 Hi folks, A few golks have mentioned to me that they bought a Hire Car Excess Insurance policy to cover what the excess the waiver doesnt. Wondering have any folk experience with this. Cheers, Stephen
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 Isn't it just a bolt on paid for at the time of the hire?
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 It can be, but you can also get ones that will cover you for up to a year. Handy if you hire cars more than once a year. I got mine through an offer by Avis/Opedea/ Virgin. Was only £10 more than the cost for one hire deal. Does mean I have to use Avis or an appointed dealer. But as I get discounts for membership of climbing club, booking agent 'loyalty' and Avis 'customer loyalty' it usually works out cheaper anyway. I also have a 'fuel option deal'. On the day of hire the fuel price is the same or cheaper than the cheapist petrol stations in a 10 mile radius. If the price goes down it's adjusted down but if price goes up I only pay price on day of hire. When I was away on OMWS, I got fuel at £1.27plt, a few miles down the road Tesco was £1.33plt. On way back, Tesco was £1.34.9 plt, I'd an almost empty tank so saved a few quid. I also use a 'strategy', if I need to put fuel in car, I put in as little as I can, enough to do what I need and get car back to drop off. That way I know I'll be paying as little for petrol as I can.
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| Edited: 10/03/11 19:58 |
 I've used insurance4carhire but never claimed, so all I can tell you is that they took my money and provided my policy and it was cheap... Some credit cards provide similar cover (mine gives full CDW as long as I pay for the rental car with it). Might be worth looking for such a card (I think amex have the cover on some of theirs).
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putting in as little fuel as possible makes sense anyway as less weight = more mpg.....Also avis etc at least usually give one a decent motor so looks as if thats a bargain.....if as you say you use it more than once a year!
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Cheers Guys, Anything to save a few quid 
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Another user of insurance4carhire. Haven't had to claim but I'vce used them for 3 years now. Much cheaper than the bolt-on from the hire co. They seem very stand-up and I have conficdence in what they provide - always recommend them to friends and family.
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Hi Sambo, Cheers for the recommendation I will problay rent a car a few times this year so a policy like that would be handy. Cheers, Stephen
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Insurance4carhire for me. The hirers don't even try to push extras to me when they see that on the paperwork. I also book through Novacarhire, never had a problem.
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Does anyone know of a company that lets you hire the car where you live? Most of the ones I've looked at won't let you do so. You need to be at least 50km away from where you hire car, if not more. I'd like to be able to hire car where I live, then go to other places. I mean an annual policy not a 'bolt on' one, as I can hire a car up to 6 times ayear or more. The deal I have at moment might not be available next time and am looking for others.
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Well I think its better prefer for the Car Hire Excess which means in case of theft, damage or collision to the car which you have hired you have to pay the first portion of the repair or replacement which means you have to pay an excess fee and this charge will be applicable if the damage or loss is not your fault. Car Hire Excess
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| Edited: 28/09/11 11:53 |
 I used some online budget company, if i find thename kll post it. the actual car was avis and got upgraded to a BMW from a lio. But the point is the budget hire included excess cover in the price!
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Does anyone know of a company that lets you hire the car where you live? Most of the ones I've looked at won't let you do so. You need to be at least 50km away from where you hire car, if not more.
What is the thinking behind that? Do they want your money or not?
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Yes they want your money, but it means you have to get the 'in local area pick up ' policy from Hire Company. It will cost more than if you hired futher away. So is a feckin rip off. Why 50km makes a differance I can't work out, you could drive back to where you live, pick up family, etc. and be charged less. Seems senseless to me!! I know of one company that if I hire car from an other place, will deliver car to your door. Now that doesn't make sense! Your policy is cheaper because car is "hired" over the 50km distance, yet they drive car to you and you are not paying for fuel, plus they need an other car to pick up driver.
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 The annual policies assume an average number of hires a year (more hires is more risk). People who would hire a car from where they live are likely to hire a car many more times per year than those that don't and thus expose the insurer to more risk. Cut out the risky policies and you can significantly increase profits/ reduce premiums. I'd be carefull to read the policy wording before assuming that hiring a car from a distance away with drop-off at your home address doesn't break that rule.
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I can't see how hiring a car from where you live is 'more risky', than hiring from futher away. Hiring a car from say 50km from where you live, to me, is more of a risk than from home. You may not know roads, what local conditions are like, IE. what roads may flood in heavy rain, etc. OK, you may/run into conditions like that as you travel futher away from home., but if travelling with in the 'set limit', are more likley to know area, so be less risky. Where I live, in Belfast, I know the area of N.I. very well. I can pick up a car near the border with R.O.I. and cross the 'Border' in 20mins. Without a map or SatNav. set in advance., outside 'limit' and I'd have no idea how to get to where I wanted to go. I'd be slowing down, stopping, at signposts to find out where I am, where I need to go. I'd think that's more of a risk than beening in your local area. As to delivering to your door, if it broke the "rule", they would be putting themselves at risk? more than at 'home'. Would that not be more dangerous, risky?
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I feel like I am in a very bad black and white existential French movie.
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