Car hire excess means that in the event of damages occurring to your rental vehicle, you will be liable to pay a certain percentage of the damage and repair costs. When booking a vehicle rental with Holiday Cars, you will see something called ‘Collision Damage Waiver’, which is additional insurance added to the booking to ensure you don’t have to pay any extra costs in the event of damage to your vehicle.
No-excess or zero-excess bookings means the renter will not be responsible for paying for repairs to the vehicle. Zero-excess car hire can be beneficial, but also comes with potential risks and downsides.
Benefits of Renting a Car Without Excess
The benefits of renting a car without excess are that you will not be charged any additional costs outside of the deposit you may have paid and the price of the car hire. Zero excess is often popular for peace of mind when it comes to driving, as you know that in the unlikely event of something happening to your car, you will be covered by additional insurance.
Key Considerations When Choosing Excess Free Car Hire
Make sure that you research the company you are hiring with well, to ensure you’re aware of all their policies regarding car damages. It’s important to read the fine print and the terms and conditions of the excess coverage and to ensure it aligns with your expectations–e.g. some coverage options don’t cover undercarriage or tire damages, which you would be liable to pay for.
Undercarriage and tire damage aren’t usually covered in the insurance, but can be depending on the company you hire with. Collision Damage Waiver is included in the booking automatically when booking your vehicle with Holiday Cars, so is something you won’t need to worry about, however if booking at a car rental desk it’s important to ask whether it is included as it may vary between car hire companies.
With Holiday Cars, you can choose the type of insurance you want, which can include coverage of damages to windows and wheels, however this can be more expensive than the price of booking without this extra coverage. With insurance, you’ll receive a full refund of the excess amount once the car is returned to the agreed drop off location.
Potential Risks of Renting Without Excess
The risks involved with zero-excess rentals include damages to the car that aren’t covered by the insurance, which can commonly include roof, wheels, mirrors, undercarriage and tires, but this can vary depending on the company. If any of these parts of the car are damaged during your rental period, you may still be liable to cover the costs of repairs.
Sometimes, depending on the car rental company you book with, if you opt for a CDW then car rental costs may be more expensive. The prices may be raised in order to accommodate any extra services the car rental company may offer, like ensuring returning vehicles are undamaged and well-maintained at all times.
Comparing No-Excess Options With Traditional Car Hire
When hiring a car normally, you may need to pay a deposit and the booking cost, which tend to be the only fees that are charged. The price may be fixed, but can change if the car isn’t returned in the same condition it was in when it was picked up, and if any damages occur you would then be liable to pay for them.
With no-excess car hire, prices may be more expensive to cover costs of extra services needed, and you wouldn’t need to worry about paying for any damages that are covered with Collision Damage Waivers.
If you have chosen not to book your car with no-excess included, then you will need to make sure you drive safely and carefully to ensure no damages occur to the car which you would then need to pay for. Additionally, make sure you don’t lose your car keys, and it’s a good idea to fill up the tank before returning your vehicle.
If one-way car rentals are not offered by your car hire company, you will need to ensure that you drop your vehicle off at the same place in which you hired it from, otherwise you may be charged extra. Additionally, some car hires have a limited miles policy, meaning you can be charged if you go over a certain mileage.
Conclusion: Is No-Excess Car Hire Worth-It?
Overall, no-excess car insurance is worth it, as it prevents you from having to potentially risk paying thousands of pounds in damage repairs. If you are okay with potentially paying a higher booking price with certain rental companies where zero-excess is offered, then it is definitely worth it.
You can decide which is more important to you, paying the price you expect to pay for car hire but with zero-excess insurance, meaning you could potentially pay thousands extra, or booking car hire at a slightly more expensive price but with the added security of damage insurance.