Which protection package should you choose when renting a car?

When you rent a car, the class, the price and the pick-up location are not the only things worth checking. It matters just as much to know what happens if the car breaks down on the road, if there is an accident, or if the car gets damaged.

In the booking window Sigvi offers four protection packages. They differ in two ways: what help you get on the road, and how much you pay yourself if the car is damaged. This article explains what each package includes and how to pick the right one for your trip.

What every rental includes

Every rental price includes compulsory third-party liability insurance, which covers damage to other people and their property. You can call the SIGVI support team around the clock. If there is an accident that is not your fault and the other driver is known, SIGVI handles the claim through the other driver's insurance.

If the car breaks down through no fault of yours, SIGVI pays for the repair, but without a protection package getting the car to the workshop is your responsibility. Without a protection package you are liable for the full cost of any damage to the car caused by the driver.

The package price is charged per day and depends on the car, the length of the rental and whether you are driving abroad. The exact price is shown in the booking window before you confirm.

Road assistance

Road assistance is the cheapest package and is meant for those who mainly want to avoid getting stuck. If needed, a technician comes to the scene and, where possible, fixes the fault on the spot. If the car cannot be fixed there, it is towed to the nearest workshop.

Technical help and towing are provided in Lithuania and abroad where possible, through partners. If the breakdown is not your fault, SIGVI pays for both the repair and the delivery of the car.

Good to know: road assistance does not cover damage to the car. If the car is damaged through your fault, you pay the full amount, just as you would without a package.

Basic, Medium and Full protection: the deductible is the difference

All three protection packages include the same road assistance and add two things. First, if a breakdown means the repair takes more than 24 hours from the moment the car reaches the workshop, you get a replacement car. If a replacement car is not available the same day, one night's accommodation is compensated up to 150 euros, and the total compensation can reach 300 euros.

Second, and most importantly, they cap your liability for damage to the car.

That cap is called the deductible. The deductible is the amount you pay yourself when the car is damaged; everything above it is covered by the package. The three packages differ precisely in the size of the deductible:

• Basic protection: deductible 990 €.
• Medium protection: deductible 390 €. Marked as the most popular choice in the booking window.
• Full protection: deductible 90 €.

How does this work in practice? Say the car suffers 800 euros of damage through your fault. Without a package, or with Road assistance, you pay the full 800 euros. With Basic protection you also pay 800 euros, because the damage is below the 990 euro deductible. With Medium protection you pay 390 euros, with Full protection 90 euros.

If the damage is larger, say 2,000 euros, the difference is clearer still: without a package or with Road assistance you pay 2,000 euros, with Basic protection 990 euros, with Medium 390 euros, with Full 90 euros.

Whatever the damage, with a protection package your cost never exceeds the deductible you chose, as long as you keep to the rental terms.

What counts as the driver's fault?

Driver's fault covers more than a traffic accident. Damage is treated as the driver's responsibility if:

• the body or other parts of the car are damaged;
• a tyre is punctured or its sidewall is damaged;
• a wheel rim is damaged;
• a window is chipped, cracked or otherwise damaged;
• the key is lost;
• the wrong fuel is used;
• warning lights are ignored and faults result;
• the car is used improperly or in a non-standard way.

A protection package caps your financial liability, but it is not a licence to ignore traffic rules or the rules for using the car.

When does the protection not apply?

Road assistance and all three protection packages do not apply if:

• the driver was under the influence of alcohol, drugs or psychotropic substances;
• the speed limit was exceeded by more than 20 km/h according to the car's system data;
• the damage was caused deliberately or through gross negligence;
• the car's warning indications were ignored;
• the key was lost, or a tyre or rim was damaged beyond repair through your fault;
• a window was chipped or otherwise damaged;
• the wrong fuel was used;
• the driver left the scene of an accident or failed to follow legal requirements;
• the car was driven by a person not registered in a SIGVI account;
• the car was used improperly or in a non-standard way.

In these cases you are liable for the full damage, whichever package you chose.

Which package for your trip?

If you are planning a short, familiar route in Lithuania and are prepared to carry the risk of damage yourself, Road assistance may be enough: you will have technical help and towing if the car breaks down.

Basic protection suits you if you want cover against a large, unexpected bill but are prepared to pay for smaller damage yourself: however much the repair costs, you pay no more than 990 euros.

Medium protection is the most common choice: your liability is capped at 390 euros, and if a breakdown delays your trip you get a replacement car or hotel compensation.

Full protection makes most sense for longer trips, trips abroad and anyone who wants the most peace of mind: the most you pay for damage is 90 euros.

Whichever package you choose, read its terms before you set off. And if a question comes up on the road or something happens, the SIGVI support team is available around the clock on +370 660 99 911.