Have you been landed with an excessive charge for damage after hiring a car? There is a way to protect yourself in future. Car hire excess insurance can prevent you from paying outrageous charges by eliminating your liability for any damage.
When you rent a car, the rental company will charge an excess far higher than the one you pay on your domestic car insurance. That’s because the company are absorbing a much higher risk when they rent cars to all kinds of drivers, some of whom are less careful than others.
If your hire car comes with thousands of pounds in excess charges then that’s the amount you’ll pay if there’s any damage. By taking out insurance to cover the excess, you’ll cover yourself if the worst happens. Here are five great reasons for taking out excess insurance right now.
You don’t have a crystal ball
You might be the most careful driver on the Costa del Sol but no one can predict the future. The problem is that the rental company can hold you responsible for any damage to their vehicle, even if it wasn’t your fault.
In fact, your hire car could be stolen or maliciously damaged by an anonymous third party and you’d still be expected to pay the excess. By taking out car hire excess insurance, you’ll cover yourself against that unexpected prang or idiot driver.
It doesn’t cost a fortune
Cost is always a factor when buying insurance and you usually need to weigh up whether the cost of the insurance outstrips the excess. The good news is that, with single trip and annual insurance available, you can get just the level of cover you need if you shop around.
You won’t have to pay eye-watering hire firm prices which rarely offer good value for money. In fact, their products can add hundreds of pounds to your car hire costs when you can arrange your own cover for just a few pounds a day.
It’s hassle free
The last thing you want to do when you get off a flight is start reading through insurance documents and deciding whether you’re getting a good deal. By arranging your excess insurance yourself, you take the hassle out of hiring a car while protecting yourself and your bank balance.
There is one thing to note which is that many car hire firms don’t like you arranging your own cover. Be prepared for them to charge you the excess fee up front which is refunded when you return the car. In our opinion, it’s a small price to pay for affordable car hire excess insurance but you may need to have enough credit on your card.
You can shop around
Why pay for expensive excess insurance when you can visit Excessbuddy.com and save up to 65% by using our website? We make it incredibly easy to shop around for the right cover so you can make sure that items such as windscreens and tyres are also covered by your policy.
And from as little as 11p a day for an annual policy that covers the UK and Europe, you can get the very best deal in place well before it’s time to pick up your rental car.
You’ll have peace of mind
Car rental companies are notorious for charging for damage to their rentals, even if it’s just a tiny scratch. You can protect yourself by taking a video or photos of your car before you drive away so you know whether any charge is legitimate or not.
With car hire excesses running into the thousands for some makes and models, having that at the back of your mind can seriously impact on your trip. And if the worst does happen your bank balance could take an almighty hit. Excess insurance is the smarter way to rent and drive with total peace of mind.