Car hire excess insurance is an essential form
of motoring cover that will pay for the excess on a rental vehicle if the car
is damaged during the hire period. With excesses running into hundreds or
thousands of pounds -- and hire companies charging full excesses for the
smallest damage -- it is sensible to consider getting one of these policies
before you leave.
The cost of car hire excess insurance is
usually very manageable, but check the terms carefully before signing up.
Where and When Are You Covered?
When you buy a travel insurance policy, and
you opt for multi-trip, you then need to decide which territories you’ll be
visiting during the time your policy is active.
Multi-trip car hire excess insurance policies
generally work the same way.
So if you’re only going to be holidaying
within Europe this year, it makes sense to buy a policy that covers you in
Europe only. If you’re going to venture outside Europe, be sure to get a policy
that provides annual worldwide cover.
In terms of timing and length of policy, the
main thing to check is that the cover won’t expire before you fly back. So
you’ll need to check:
●
The start and end dates; you can
start the policy on the first day of your first trip to get maximum time from
it, so double-check that this date is selected as it may not be the date you
buy the policy
●
Check whether the insurer will
cover you for the entire trip; there might be a limit on the number of days you
can be away, and long-term visits might exceed that.
Buying Online vs Buying On Arrival
Car hire excess insurance is available via two
key routes. You can either purchase it when you hire your vehicle, or you can
buy it separately -- usually online.
We always recommend that you buy it online,
because:
●
Buying online gives you more time
to review the terms of the excess insurance and determine that it covers you in
the right circumstances
●
Prices are generally more
competitive via third parties, and buying online gives you chance to compare
and contrast
●
Online policies tend to have more
options; for example, you can choose either an annual policy or a single trip
one; buying from your insurer may mean you only have one option.
Queueing in the hot sun with kids, or luggage,
is no fun at the best times. At the end of a long flight, nobody really wants
to be stuck at the car rental desk for any longer than absolutely necessary,
and you probably won’t want an extra set of terms and conditions to read.
Getting your cover sorted beforehand does away
with that extra hassle. You can simply attend the rental office, pick up the
keys and go -- being sure, of course, to decline the excess insurance provided
by the hire company. It is sensible to take a print-out showing details of your
own car hire excess insurance so that you can demonstrate you already have
cover in place.
*The information in this blog is designed to provide helpful information on the subjects discussed. Please seek a professional for expert advice as we can not be held responsible for any damages or negative consequences upon following this information.