When You Need Road Trip Insurance

Road trip insurance offers safety nets like roadside assistance, rental car coverage, and travel medical coverage, while you’re on the road away from home.

Sarah Archambault
Sarah Archambault
  • Experienced personal finance writer

  • Background working with banks and insurance companies

Sarah enjoys helping people find smarter ways to spend their money. She covers auto financing, banking, credit cards, credit health, insurance, and personal loans.

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Becky Helzer
Edited byBecky Helzer
Becky Helzer
Becky HelzerEditor

Becky Helzer is an editor at Insurify. She loves helping writers express their ideas clearly and authentically. With a diverse background in editing everything from curriculum and books to magazine articles and blog posts, she’s worked on topics ranging from home finance, insurance, and cloud computing to the best tools for home improvement.

A proud graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in technical journalism, Becky lives in Fort Collins, CO, with her husband and their two spoiled rescue dogs.

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Road trip insurance provides extra protection when you’re on the road away from home — even when you have your own auto insurance policy. Flat tires, lockouts, rental car damage, and a need for medical care are just a few of the unexpected events road trip insurance covers.

Whether you’re driving cross-country in a van, renting a car to cruise up the coast, heading out of state for the weekend, or even driving in Canada or Mexico, purchasing road trip insurance is often a smart move.

What is road trip insurance?

Road trip insurance isn’t a single type of insurance coverage. Instead, it’s multiple types of coverage that protect you if your trip is interrupted or canceled or you have a medical emergency, need roadside assistance, or rent a car.

Before hitting the road, consider the insurance you already have. While your auto insurance protects you up to your policy limits if you’re in an accident, road trip insurance provides extra protection. For example, if your car breaks down during your trip, road trip insurance can cover the cost of towing it to a repair shop.

Travel insurance can also help pay for certain medical costs if you get sick or injured out of state. And if an emergency interrupts your trip or you need to cancel your vacation rental, road trip insurance may offer some protection.[1]

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How road trip insurance works

The way road trip insurance works depends on the type of insurance you choose — plus where you’re traveling, who’s driving, and whether you’re taking your own vehicle or renting a car. When considering coverage, check with your credit card issuers to see if they offer travel insurance benefits, as some do.

Think about the unexpected situations you want to prepare for financially. For instance, are you leaving the state or the country? Do you need to cover additional drivers? Do you plan to drive your car or rent a car? Is there a chance you’ll need to be towed? Will you need medical coverage?

  • When you drive a rental car, the liability portion of your personal car insurance generally covers damage you may cause to other vehicles. And if you have a full-coverage policy, your rental car typically has protection, too. But if you don’t have collision or comprehensive coverage, you’d have to pay out of pocket if the vehicle is damaged or stolen.

    While not required, rental car insurance offers extra financial protection. Some credit cards offer rental car coverage as a secondary benefit, meaning it may not kick in until after your auto insurance applies. You can also buy rental car insurance directly from the rental company or a third-party provider.

  • Your auto insurance applies when driving your personal vehicle on a road trip. Depending on your travel plans, it could make sense to buy extra coverage. If you have only liability coverage, you may want to consider adding comprehensive and collision coverage for extra protection.

    If you’re traveling with a road trip buddy who’ll also drive your car, check with your insurer to ensure they’re covered. Since most auto policies generally follow the vehicle and not the driver, your insurance will likely kick in if your friend has an accident while driving your car.

    Breakdowns can happen on any road trip. While you may already have roadside assistance coverage through your insurer or a third party like AAA, it might be worth adding additional protection for your trip.

    Rental car reimbursement is an optional coverage useful for road trips. It helps cover the cost of a rental car — up to a daily limit — if your car is in the shop for repairs after an accident or other damage.[2] Ask your insurer about adding it to your policy before you go.

  • Coverage for international travel varies widely depending on where you’re traveling and how long you plan to be in the country. Before driving your own vehicle or renting a car internationally, check the local laws carefully. If you plan to use your personal auto insurance, talk to your insurer to confirm what it covers while you’re abroad.[3]

    For example, car insurance is required in Canada, but requirements differ between provinces and territories. If you’re visiting Canada, you can typically use your U.S. policy. But if your trip is longer than a couple of months, you’ll likely need Canadian car insurance and have to register your vehicle as a temporary import.[4]

    Insurance is also required in Mexico, but you can’t use a standard U.S. auto policy — whether you drive across the border or rent a car when you arrive. Without proper coverage, you could face arrest, fines, or penalties. Before you go, you’ll need to buy a temporary Mexican insurance plan.

How to buy insurance for a road trip

Here’s what you need to know about buying various types of insurance coverage for your next road trip.

Roadside assistance

You can purchase roadside assistance coverage as add-on coverage from your insurer or separately from a third party, like a motor club or roadside assistance company. When choosing a roadside assistance plan, make sure coverage is available where you plan to travel and look for plans that fit your budget.

