Traveling to Canada - $CAN question and car rental insurance

[FiguringItOut]

This is probably a stupid question, but...

I will be driving to Canada on 8/25 and will spend 4-5 days there (Quebec City, Montreal) before driving back.

I did quick google and it seems that roads in Canada do not change tolls.  If that's so, then I think I should be able to drive through the boarder and then be on my way and find a bank/ATM as I go along where I can take out some Canadian currency out to use for few days. 

Do you think I will need to have Canadian $ right away after crossing the boarder?  I've never driven to/in Canada before so not sure what to expect. 

Car Insurance:
I will be renting a car for this trip - total rental is 8 days.  I don't have my own car insurance so need to purchase some for this trip. I plan on getting damage coverage from AmEx for $25/rental. https://www295.americanexpress.com/premium/car-rental-insurance-coverage/home.do?&pcrpsource=SEM&extlink=ps-us-pcrp-google-Brand_Insurance_Exact-sJG6xfq1y|dc&pcrid=108426733145&pmt=e&kw=american%20express%20car%20rental%20insurance&gclid=CjwKEAjwltC9BRDRvMfD2N66nlISJACq8591NOE9AOwKBxcy5MroG0eCOCCumZN3-oVMdjYMnmex-xoCTVTw_wcB

But it does not provide any liability coverage.  I think I will need to get that directly from the car rental place.  What other insurance products the rental company will try to sell me and what do I need to be aware of.  What is the minimum insurance I need to get from them to feel/be safe during this trip?


As for crossing the boarder both ways, I think my passport as form of ID should be sufficient, right?

[John Doe]

Yes you should have your passport for both entering Canada and of course re-entering the US.  Your debit card should work fine everywhere also so no need to rush to get Canadian dollars.  There are no toll roads in the area you will be travelling.  Have fun!

[TOgirl]

Hi,

The only toll road I am aware of in Ontario is the 407, and even that road bills you based on your licence plate - I've lived here my whole life and can't ever remember going on a road where a toll was paid in cash. Not sure about in Quebec, but I don't recall any on my trips there either.

That said, there may be a toll right after the border (around $5 CAD?) upon entering Canada - but the signs indicate that you can pay in CAN or US funds (price adjusted accordingly).

Short answer - you wouldn't need CAD funds immediately unless you are going to purchase something as soon as you cross over. Even then, credit and debit cards are accepted almost everywhere.

Your best bet is to determine how much you could purchase CAD funds for before leaving the US, compared to how much your bank would charge to use ATM once here.

Passport is the best form of ID for border crossing - that's what we take when we drive to the US and back to Canada.

Hope this helps!

[FiguringItOut]

Thank you.  I think I will be fine with my debit/credit card right after crossing the boarder.

[TravelJunkyQC]

In terms of tolls, there's only one - on highway 30, in order to cross into Vaudreuil-Dorion/Valleyfield (west of Montréal island). If you're going onto Montréal island you won't cross it though.

[FIRE Artist]

For your question re liability insurance, do you currently own a car on which you have liability insurance?  Usually policies also cover you when you are in a rental car, so that is worth confirming. 

[FiguringItOut]

For your question re liability insurance, do you currently own a car on which you have liability insurance?  Usually policies also cover you when you are in a rental car, so that is worth confirming.

Nope, I don't have a car and thus no personal insurance.  I need to buy insurance from rental company for this trip, but I want to know which insurance I need and which I don't.  Rental company offers these:
Loss Damage Waiver (LDW)
Personal Accident Insurance (PAI)
Personal Effects Protection (PEP)
Additional Liability Insurance (ALI)

I'm trying to figure out which of these I need in addition to damage coverage I'll get from American Express.

[FIRE Artist]

Here you go.

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/travel/carrent_ins.html

[FiguringItOut]

Here you go.

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/travel/carrent_ins.html

Yeah, this is not helpful.  I simply don't know what is the bare minimum insurance I need to buy from rental company without buying extra.
I've never had to buy my own car insurance in my entire life, I don't know what these mean and from the descriptions, I don't know what is necessary and what is not. 

