Our FAQS Page (frequently Asked Questions Page) is being added to! In the meanwhile we would be pleased to answer your questions by telephone or email.

Insurance. The most frequently asked question!

Insurance options for campervan hire worldwide

In general there is insurance excess that has to be covered by the customer in terms of a bond. This bond is refundable at the end of the hire if there has been no damage to the hire vehicle. The hire supplier retains the right to keep all or part of the bond if there has been damage to the hire vehicle. It is the hirer who has responsibility of the condition of the campervan once the hire has begun.

The bond to cover the insurance excess is generally taken as a credit card payment. This means that the payment is processed and the bond amount deducted from your credit card. This will of course affect your credit limit. In New Zealand for example, the bond is NZ$5000.00 or the equivalent of just over £1900.00. As the payment has been processed, the credit card company on completion of the hire refunds the bond after advice from the hire supplier. Please note however, that the amounts deducted and then refunded are often different. This is because credit card companies buy and sell currency at different rates so you can lose or gain on the transaction.

If you want to reduce the amount of insurance excess that you take on, and thereby reduce the bond that you leave, then you are offered the option to pay additional insurance. This is usually calculated on a daily basis and will in some cases reduce the insurance excess to nil. The only bond that is then left is unrelated to the insurance; it is only used to ensure that the campervan is returned to the agreed location in a good and clean condition. Campervan companies are well used to hirers and are not expecting the van back in pristine condition, merely in a reasonable state. The bond can be left in the form of a credit card imprint, traveller’s cheques, and cash or in some cases cheques. We have summarized the various options below.

There are often exclusions, and your insurance won't be valid in some circumstances, please ask us for details.

Don't forget, we are here to help you and if you have any questions regarding any of the rates, insurance options or anything else, we can answer you. Please email or phone us.

UK Vivanti have an extra insurance charge, not included in the daily rate, this also has a minimum amount payable, so even if you hire for 3 days you have to pay £100.00 The security deposit/excess is £500.00, and the customer is liable to pay up to £500.00 for each and every occurrence.

There is also an extra charge for going out of GB.

There is no option to further reduce this excess.

Elite the standard daily rate includes the insurance. The security deposit/excess is £500.00 as above and this cannot be reduced. There is an extra premium for going overseas.

Substitution

Every campervan company retains the right to substitute another van in the event of the model of van not being available at the time of pick up. In our experience, this has only meant upgrades occurring.

Included in the van

Standard equipment to ensure the smooth operation of your holiday is always included in the campervan. However, bedding and kitchen equipment is always offered although not always included in the price. Bedding packs and vehicle kits are optional extras with some companies and included in others. Optional extras are usually table and chairs, TVs, child seats. We itemise all the options for you in our quotes. Ask us if you need any particular facilities. Most vans have charging facilities for video cameras via the cigarette lighter.

Additional fees

When you request a quote, we include all compulsory charges and also the optional charges. In some cases there are no one-way fees so that you can pick up and drop off the vehicle in separate locations. This is popular between Calgary and Vancouver or Auckland and Christchurch or Los Angeles to San Francisco. You can even pick up in one country in Europe and drop off in another. In most cases there are one-way fees to do this. Please check when planning your trip.

There are local taxes to be included. These are sometime unusual in that they are peculiar to that country alone eg diesel recovery taxes in New Zealand. Or stamp duty in Australia.

Comparing prices

We offer two types of quotations in general. The first itemizes the hire rate with the optional insurance to reduce the insurance excess. The second type of quotation is an all-inclusive rate that includes all optional and compulsory extras. When comparing quotes, please ensure that you are comparing like with like. We are very competitive on pricing and if you do get a better quote, we will do our best to better your best quote.

Wild camping/Free camping

Wild camping or free-camping is popular and legal in many countries. Please check with us before embarking on a free-camping holiday only to find out that it is illegal! We stock many campsite guides with prices so that you always have the option of booking in ahead of your trip. We recommend that you use campsites in the regions of cities and large tourist attractions.

Transfers

In some cases our campervan hire suppliers make it a requirement to overnight in a hotel if you have made a long-haul flight to your pick up point. In other cases you can be collected from the airport on the day of arrival within normal business hours. Most companies offer some form of transfers to get you to the depot. There is also the option to leave your car at the depot while you holiday away in a campervan. This is popular in Europe for those customers who want to explore a particular region but don’t want to drive in a campervan the whole way.

Early drop off.

There are no refunds for cutting short your holiday.

Cancellation fees

In most cases cancellation fees come into affect 40 days prior to collection of the campervan. We do our best to refund if it is a last minute cancellation particularly if we can arrange another hire. However, it is up to the jurisdiction of the campervan hire supplier and we have to abide by their ruling.

Drivability!

Driving a campervan is very similar to driving a large car. Most vans have power assisted steering and good wing mirrors. Please be aware that when driving a 4-berth the over hang above the driver’s cab is where driver’s often misjudge distances. Also when reversing be aware that you are driving a larger high sided vehicle and of course if there are any tow bars or hitches at the rear of the vehicle as some have a rear step.

Parking in city centres

It is often easier to park up out side the centre and catch a tram, train, bus, tube etc to down town areas. It is illegal to take a large rv into the centre of New York!

Traveling distances and holiday planning

Please be aware when planning your trip that campervans offer a more slow and leisurely option. It will take longer to get to your destination than if you are driving in a car. If you need help in planning, please ask us for maps, distance charts etc.

Fuel consumption and vehicle specifications.

We hold most of the specifications for the vehicles that we supply from bed sizes to fuel consumption and engine size. We can also find out other information about the vehicle if we don’t currently hold it on file. Check out both our websites for full details of the campervans. We can also supply details of fuel costs.

Travelling at dusk

In some countries it is a safer option to park up before dusk. This is particularly relevant in Australia where wildlife wanders the roads at this time and early morning.

Pets

We do offer the option of taking your pets with you on holiday. Please check with us before booking. In general a higher deposit is required to cover a greater risk of damage. This is refunded when the van is returned in a good and clean condition.

Special needs

If you have any special requirements, please ask us. We have had our suppliers measuring distances between foot pedals and seats before now to ensure our height challenged customers can drive the vehicle.