Have to make own insurance arrangements

WHILST I support the main point made by Martin Howes, [Travel insurance] writes Mike Todd.

The hire company probably cannot, by law, offer the travel insurance directly. I know from personal experience about ten years ago that this option was removed from holiday providers.

Make own arrangements

This means that the hirers have to make their own arrangements: one of the consequences—perhaps unintended—of moves to ensure people have a choice! It also means that the hire company cannot monitor whether the hirer is covered or not.

Again in my experience, both personally and by talking to others, hire companies are pretty good at coping with such closures to minimise the impact on their customers, arranging transport and alternative bases for handovers etc. Of course the hirer may not be able to complete a perhaps long cherished route but that is the nature of the holidays of any sort.

Uninsurable risk

As a result, hirers may well find that a canal closure leading to an interrupted holiday is an uninsurable risk, especially if the hire company take reasonable steps to mitigate the impact.

Walking off in a huff is the right of the hirer but I would urge anyone in such a situation to contact the hire company and to make the best of whatever options they offer and just carry on enjoying the canals as a great place for a holiday.