[lizzzi]

Can't help you with the car rental insurance question, but I drove up Rt. 87 from New York last year and did a Montreal/Quebec City/Tadoussac trip in my own vehicle with a friend. I used my passport to get back and forth across the border. She is a NY resident and had the enhanced NY drivers license that some states sharing the Canadian border can use instead of a passport. No problems with either. In terms of debit cards and credit cards from the States: My friend used her debit card in Plattsburgh, NY for a fill up with no problems, but it simply did not work in Canada. No where she tried to use it in Canada could take it--it wouldn't work in their machines  Our credit cards worked fine, but not at the gas pumps. For some reason, I could not pay at the pump anywhere, but had to go inside and pay at the counter. Not sure why this was--my French was not up to that kind of conversation--I think they were telling me something to the effect that American credit cards won't work in Canadian gas pumps. My credit cards had chips but no pin numbers--had to insert them in the machine for the chip, and then just sign the slip.

[Jouer]

Can't help you with the car rental insurance question, but I drove up Rt. 87 from New York last year and did a Montreal/Quebec City/Tadoussac trip in my own vehicle with a friend. I used my passport to get back and forth across the border. She is a NY resident and had the enhanced NY drivers license that some states sharing the Canadian border can use instead of a passport. No problems with either. In terms of debit cards and credit cards from the States: My friend used her debit card in Plattsburgh, NY for a fill up with no problems, but it simply did not work in Canada. No where she tried to use it in Canada could take it--it wouldn't work in their machines  Our credit cards worked fine, but not at the gas pumps. For some reason, I could not pay at the pump anywhere, but had to go inside and pay at the counter. Not sure why this was--my French was not up to that kind of conversation--I think they were telling me something to the effect that American credit cards won't work in Canadian gas pumps. My credit cards had chips but no pin numbers--had to insert them in the machine for the chip, and then just sign the slip.

For the bank cards - is your bank a large national organization or a small one? I'm surprised they wouldn't be accepted in Canada. As for gas at the pump - your lack of PIN is the answer. There is no one at the pump to get you to sign.

To the OP: yes, you will need your passport to cross the border. There are tolls at the border both ways but they accept both country's currency so you'll be fine there. I would gas up at the last stop before Canada since gas in the USA is cheaper than here. Although maybe with the exchange rate in your favour, it might be different. I haven't done the math in that direction.

[lizzzi]

My friend's debit card was from a local credit union in Dutchess County, NY--not a huge outfit.

[elaine amj]

I would gas up at the last stop before Canada since gas in the USA is cheaper than here. Although maybe with the exchange rate in your favour, it might be different. I haven't done the math in that direction.

Still cheaper in the US by far. Even with the exchange rate.

[Goldielocks]

Loss Damage Waiver (LDW)
Personal Accident Insurance (PAI)
Personal Effects Protection (PEP)
Additional Liability Insurance (ALI)

I'm trying to figure out which of these I need in addition to damage coverage I'll get from American Express.
[/quote]

The car will come with the bare minimum insurance required by law for the location you are renting in, which may be very low.

So, assuming I had any assets to protect, I would get ALI, LDW for certain.    (Check the max on LDW, you may want to self fund this one if not very high)

But not personal effects ( I will just eat the loss if my phone gets stolen from the car, or claim it on house insurance... )

Personal Accident Insurance covers your medical bills, but you likely already have medical insurance from your personal health USA plan.  Only get it if it is insufficient for your trip, or look into travel insurance coverage elsewhere.

Note that many travel credit cards offer travel medical and some offer rental car insurance coverages, too. So look into that, or you could double up what you don't need.   

----------
Cash -- I am always surprised by how I need at least $10 in ready cash as soon as I leave a US airport.   Tolls, parking, tips for drivers, egregious taxi drivers, convenience stores...   For Canada, as long as I have a credit card, you don't need cash until you are ready to get some, say for a night out with friends to settle your bill.

The only other places where I always use cash in Canada is Craigslist, Church Donations, and farmers markets (the small roadside ones). Even vending machines (LOL!) and tolls seem to accept cards now.. Credit cards, and now debit cards, seems to be much more adopted in Canada, although a minimum purchase may be required at convenience stores ($5).

 AMEX is not accepted as often as Visa / Mastercard, fyi.

[Drifterrider]

For your question re liability insurance, do you currently own a car on which you have liability insurance?  Usually policies also cover you when you are in a rental car, so that is worth confirming.

