Ambre Solaire

We have used the hire company quite a few times and the cars and service have been excellent. I think we are paying £85 pw. We have never ever paid any excess charges.
I only got on to the Excess Insurance merry go round as it was suggested by someone to purchase it to cover wheels tyres & under carriage. But so far I
those I have looked at only cover these items if they are also covered on the hire car company own insurance

jdr

What sort of car is it for 85 quid a week ?
You would only pay the excess charge if you had an accident or got a dent or scratched the bodywork etc anyway.

Ambre Solaire

Opel Corsa (5 Door)
1.3 Litre Engine | 5 Doors, 5 Seats
Group: C £85

There is no excess charge, it fully comp except for tyres wheel u.carriage

agoreira

I think you are very confused. It varies from company to company, but here is a list of exclusions from one company, which you have to trawl through the small print to find. This is what your excess insurance covers.

Ambre Solaire

Many thanks for your help, I am totally confused - but there is an asterisk *
against tyres wheels and undercarriage which then states these are only covered by the excess insurance policy IF they are covered by the car rental policy, which they are not

Cover up to £3,500 (Annual £5,000)
Fire, theft & Vandalism
Tyres, Keys, Windscreen & Undercarriage*
Additional Drivers
Persons up to 84 years

Buy your car hire excess insurance online from as little as £1.99 per day covering up to 180 consecutive days. Or for cover all year round, our Annual policy is great value at £39.99 with unlimited rentals up to 62 days any one rental. Carhirexcess.com provides cover for the excess on your car hire insurance policy whilst abroad. *These additional covers are included provided your main car rental policy includes these covers

I may give up and ride a bike !

agoreira

Different companies, different T&C's. Insurance4carhire, which I mentioned earlier, states the following. (no asterisks!)

You said they are more expensive, perhaps this would explain why. I pay £40+ (can't remember exactly) a year, for trips up to 30 days, which I consider una ganga. True, 60 days would be more expensive, but the hire companies normally charge anything from €2 or €3 a day upwards, work that out times 60.

Ambre Solaire

Agoreira Thanks for the info/advice

Regards

frigilianafreddy

Ambre. Sadly this is of course the case. The EXCESS insurance ONLY covers the EXCESS.

So, you dent your car and the cost is €400. Your hire company has an excess of €300 (so ordinarily, with no excess insurance, you would pay the first €300 and car hire insurance the balance.)

Because you have bought your excess insurance your 60 day policy will pay that first €300, and the car hire insurance the balance.

If the car hire company has no insurance against tyres/wheels etc, then by definition there is no EXCESS to insure against.

You, or the car hire company, are liable.

And some companies do not charge an excess. i used to rent from Aurigacrown and they never bothered if the car was dented when you brought it back.

Oh and you get a perfectly decent car for under £10 a day. I've just booked a Ka for 29 days Oct/Nov for £228.

frigilianafreddy

stranger and stranger. My insurance4carhire document (and i only have the first page) states

I assume there is a more comprehensive clause somewhere else in the document?

agoreira

That's right though, isn't it? Normally the insured person is responsible for tha damage, and would "normally" be liable to pay the excess, but if you have the excess insurance, that company pays.

frigilianafreddy

Yes, but if the hire company does not insure the eventuality (in this case wheels etc) then there is no excess. The customer is liable for the full amount of any damage, not just the 'excess'.

SO the issue is: if the hire company does not insure something (wheels etc) then does the 'excess' policy pay out the total?

Ambre Solaire

Brilliant, finally my question has been understood with regard to the hire company not requesting an excess amount to be paid

We are looking at icarhireinsurance who confim that wheels,tyres etc are covered on their policy and no dreaded asterisk *

Thanks all for your info/advice and input

Regards

bobd22

Ambre Solaire I see the point you make and had assumed "extra benefit" meant in addition to excess cover (I know shouldnn't), assume I have sent a queery to carhireexcess and if I get a reply will update.

Ambre Solaire

Thanks for that

Chiclanagir

Looking for car hire for the UK for Christmas week. Normally go via Saga with Hertz to get the additional driver free but price has rocketed. Any recommendations?