Is Car Hire Excess Insurance Worth It?

Whether you’re hiring a car in the UK or abroad, the car hire excess fee can throw a spanner in the works of the most well-thought-out travel plans.

But is car hire excess insurance worth it? To save yourself a headache down the line, read on to find out more about car rental excess insurance.

What is a car hire excess?

Car hire excess simply refers to the amount you have to pay if you damage a hired car. This figure varies between car rental companies but may be anywhere from a few hundred pounds to a few thousand pounds.

What is car hire excess insurance?

Car hire excess insurance is a type of cover that will reimburse the excess payable in the event that you damage a hired car. You will initially have to pay the excess charge upfront but will be able to claim the costs back, up to the maximum level of cover provided by your policy.

Is car hire excess insurance worth it?

When hiring a car, you may have wondered: is car rental excess insurance worth it?

Typically, the car rental company will offer you car hire excess insurance but it can be at an inflated cost.

Car hire excess insurance offered by an insurance company or provider often offers a wider range of cover and can be more affordable than purchasing at the rental desk. Car hire excess insurance policies typically include cover against cosmetic damage as well as theft, misfuelling, windscreen and tyre damage. It is important to check policy documents for any restrictions that apply.

But it’s about more than just being covered for damage. Ultimately, when you hire a car, you want the peace of mind that you – and your bank account – are protected should something happen to the car.

Our partner, insurance4carhire offer a range of car hire excess insurance policies for UK residents that include:

• Cover for up to seven additional drivers as long as they’re named in your rental agreement– there’s no need to add them to your insurance4carhire policy
• Flexible cover length - determine the length of cover that suits you, from a single trip to annual car rental excess cover options.
• Up to £6,500 damage and theft cover per policy
• Up to £500 per each claim for misfuelling and car key cover
  
  

Exclusions to cover include:

• Policies purchased after the collection of your rental vehicle.
• Car rentals where the policyholder doesn’t match the name of the lead driver on the rental agreement.

Get a car hire excess insurance quote

The car hire excess insurance policy is provided and administered by our partner insurance4carhire. Towergate act as an introducer for Insurance4carhire.

You can find out more about the insurance4carhire car excess insurance policy, or get a quote for car hire excess insurance on the insurance4carhire website.

About the author

Adam Summersby is a respected leader with 11 years’ varied experience in niche personal and commercial lines insurance, including caravan, site operators and excess reimbursement, with proficiency in leadership, sales and account management.

Consistent with our policy when giving comment and advice on a non-specific basis, we cannot assume legal responsibility for the accuracy of any particular statement. In the case of specific problems we recommend that professional advice be sought.

insurance4carhire is a trading name of Atlanta Insurance Intermediaries Limited. Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under firm reference number 309599. Company registration number: 756681. Registered address: Embankment West Tower, 101 Cathedral Approach, Salford, M3 7FB.