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Planning a New Zealand road trip but worried about hidden costs or unexpected liabilities? You wouldn't be the first. You may have mapped out the amazing Milford Sound drive, bookmarked the best freedom camping spots and chosen the perfect Spaceships campervan for your trip. But there’s that one question still keeping you up at night: what happens if something goes wrong while out on the road?
If you’re the type of traveller who likes to plan ahead, read the fine print, and avoid surprises, you’re in the right place. Here we'll take you through our campervan insurance levels, what they cover, what they don’t, and how to choose coverage that lets you enjoy your adventure instead of worrying about it.
Travel safely on New Zealand roads with Stress-Free Insurance
What Most Travellers Don’t Realise About Insurance in New Zealand
This may surprise international visitors: car insurance isn’t compulsory in New Zealand. Unlike many European countries where third-party coverage is mandatory, Kiwi drivers can legally drive without any insurance at all.
Why does this matter for your campervan rental? Because if an accident isn’t your fault, you could still be liable for damage if the other party doesn’t have insurance or we can’t recover costs from them. This is particularly important to understand when you’re comparing insurance options. Here are a few important ones explained:
- Travel insurance covers your belongings, medical expenses and trip disruptions. Not damage to your rental vehicle.
- External excess insurance policies often don’t cover campervans (check the fine print), and even if they do, you’ll likely need to pay a bond upfront and wait for reimbursement.
- Rental vehicle insurance is what protects you from costs related to damage to the campervan itself.
Think of it like layers of protection where each layer protects different things. You need to choose the right combination of layers to have complete peace of mind.
Drive on gravel roads without a worry!
Your Three Spaceships Insurance Options - What You Need to Know
Booking your insurance directly with Spaceships means you're dealing with the people who actually own and maintain the vehicles. We've designed our insurance options to be as clear and straightforward as possible, so you know exactly what's covered before you even arrive in New Zealand. Here's how our three insurance levels compare:
| Cover | Basic | Partial | Stress-Free |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Fee (capped at 50 days) | $0 | $25 | $35 |
| Bond | $5,000 | $3,000 | $0 |
| Vehicle write off liability | Up to $18,000 | Up to $9,000 | $0 |
| Accident administration fee | $100 | $100 | $0 |
| Accident Coverage | |||
| Vehicle towing or salvage | ✘ No | ✘ No | ✓ Yes |
| Single vehicle accidents | ✘ No | ✘ No | ✓ Yes |
| Vehicle rollover, including single vehicle rollover | ✘ No | ✘ No | ✓ Yes |
| The roof | ✘ No | ✘ No | ✓ Yes |
| Glass and Exterior Coverage | |||
| Unlimited windscreen chips | ✘ No | ✘ No | ✓ Yes |
| One windscreen replacement | ✘ No | ✘ No | ✓ Yes |
| Side mirrors | ✘ No | ✘ No | ✓ Yes |
| Glass cover | ✘ No | ✘ No | ✓ Yes |
| Underbody | ✘ No | ✘ No | ✓ Yes |
| Exterior panels (dents & scratches) | ✘ No | ✘ No | ✓ Yes |
| Tyres | ✘ No | ✘ No | ✓ Yes |
| Cover for gravel roads | ✘ No | ✘ No | ✓ Yes |
Stress-Free Insurance: Zero Financial Risk
This is our recommended option. You’ll pay nothing out of pocket if there’s damage to the campervan, regardless of who’s at fault. No bond is required at pickup, and there are no surprise deductions from your credit card.
Real scenario: A tree branch scratches your campervan while you’re parked at a DOC campsite. With Stress-Free, you report it, and that’s it. No payment, no stress, no paperwork to file with another insurance company back home.
This is right for you if:
- The thought of a multi-thousand dollar surprise expense would ruin your trip
- You’re visiting remote areas where road conditions can be unpredictable
- You want to focus on your adventure, not on driving anxiety
- You value complete peace of mind over upfront savings
Long trip bonus: Stress-Free Insurance is capped at 50 days ($35 per day, total $1,750), so on trips of 51+ days, you get additional coverage at no extra cost.
