When renting a car in Europe, your rental company will more than likely charge you an excess should your rental vehicle become damaged or stolen whilst in your car ‘Excess Europe’ - our European car hire excess insurance policy that reimburses you should the rental company charge you excess fees in relation to damage, fire or theft.
What does European Car Hire Excess Insurance cover?
What's Covered
What's not Covered
How does the European car hire excess insurance policy work?Quite simply, if the rental company charge you an excess fee in relation to damage or theft, we will reimburse you what you were charged.
Our policies cover YOU (the driver), not the rental company or rental vehicle. That means the rental company will charge you directly and, once you return from your trip, you can submit a claim with us for reimbursement. Our claims team typically process claims within 14 days of submission.
Do I need Car Hire Excess Insurance in the UK & Europe?Car hire excess insurance isn’t legally required in Europe, however it is recommended as without it you’ll be on the hook for the full excess amount if your vehicle is damaged or stolen. Independent research has found rental companies charging upward of £2,000 in some European territories.
Will the rental company try to sell me similar cover?Yes, without a doubt. However, rental companies sell excess waivers rather than excess insurance, and there are benefits to having an insurance policy over a waiver agreement:
Will I be required to leave a deposit?Yes. Regardless of whether you have standalone car hire excess insurance or not, you’ll be asked to leave a deposit when collecting your rental vehicle. Most rental companies will insist that funds are blocked on a credit card rather than a debit card, so remember to bring a credit card with you and ensure sufficient funds are available for this.
xcss Insurance
How Excess Insurance WorksLet’s say you hire a car and it comes with standard insurance included (commonly referred to as Collision Damage Waiver - CDW). As is the case with most motor insurance, it’s likely that you’ll still be liable to pay an excess in the event of damage or theft before the rental company cover the rest of the costs associated with repair or replacement. This means you could be liable to pay hundreds, if not thousands, if anything happens to the hire car – regardless of whether it was your fault or not.
By buying excess insurance from iCarhireinsurance.com, you’ll be covered against excess charges of up to £6,000. What’s more, our policies also cover vulnerable parts of the vehicle often excluded from standard rental company policies, such as tyres, windscreen, roof, and undercarriage.
In the event you’re charged an excess fee by the rental company, simply submit your claim within 60 days of being charged and the claims team will assess this for you. Claims are typically processed within 14 days of receipt.
What are my options when buying Excess Insurance?1. Choose not to purchase
Car hire excess insurance is an optional cover so you can choose not to purchase it if you’re happy to take the risk. However, please be aware that these charges can be as much as £3,000 depending on where you’re travelling and the rental company you use.
2. Buy from the rental company
The excess waiver offered at the rental desk is often more expensive than stand-alone alternatives and usually less comprehensive. Research conducted by iCarhireinsurance.com found that costs for cover at the rental desk vary from £5 to £25 a day. What’s more, not all waivers sold by rental companies are zero excess, which means you could still be charged even with their cover in place.
3. Buy from iCarhireinsurance.com
iCarhireinsurance.com policies start at just £2.99 per day and £39.99 for an annual policy. Our policies are accepted at rental locations worldwide and our annual policies can be used for as many trips as you like, throughout the 12-month period. What’s more, our car hire policies are ZERO excess policies.
To get a quote and buy a policy, simply click here!
PLEASE NOTE: The rental company will require you to leave a deposit or provide credit card details before they hand over the vehicle if you decline their cover – so please ensure you have funds available for this before collecting the car.
Why buy Excess Insurance from iCarhireinsurance?We’re the only car hire insurance provider to offer European cover to residents worldwide*. So, whether you’re a US resident on vacation, or an Australian business traveller – we’ve got you covered!
What’s more, our customers can fully submit claims for reimbursement via our online claims portal – making the process faster, simpler, and more secure.
We’ve also won several prestigious industry awards and received industry recognition with regards to customer service and technological innovation.
For additional information on the above, please visit our FAQ section or contact us to speak to a member of the team.
What does European Car Hire Excess Insurance cover?
