Car Hire Excess Insurance

[LiquidSunshine]

Hi all,

I have noticed car hire excess insurance being mentioned in a few of Money Saving Expert's weekly emails. They seem to stress that it is a must, but I am just wondering if any car hire regulars recommend getting it?

We have hired a car through Alamo for a few days (picking up from Disney Car Care) and includes collision damage waiver (no excess) and extended liability Protection.

 

[poppyberry]

I've hired loads of cars in the US, even had been involved in a couple of accidents but never paid an excess. Now I'm hiring a car in France over the summer, that had a huge €1500 excess! I've never hired in Europe before so took the excess waiver insurance. So I wonder if this a European thing?

 

[Sam1]

I think it's usually no excess when you hire a car in America. If not check your travel insurance because it's included with ours. We always make sure we've got it in Europe after being hit with €700 for a scratch after hiring a car for one day in France. I'm still gutted about that over a year on, so I'd never go without insurance for it now.

 

[LiquidSunshine]

Will have a look at our travel insurance. Following MSE advice, one of the sites they recommend is giving me a quote of £6.62 for the full duration of the hire. Might be worth getting to have anyway at that price?

 

[wayneg]

Not something that is required. You already have zero excess with Alamo. This type of cover is more for European rentals where you have high excess fees.

 

[LiquidSunshine]

Thanks @wayneg

 

[Wakey]

Yes you have bought CDW already so you would be paying twice. The insurance products can be bought as an alternative to taking the CDW or excess waiver with the company. A bit of aggro though if you use one of threse third party products (anywhere not just US)- you may get pressured at the desk to buy insurance or if you don't take the car hire CDW be required to leave a large deposit pending no damage- some in Spain want 1000 euro. Then if you do have damage and pay the excess you have to claim back from the insurer. More expensive but a lot less hassle to just get CDW with the car hire firm as you have done.