Hire car insurance advice please..

[NickFitz]

Feedback about Dircet Car Excess when people really needed

" only say this because the car company that I attempted to hire the car from would not accept your insurance as 'good enough' for them, so, I effectively have lost the cost of the insurance"

another one..

"when having got there the company would not take the insurance and had to buy there own at a cost of 57euros , and I would please like my money back as it was a waste of time taking yours "

hmm...

"Does not cover the excess from the hire car company as promised. A waste of money.

11-Aug-2014
Issue in no way resolved! Typical insurance, fine until you need to claim. The supplier claim is correct in one way, we are resolved to the extent that this will be my first and last experience with direct car excess. I shall be taking the car hire insurance in future. More expensive, but more reliable and therefore better value for money."

No for me

I was hiring from Enterprise, and they never even asked me who the excess insurance was with. I just told them I didn't want theirs as I'd sorted it out myself, and they were fine with that.

I avoided any problem in claiming by not crashing the car

[DaveB]

I was hiring from Enterprise, and they never even asked me who the excess insurance was with. I just told them I didn't want theirs as I'd sorted it out myself, and they were fine with that.

I avoided any problem in claiming by not crashing the car

WHS. I'm using enterprise every weekend for the commute atm and don't bother with the extra insurance. Over the period I will be using their cars I could crash at least once and still be ahead of the game in terms of costs.

[FatLazyContractor]

What everyone else said. It is definitely advisable to have one though.

I once rammed a hire car into the back of a truck in Dublin effectively almost writing it off. Excess was 1200 Euros and it was all paid by the hire car excess insurance.

[psychocandy]

Feedback about Dircet Car Excess when people really needed

" only say this because the car company that I attempted to hire the car from would not accept your insurance as 'good enough' for them, so, I effectively have lost the cost of the insurance"

another one..

"when having got there the company would not take the insurance and had to buy there own at a cost of 57euros , and I would please like my money back as it was a waste of time taking yours "

hmm...

"Does not cover the excess from the hire car company as promised. A waste of money.

11-Aug-2014
Issue in no way resolved! Typical insurance, fine until you need to claim. The supplier claim is correct in one way, we are resolved to the extent that this will be my first and last experience with direct car excess. I shall be taking the car hire insurance in future. More expensive, but more reliable and therefore better value for money."

No for me

Crap comments. Why would you care if the company dont accept your insurance. Tough luck.

I've used companies like this for years, providing excess cover for UK/europe and CDW in the USA. Insurance4carhire I used now - something like £100 for the year inc USA.

Even had to claim once in the USA when I reversed into mailbox. Oops. No big hassle.

Of course, probably 50% of the time especially USA the rental agent will tell your insurance is 'not good enough'. Thats because they're on commission to sell you theirs. I had a right go once in Florida and in the end told the guy to do one when he got heavy handed.

End of the day if you want to accept minimum coverage and not buy the extra its up to you if you want to rely on your own cover. If you're stupid enough to believe the agent thats your problem.

Total no brainer for £100. Broke down a few months ago and got 3 days car hire from AA for free. Of course, insurance £15/day extra but I didnt need it.

[NotAllThere]

As a result of this thread I bought hire car excess insurance. The car I hired last week somehow (I suspect it happened in a car park, and the responsible person just drove away) acquired two to-the-metal two inch long parallel scratches on the rear bumper. Europcar are charging over £300 for repairs.

Hire car excess insurance - £35 a year for all hires... So pretty good value (assuming they cough up!)

[Platypus]

I've used companies like this for years, providing excess cover for UK/europe and CDW in the USA. Insurance4carhire I used now - something like £100 for the year inc USA
Total no brainer for £100

Great link, thanks PS !

I never even knew this existed. Wish I'd had it a couple of years ago. Bookmarked this and will def buy before I head off anywhere where I'll be renting.

[psychocandy]

As a result of this thread I bought hire car excess insurance. The car I hired last week somehow (I suspect it happened in a car park, and the responsible person just drove away) acquired two to-the-metal two inch long parallel scratches on the rear bumper. Europcar are charging over £300 for repairs.

Hire car excess insurance - £35 a year for all hires... So pretty good value (assuming they cough up!)

NAT - so that was UK only for £35? Yeh I get the worldwide one and then its extra again for USA/Canada which bumps it up a bit.

[psychocandy]

Great link, thanks PS !

I never even knew this existed. Wish I'd had it a couple of years ago. Bookmarked this and will def buy before I head off anywhere where I'll be renting.

Glad I could help. I hired a car for a few days the other weekend - £45 for 3 days. Dont see how they can make money on that.

BUT should have seen they're faces when they werent getting an extra £15 a day for insurance. I think this is what they make the money on.

As I said though, if you go to USA be prepared for the hard sell and bulltulip. They like it even less that you're knocking back their commission sale. You need to stand firm and know what you've got and what you need.

Traditionally, pretty sure UK visitors to USA have been easy targets because we're so stupid and gullible I think. :-) (I know friends who spent $100s of extra on personal protections insurance etc because the rental agent told them to).

Breakdown cover is a good one too. WTF. If I hire a car off you and it breaks down, you fix and provide me with one that works. I aint paying you to come and collect your faulty goods. :-)

[DimPrawn]

As a result of this thread I bought hire car excess insurance. The car I hired last week somehow (I suspect it happened in a car park, and the responsible person just drove away) acquired two to-the-metal two inch long parallel scratches on the rear bumper. Europcar are charging over £300 for repairs.

Hire car excess insurance - £35 a year for all hires... So pretty good value (assuming they cough up!)

I got stung once for scratches and bumps I'm pretty sure were there when I hired it. When I returned the car a guy spent 20 mins with a forensic microscope stinging me for every scratch more than 10mm long.

Top tip - go over the car yourself at the point you hire it and make them recdord EVERY scratch or blemish over 10mm long.

Or even better, don't use car hire and buy a cheap car!

[BoredBloke]

Crap comments. Why would you care if the company dont accept your insurance. Tough luck.

I've used companies like this for years, providing excess cover for UK/europe and CDW in the USA. Insurance4carhire I used now - something like £100 for the year inc USA.

Even had to claim once in the USA when I reversed into mailbox. Oops. No big hassle.

Of course, probably 50% of the time especially USA the rental agent will tell your insurance is 'not good enough'. Thats because they're on commission to sell you theirs. I had a right go once in Florida and in the end told the guy to do one when he got heavy handed.

End of the day if you want to accept minimum coverage and not buy the extra its up to you if you want to rely on your own cover. If you're stupid enough to believe the agent thats your problem.

Total no brainer for £100. Broke down a few months ago and got 3 days car hire from AA for free. Of course, insurance £15/day extra but I didnt need it.

and with Quidco you can get 19.23% cashback