Partial Insurance: Reduced Liability, Real Benefits
Partial Insurance is the middle ground that offers genuine advantages over Basic. Your bond drops from $5,000 to $3,000, and you're maximum liability can only reach up to $9,000 if the campervan is written-off (damaged beyond repair).
Real scenario: You're driving to a stunning remote beach down a gravel road when a stone kicks up and cracks your windscreen. It's a common experience in New Zealand, especially when exploring off the beaten track. With Partial Insurance, you're responsible for the repair cost. It's not ideal, but often manageable. On Basic, you'd be liable for the same amount, but you also have a higher bond tied up and greater exposure if something more serious happens during your holiday.
Advantages of Partial Insurance: For travellers who want to lower their financial commitment without going fully Stress-Free, Partial strikes a practical balance. You'll have less money held on your credit card compared to Basic and half the write-off liability. You're still carrying some risk, but have reduced your exposure.
Basic Insurance: Low Price, High Risk
Basic insurance offers the lowest daily rate but carries the highest financial risk. You'll need $5,000 available on your credit card - this amount will be held/frozen (not charged) for the duration of your rental.
Real scenario: Using that same tree branch example, you’d now be responsible for up to $5,000 in repair costs. A more serious incident, like a collision that totals the vehicle, means you could be paying up to $18,000 out of pocket. This requires not just having a fair amount of emergency funds available but also being comfortable with the possibility of those funds being used or tied up for an extended period while claims are processed.
What catches people off guard: Imagine another driver causes an accident involving your van, one that is completely their fault, not yours. But they don't have insurance (remember, it's not compulsory in NZ). We pursue them for recovery, but it takes months or fails completely. With Basic Insurance, your $5,000 bond still covers the initial damage costs while we wait. You're financially impacted even though you did nothing wrong. This is the reality of Basic coverage in a country where not all drivers are insured.
Choose Stress-Free Insurance to travel carefree!
Here is What Could Actually Happen (And Why You Need Insurance)
We’re not here to scare you, but these are real situations that can happen to travellers while in New Zealand.
The Write-Off Scenario
If the campervan is damaged beyond repair (from collision, weather event, or other circumstances), the write-off fee can reach $18,000 on Basic Insurance. On Stress-Free? You’ll pay nothing (unless you’ve violated rental terms).
The “Not Your Fault” Situation That Still Costs You
Remember how car insurance isn’t compulsory in NZ? Say someone runs a red light and hits you. They’re clearly at fault, but they have no insurance. We pursue them for costs, but recovery takes months or fails entirely. With Basic or Partial Insurance, your bond covers our initial costs. With Stress-Free, you’re completely protected.
The Gravel Road Reality
New Zealand has thousands of kilometres of gravel roads leading to incredible destinations. They’re legal to drive on with your Spaceships campervan, however, they do increase the risk of windscreen chips, tyre damage and undercarriage issues. On Basic or Partial, these repair costs come from your bond. On Stress-Free, everything is covered. If you are planning to explore remote areas, check out our guide to New Zealand road conditions to know what to expect.
Narrow roads & bridges? No worries!
Rental Van Insurance Myths We Need to Bust
“My credit card provides rental insurance.” While many credit cards do offer rental vehicle coverage, read the fine print carefully:
- Campervans and motorhomes are commonly excluded
- Most exclude vehicles over a certain value or size
- You still pay a bond upfront and wait for a reimbursement
“I’ll just buy external excess insurance online.” These policies can seem like a budget-friendly alternative, but, when you hire a campervan with us, you'll still be travelling on Basic Insurance regardless of the external excess insurance you buy. That means:
- We still require the full $5,000 bond to be held on your credit card at pickup
- If there is damage to the campervan, we deduct the costs from your bond (up to $5,000)
- You need to file a claim with your external insurance provider to get reimbursed
- Claims can take months to process
- You’re having to deal with paperwork during your holiday or after you return home
Additionally, many external excess policies:
- Specifically exclude campervans (always check before you buy)
- Don't cover the full bond amount
- Require a lot of documentation and proof
So while the policy itself might be cheaper, you're still facing the same upfront bond requirement, the same immediate financial impact if there's damage, and then month of waiting to potentially get your money back. It's completely different to have Stress-Free Insurance, where nothing comes out of your pocket in the first place.
