Namibia's gravel roads will test any rental car. The right insurance policy turns 'expensive disaster' into 'phone the lodge, swap the tyre, carry on'.
The three things that go wrong
1) Tyre punctures — almost guaranteed on gravel. 2) Windscreen chips from oncoming traffic. 3) Undercarriage knocks on riverbed crossings or in deep sand. Standard CDW policies often exclude all three.
What 'full cover' should include
Unlimited tyre replacement (not just one), windscreen, undercarriage, single-vehicle accident, zero excess. Recovery within Namibia at no charge. Replacement vehicle within 24 hours.
Things never covered
Driving on undesignated tracks, river crossings without operator approval, driving after dark in remote areas, alcohol-related incidents, damage caused by the second (unlisted) driver. Add every driver at booking — adding them later is painful.
