have car hire insurance. Contact your car rental immediately to provide your contact details and location of the vehicle.
A replacement vehicle will be arranged, but you will be charged a fee. It is best to keep the keys for the rental car in a safe, secure place when they are not in use.
Can Someone Else Drive My Rental Car?
The answer to one of the most common questions, “Can someone else drive my rental car?” is no. Only people who are listed as drivers on the contract may drive the rental vehicle.
If an unlisted driver is involved in an accident, you will be held responsible for the total loss, which may even be greater than the value of the vehicle.
You can add an additional driver, if necessary, by going to the depot where you received the vehicle, together with the additional driver, who must have their licence and passport with them to update the insurance for the car rental.
The vehicle needs to be checked at the depot for damages, prior to adding the additional driver. If in any doubt, contact Martin or Denise at Star Car Rental for advice.
What Third Party Damage Coverage Do I Need?
Third party damage insurance will cover you for damages to other vehicles or property that have been damaged in an accident.
Injury or death to persons involved in an accident is covered by the state-owned Road Accident Fund legislation. This is not covered by the Car Rental companies insurance.
Not knowing exactly what you are covered for can lead to a significant financial cost if you are involved in an accident in your rental car.
Many companies offer the bare minimum of third party and accident cover, and that is often reflected in the lower daily rates offered.
Be sure to establish what exactly is covered and more importantly what is not.Make sure to read over all the exclusions in the insurance documents for your car rental.
Live online quotations will often not provide any of the finer details. You need to do some digging. Most companies also limit the total third-party damage cover to a capped amount.
Star Car Rental quotations supply exact details of what is included in your daily rate. Feel free to ask us any questions.
What Does TLW And CDW Mean?
There are some car rental insurance acronyms that might be confusing, so let us break them down.
TLW means Theft Loss Waiver and CDW means Collision Damage Waiver
By accepting these waivers, your liability is limited to the amount of the excess, which is payable by you in the event of accident or theft of the vehicle. This is known as the excess portion.
Star Car Rental offers the options of a Nil excess at a slightly higher daily rate.
If you decline to accept the waivers, you will find that most car rental companies will not conclude a contract.
Most car rental companies will also not allow you to use your credit card insurance cover, and this is common in several other countries. You cannot contract out of insurance cover without depositing the full replacement value of the vehicle you are hiring.
Ensure You Are Insured
Understanding car rental insurance in South Africa will not only make your trip run smoothly, but it will save you from incurring costs that you could easily have avoided.
If you know what to do if you damage a vehicle, if the vehicle is stolen or broken into, or if the vehicle breaks down can help to ensure no major issues crop up on your holiday.
Scheduling in your next adventure to sunny South Africa? Choose Star Car Rental for affordable, easy car rental.