“I’m a careful driver, so I’ll be fine with Basic.” We believe you’re a great driver. But insurance isn’t just about your skills:
- Other drivers make mistakes
- Weather conditions change rapidly in NZ
- Wildlife on the road is unpredictable
- For those not used to left-hand driving, it may take time to adjust
- There are gravel roads and narrow bridges everywhere
Take the road less travelled!
Why We Recommend Stress-Free Insurance
We’re not going to pretend we don’t have a preference. We genuinely do recommend Stress-Free Insurance for most travellers, and here’s our honest reasoning.
It Changes How You Experience New Zealand
With Stress-Free cover you can travel carefree along that gravel road to stunning remote beaches, park confidently in busy tourist spots, and actually enjoy your driving instead of treating it like a stressful obstacle. New Zealand’s best and most beautiful destinations are often found down the roads least travelled. Stress-Free Insurance means you can actually travel them.
The Math Usually Works Out
The average campervan repair cost in New Zealand can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars depending on the damage. Even a minor incident could cost more than the difference between Basic and Stress-Free over a 2-week trip. A few windscreen chips from a gravel road or scratches from stray branches and you’ve already lost any savings from choosing a cheaper coverage.
It Covers the Unpredictable
You can always control how you drive. You can’t control:
- The car that backs into you in a car park
- The campervan in the oncoming lane that drifts across the centre line
- The rock that flies up from the vehicle ahead of you
- The weather event that causes extreme damage to multiple vehicles
Stress-Free is insurance for everything you can’t control.
Travel with complete peace of mind
Rental Campervan Insurance Made Easy
If you’re reading this guide because you’re worried about making the right choice or unexpected costs, or if a surprise expense would genuinely impact your trip. Choose Stress-Free Insurance.
Yes, it costs more upfront. But it fundamentally changes your New Zealand road trip from an adventure where you’re constantly managing risk to one where you’re free to actually experience everything incredible this country has to offer.
Ready to book your New Zealand campervan adventure? Check out our full insurance details and start planning the trip of a lifetime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stress-Free really worth the cost? Even for a short trip?
Yes, consider this: Stress-Free might add an extra $500-900 to your total trip cost (depending on length). One accident with $4,000 in damage on basic insurance, and you’ve already paid 4-5 times that amount. Plus, you’ve lost time dealing with the incident instead of exploring. For most travellers, yes, Stress-Free is always worth it.
Can I switch to Stress-Free after I pick up the campervan?
No, insurance changes must be made at least 7 days before pick up. Once you’ve collected the vehicle, you’re locked into your chosen coverage for the entire rental period.
I’m only 18. Does Stress-Free cost more for young drivers?
Nope! There are no age-related surcharges. Stress-Free costs the same whether you’re 18,25 or 55. All drivers must be listed on the rental agreement.
What about the certified self-contained campervans? Does that affect insurance?
Our certified self-contained campervans (Beta 2S) give you more freedom camping options throughout New Zealand. Stress-Free Insurance covers these vehicles exactly the same way as any other in our fleet, whether you're staying at a holiday park or freedom camping at a DOC site.
What’s not covered, even with Stress-Free?
Stress-Free Insurance covers accidental damage, but not damage caused by breaching your rental agreement. You won’t be covered if damage has occurred while you’re driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, an unlisted driver is operating the vehicle or the vehicle if the vehicle was being used for something illegal. Drive responsibly and follow the rules and Stress-Free lives up to its name.
Does the insurance cover the campervan while on the ferry?
Yes, your campervan is still insured during its time on the ferry. All the same coverage rules apply.
What does “excess” mean?
In rental terms, excess is the amount you’re responsible for paying if there’s damage. Think of it as your “share” of the repair costs. Basic Insurance has a $5,000 excess, meaning you pay the first $5,000 of any damage. Stress-Free has a $0 excess - you pay nothing.