GEICO, Nationwide, and State Farm all offer roadside assistance, including jump-starts, towing, gas delivery, and lockout services.

AAA, AARP, Good Sam, and Better World Club are popular motor-club choices. Your annual membership fee often includes towing, battery replacement, changing flat tires, and unlocking your vehicle. Motor clubs may also include travel and car-care discounts and other perks.

Roadside assistance companies, like OnStar and CARCHEX, include similar services but don’t usually have the same perks as motor clubs.

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Rental car insurance

Rental car insurance is available from rental companies, third parties, and some credit card companies. Standard rental coverage options include:

  • A collision damage waiver (CDW) or loss damage waiver (LDW) helps you avoid paying out-of-pocket costs if the rental car is damaged or stolen.

  • Supplemental liability protection (SLP) provides additional liability protection if you or another authorized driver causes an accident. 

  • Personal accident insurance (PAI) provides coverage for you and your passengers for accidental injury, death and dismemberment, and hospital expenses.

  • Personal effects coverage (PEC) protects your personal belongings if they’re damaged or stolen.

Before buying extra coverage, it’s wise to verify that you don’t already have coverage from your personal auto insurance or through your credit card company. Check with your insurer and credit card company before your trip to see if you have rental car coverage.

Travel insurance

Many types of travel insurance plans are available, and you may also find travel protection benefits through your credit card company. Common options include:

  • Trip cancellation, interruption, or delay insurance: Reimburses you for eligible expenses if your trip is delayed or interrupted or you have to cancel your trip for a covered reason

  • Baggage and personal effects loss or delay: Reimburses you for lost or delayed baggage

  • Travel medical insurance: Helps pay for healthcare costs if you’re sick or injured and your medical insurance doesn’t apply

  • Emergency medical evacuation: Covers the cost of getting to a safe place or home if you’re sick or injured while traveling, or the cost of repatriation after an accidental death

  • Cancel for any reason (CFAR) endorsement: Helps you recover 50% to 75% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs

  • Comprehensive coverage: Provides extensive coverage for delayed, interrupted, and canceled trips, plus protection for lost or stolen baggage, evacuations, 24-hour traveler assistance, and more

Before buying travel insurance, carefully consider your budget, the type of coverage you may need, and any exclusions. Reviewing your credit card benefits is also a good idea, as you may already have some coverage.

Road trip insurance FAQs

  • Does your auto policy cover a rental car for a road trip?

    Yes. Your auto policy typically covers a rental car on a road trip. A liability-only policy covers damage you cause to another vehicle and injuries to other drivers and passengers. To protect a rental car, you need a personal full-coverage policy. You can also check with your credit card company to see if it covers a rental car, or buy insurance through the rental company.

  • Should you get travel insurance for a road trip?

    It depends. If you have some benefits through your credit card, your health plan is accepted in the states you plan to visit, or you’re not traveling too far from home, you may not need travel insurance. You may also not need travel insurance if you’re staying with family and not renting a hotel.

  • Is renting a car for a road trip a good idea?

    It’s possible. Renting a car for a road trip can be a good idea. Maybe your daily vehicle is too old to handle a cross-country trip, you’re looking for better gas mileage, or you need more passenger or cargo room. Driving a rental car can help ensure a safe trip and save your vehicle from wear and tear.

  • What’s the best travel insurance for road trips when using your own vehicle?

    When you take your own vehicle on a road trip, the best travel insurance depends on what you may need for your journey. Do you need travel medical insurance? Emergency medical evacuation coverage? Do you want trip cancellation coverage in case you have to end your vacation early? It’s also a good idea to see what travel benefits your credit cards offer at no extra cost.

Sources

  1. National Association of Insurance Commissioners. "Should You Get Travel Insurance? What You Should Know About Protecting Your Trips."
  2. Insurance Information Institute. "Does auto insurance cover a rental replacement car after an accident?."
  3. Travel.State.Gov U.S. Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs. "Driving and Road Safety Abroad."
  4. Insurance Bureau of Canada. "Mandatory auto insurance requirements."
Sarah Archambault
Sarah Archambault

Sarah Archambault enjoys helping people figure out how to manage their finances and credit. She covers auto financing, banking, credit cards, credit health, insurance, and personal loans. Her work has been featured on Credit Karma, Experian, LendingClub, Sound Dollar and USA Today Blueprint. She also writes for national insurers, banks and financial institutions like Aetna, MassMutual, Stripe, and UnitedHealthcare. 

Sarah has been a contributor at Insurify since December 2022.

Becky Helzer
Edited byBecky HelzerEditor
Becky Helzer
Becky HelzerEditor

Becky Helzer is an editor at Insurify. She loves helping writers express their ideas clearly and authentically. With a diverse background in editing everything from curriculum and books to magazine articles and blog posts, she’s worked on topics ranging from home finance, insurance, and cloud computing to the best tools for home improvement.

A proud graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in technical journalism, Becky lives in Fort Collins, CO, with her husband and their two spoiled rescue dogs.

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