UKC

Any recommendations on travel insurance please?

I will be bouldering in South Africa. The BMC is £160! Hoping for something cheaper.

In reply to Samuel Palmer:

Have you tried the AAC?

In reply to Samuel Palmer:

Be watchful on this; bad experiences 2 years ago following loss of contents from hire car; can message you separately if you're thinking of car hire

In reply to Samuel Palmer:

Last couple of years I found it as cheap if not cheaper to get an annual policy with Snowcard. around 130ish

In reply to Greenbanks: We are hiring a car. I think the car has separate insurance, or did the problem arise with your gear being taken?

I am mainly looking for health/injury cover. Currently leaning towards AAC with a cheap 'normal' travel insurance on the side.

In reply to Samuel Palmer:

Be careful. First stop just outside Capetown (for self-catering supplies etc) we were spotted going to a supermarket. Locked the car using central locking - definitely). When we returned everything had been nicked from the boot (gear, cameras - everything).
On reporting it we were told by the police that this is 'common' just outside the airport. Hire cars are targeted (e.g. at supermarkets): as we got out and clicked the central locking key fob, some guys operating a device which effectively neutralised the central-locking (don't ask me how - others might know...).
Net result was that none of the insurances would pay out as there was no evidence that the car had been burgled - no sign of forced entry. In spite of a letter from the local cops, we kept drawing a blank (over £4k written off)

So - (i) check insurances and ask them about such incidents (SA police said they are 'well-known' ploys) and (ii) leave someone in your motor when collecting the beers!

Maybe we were just unlucky - but better safe than sorry

Have a good trip

In reply to Greenbanks: Thanks for the info, will use a look out

In reply to Greenbanks:

That's rough. To the OP it's best to go to Supermarket Malls that have "official" car guards. Go into Cape Town - Green Point or Sea Point areas. There are massive car parks at the Waterfront with "guards". Give them a tip, say R10 to keep an eye on your car.

It's always best to remove the car hire company's window stickers when hiring anywhere in the world to make it less obvious that it's a hire car, which as you say are targeted by thieves.

Also when hiring a car in SA watch out for the high excess charges, some hire companies may impose 100% excess for accidents occurring on dirt roads, so it's best to take out a separate excess insurance in the UK with someone like insurance4carhire. If you are heading for Rocklands and the Cederberg area, some of the roads up there are dirt.

There are supermarkets in Clanwilliam, if that's where you are heading.