Nope, I don't have a car and thus no personal insurance.  I need to buy insurance from rental company for this trip, but I want to know which insurance I need and which I don't.  Rental company offers these:
Loss Damage Waiver (LDW)
Personal Accident Insurance (PAI)
Personal Effects Protection (PEP)
Additional Liability Insurance (ALI)

I'm trying to figure out which of these I need in addition to damage coverage I'll get from American Express.

When you rent your car, tell the agent you want "walk away insurance".  Most of them understand this to mean if you total the car and it is your fault and you cause great injury to others, you get to "walk away" without any further liability (yes, there is a proper term I didn't use but everyone gets the gist)

It will be more expensive than if you had a policy that covered rentals but you seem to want peace of mind and this fills the spot.  Make sure they know you are driving into Canada.

Enjoy your trip.

[RetiredAt63]

A lot of places now have tap facilities. so you don't need a PIN if your gas station/Tim Hortons/ etc.  has tap technology and your card supports it.

It is always nice to have a bit of local currency just in case - and for Canada don't just get bills, get a few loonies and toonies as well if your bank has them (we no longer have $1 and $2 bills, just coins).  Or when you buy something ask for them in your change.

What border crossing are you taking?  I can't think of any tolls where I normally cross.  And the toll TravelJunkyQC mentioned is technically a bridge toll, and it is the only one in the Montreal area I can think of.  I would only take it if I were heading west and wanted to avoid the traffic on the island.

How experienced a driver are you?  Québec drivers are notorious and Montréal drivers are notorious in Québec*.  It was many years after right on red started in Québec that it was allowed on Montréal Island.  Montréal has very good public transit, and the art work in the older Métro stations is nice - so you may want to leave the car behind while you are sight-seeing.  There is a bilingual joke - how do Montrealers commute to work?  By BMW.  That is BusMétroWalk.

Bienvenue au Québec!

*I am a reformed Montréal driver now living in Ontario, so I can say it.

[Suzaloo]

Wish I could help with the specifics but I'm in insurance in another province. However, you may want to check with SAAQ for their requirements. I think you may have to privately purchase liability insurance for damages you do to others or their property.  Here is the link to SAAQ-
 https://saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/traffic-accident/public-automobile-insurance-plan/in-brief/

Some credit cards will also include rental vehicle coverage as one of their benefits. 

Have a great vacation.

[terran]

We did a trip like this earlier in the summer with our own car, and I'd just as soon not have a car in both cities. Have you priced out flying and taking a train/bus between the two vs the car rental, gas, and parking?

[NorthernBlitz]

Can't help you with the car rental insurance question, but I drove up Rt. 87 from New York last year and did a Montreal/Quebec City/Tadoussac trip in my own vehicle with a friend. I used my passport to get back and forth across the border. She is a NY resident and had the enhanced NY drivers license that some states sharing the Canadian border can use instead of a passport. No problems with either. In terms of debit cards and credit cards from the States: My friend used her debit card in Plattsburgh, NY for a fill up with no problems, but it simply did not work in Canada. No where she tried to use it in Canada could take it--it wouldn't work in their machines  Our credit cards worked fine, but not at the gas pumps. For some reason, I could not pay at the pump anywhere, but had to go inside and pay at the counter. Not sure why this was--my French was not up to that kind of conversation--I think they were telling me something to the effect that American credit cards won't work in Canadian gas pumps. My credit cards had chips but no pin numbers--had to insert them in the machine for the chip, and then just sign the slip.

We're Canadian ex-Pats and have had this happen to us sometimes. In stores, having a US chip card with no pin works fine. But, I've had problems at some gas stations where they make you pay inside. I asked the gas attendant at one place and he said that a bunch of the credit card fraud they see is on US cards because they don't need a pin. He said that they at least make people come inside to sign (maybe because they get them on camera then?).

I don't think you'll need any cash (unless you go clubbing or something). You can even use cards at Tim Hortons now. It's probably obvious, but make sure the card you use doesn't have foreign transaction fees.

Most places will take US cash. But you might only get it at par, so you'd lose more than what the bank will take out of you.

[lizzzi]

I go often enough that I keep a little Canadian cash on hand--no more than $4 or $5. I know that you can use American money up there, but it's not advantageous. I was surprised in that replica of the fur trading post in Tadoussac when the cashier would not take American money for something. It would have been to her benefit. lol