Car Hire Excess

What Is Excess

Basically, should the vehicle you have hired be damaged or even stolen whilst it is in your possession, you may be charged an excess fee.

This fee is the amount of money that you will have to pay if the car hire company needs to make an insurance claim.  For example, if the car hire company makes a claim of £2500, you may be asked to pay an excess fee of £500 or even £1000.


But Am I Not Already Insured Through The Car Hire Company

Yes, you are insured when you book your car hire but this insurance only reduces the amount you will pay in the event of a claim and it doesn’t always include certain parts of the car.  As with any other car insurance, you will generally be required to pay an excess in the event of a claim.

All car hire excess fees are different and it is a good idea to check them before booking.

Can I Reduce The Amount Of Car Hire Excess I Pay

Yes, you can reduce the amount of excess you pay and this can even be reduced to paying nothing.  Most car hire companies will offer you ‘Excess Insurance’ at the time of
booking or when you are at the airport collecting your car.  It is up to you whether or not you take out this policy and all car hire companies prices vary for the ‘Car Hire Excess
Insurance’ policy.  You can generally expect to pay anything from £3 – £15 per day for this ‘Excess Insurance’ if you buy it from the car hire company at the airport.

Do I Need To Buy Car Hire Excess Insurance

As I said before, it is at your discretion whether you take out car hire excess insurance or not.  It is not compulsory to do so but is an extra protection should any unforeseen
circumstances arise. The decision you will need to make, is whether you think it is worth your while doing so and whether or not you would prefer to pay a little extra money when you book your car hire or whether you would prefer to pay more if you had to pay any excess were a claim to be made.

There are many companies offering Car hire Excess Insurance and if you decide you would like to take out your own policy, it is always a good idea to shop around for the best quotes.