Car Hire Excess Insurance

[Ferrets]

Hi there,

 

When we've previously visited Australia I have taken out UK based car hire excess insurance (worldwide) to avoid additional cost from the rental desk.

 

We are flying one way on the 26th of this month, and will be renting a car for 5 weeks. On this basis would a UK based policy be appropriate, is there an appropriate local alternative or do we need to suck it up and pay the money to the hire company?

 

Thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

Ferrets

[DT55]

Check with the insurance company but it sounds like you have already identified the policy you need although you need to check if the policy is still valid if you don't have a return ticket. I tend to avoid taking out one of these policies directly with the car hire company themselves as they are generally an extortionate rip off

[srh82]

Use http://www.moneymaxim.co.uk

 

You can use them in Australia no worries. I've used them twice now....much cheaper premiums than the car hire firms.

[Parley]

It is all very well having a cheap insurance policy, but the bigger issue is how have they acted when someone has had to make a claim in Australia.

[Dazken Amac]

Try http://www.drivemycar. Com.au or http://www.carnextdoor.com.au

 

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

[srh82]

It is all very well having a cheap insurance policy, but the bigger issue is how have they acted when someone has had to make a claim in Australia.

 

 

If it's reviewed by the UK Daily Telegraph and the review is very positive it is good enough for me.

[Parley]

My concern is how you would go with getting crash repairs done.

My experience is that panel beaters can deal easily with all major Australian insurance companies.

They normally quickly provide quotes to an assessor from the insurance company.

 

I just don't know how smoothly it would work with an overseas company.

Would they expect you to pay the repairs first yourself and reimburse you ?

[srh82]

You pay the excess to the rental company then claim it back. You have to be able to withstand that initial outlay which personally I can withstand.

[Parley]

And how do you know the rental company are prepared to deal with an overseas insurance company ?

[Bungo]

Hi there,

 

When we've previously visited Australia I have taken out UK based car hire excess insurance (worldwide) to avoid additional cost from the rental desk.

 

We are flying one way on the 26th of this month, and will be renting a car for 5 weeks. On this basis would a UK based policy be appropriate, is there an appropriate local alternative or do we need to suck it up and pay the money to the hire company?

 

Thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

Ferrets

 

It is unlikely a UK insurance company is going to be appropriate in this case. Australia has car hire excess cover policies, so get one of those. We used a Virgin Australia one a couple of times for Australian holidays out of state where we hired a car.

[Patphillips47]

Hi there,

 

When we've previously visited Australia I have taken out UK based car hire excess insurance (worldwide) to avoid additional cost from the rental desk.

 

We are flying one way on the 26th of this month, and will be renting a car for 5 weeks. On this basis would a UK based policy be appropriate, is there an appropriate local alternative or do we need to suck it up and pay the money to the hire company?

 

Thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

Ferrets

Check with the insurance company that they will still pay as your ticket is one way Some insurers will only pay out if the you start and finish the journey in your country of origin

[Keith and Linda]

And how do you know the rental company are prepared to deal with an overseas insurance company ?

 

Parley, the op is wanting to cover the excess portion only with the actual excess amount as agreed to on the car rental agreement ($500, $1000, $2000, $3000?) Any repairs are all done through the normal channels and the hirer may not even get to know what the overall bill would be or where the repairs are done, however they will be billed for (or payment taken from the nominated credit card) for the excess amount. If the repairs are for less than the excess then the lesser amount is only what the hirer will be charged, and this can still be covered by taking out an excess insurance policy.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

We used Hertz own insurance a few years ago now and we got struck by lightening and it fried the electrics. They refused to pay out because it was "an act of God" Yet I could have driven the car off a cliff and been covered.

In America though we used Alamo and someone bumped the car whilst we were at Universal Studies. They were wonderful, didn't charge us any excess and swapped us in to a higher class car.