What's Covered
- Excess fees charged by the rental company - up to £6,000
- Damage to body work including tyres, windscreen, roof and undercarriage
- Damage caused by fire and vandalism
- Reimburses you if charged an excess for your vehicle being stolen
- Towing, breakdown, lock out and misfuelling excess charges
- Hotel and travel expenses relating to loss of use of your rental vehicle
- Main driver and additional drivers, so long as they’re named on the rental contract
- Covers rentals up to 65 days in length
- Admin fees relating to excess charges are also covered
What's not Covered
- Mechanical breakdown due to wear and tear or malfunction
- Vehicles over 20 years old
- Vehicles with a market value that exceeds £100,000
- People under 21 or over 85 years old
- Specifically excluded countries or countries not defined as an EEA territory
- Competitive and performance driving, including off-road driving and track days
How does the European car hire excess insurance policy work?Quite simply, if the rental company charge you an excess fee in relation to damage or theft, we will reimburse you what you were charged.
Our policies cover YOU (the driver), not the rental company or rental vehicle. That means the rental company will charge you directly and, once you return from your trip, you can submit a claim with us for reimbursement. Our claims team typically process claims within 14 days of submission.
Do I need Car Hire Excess Insurance in the UK & Europe?Car hire excess insurance isn’t legally required in Europe, however it is recommended as without it you’ll be on the hook for the full excess amount if your vehicle is damaged or stolen. Independent research has found rental companies charging upward of £2,000 in some European territories.
Will the rental company try to sell me similar cover?Yes, without a doubt. However, rental companies sell excess waivers rather than excess insurance, and there are benefits to having an insurance policy over a waiver agreement:
- Insurance products, and those who sell them, are financially regulated by the FCA
- Policyholders can escalate complaints to the Financial Ombudsmen Service for resolution
- Customers have a cooling off period, allowing them to cancel should their need for the insurance change
Will I be required to leave a deposit?Yes. Regardless of whether you have standalone car hire excess insurance or not, you’ll be asked to leave a deposit when collecting your rental vehicle. Most rental companies will insist that funds are blocked on a credit card rather than a debit card, so remember to bring a credit card with you and ensure sufficient funds are available for this.
xcss Insurance
How Excess Insurance WorksLet’s say you hire a car and it comes with standard insurance included (commonly referred to as Collision Damage Waiver - CDW). As is the case with most motor insurance, it’s likely that you’ll still be liable to pay an excess in the event of damage or theft before the rental company cover the rest of the costs associated with repair or replacement. This means you could be liable to pay hundreds, if not thousands, if anything happens to the hire car – regardless of whether it was your fault or not.
By buying excess insurance from iCarhireinsurance.com, you’ll be covered against excess charges of up to £6,000. What’s more, our policies also cover vulnerable parts of the vehicle often excluded from standard rental company policies, such as tyres, windscreen, roof, and undercarriage.
In the event you’re charged an excess fee by the rental company, simply submit your claim within 60 days of being charged and the claims team will assess this for you. Claims are typically processed within 14 days of receipt.
What are my options when buying Excess Insurance?1. Choose not to purchase
Car hire excess insurance is an optional cover so you can choose not to purchase it if you’re happy to take the risk. However, please be aware that these charges can be as much as £3,000 depending on where you’re travelling and the rental company you use.
2. Buy from the rental company
The excess waiver offered at the rental desk is often more expensive than stand-alone alternatives and usually less comprehensive. Research conducted by iCarhireinsurance.com found that costs for cover at the rental desk vary from £5 to £25 a day. What’s more, not all waivers sold by rental companies are zero excess, which means you could still be charged even with their cover in place.
3. Buy from iCarhireinsurance.com
iCarhireinsurance.com policies start at just £2.99 per day and £39.99 for an annual policy. Our policies are accepted at rental locations worldwide and our annual policies can be used for as many trips as you like, throughout the 12-month period. What’s more, our car hire policies are ZERO excess policies.
To get a quote and buy a policy, simply click here!
PLEASE NOTE: The rental company will require you to leave a deposit or provide credit card details before they hand over the vehicle if you decline their cover – so please ensure you have funds available for this before collecting the car.
Why buy Excess Insurance from iCarhireinsurance?We’re the only car hire insurance provider to offer European cover to residents worldwide*. So, whether you’re a US resident on vacation, or an Australian business traveller – we’ve got you covered!
What’s more, our customers can fully submit claims for reimbursement via our online claims portal – making the process faster, simpler, and more secure.
We’ve also won several prestigious industry awards and received industry recognition with regards to customer service and technological innovation.
For additional information on the above, please visit our FAQ section or contact us to speak to a member of the team.
Click on the link below to take you to the icarhireinsurance website:
