31 January 2024

Remember your excess insurance if you're hiring a car this half term

There is still time to get a great deal on car hire this February too

Half term is on the horizon and maybe you are off in search of some sunshine or fun and excitement on the slopes. If you have booked your car hire, it's not too late to protect yourself against being out of pocket for the excess, should anything happen when your hire car is in your care.

You can buy a car hire excess policy at any point before you are in legal possession of the car, but for maximum choice of providers, we would always suggest running your quote at least 48 hours before the car hire begins.

Need to book car hire?

Our in-house car hire broker Clarify Car Hire makes it so easy to find car hire for those who need to use a debit card or if you are looking for a car hire with a low deposit. Try us and see!

We offer free cancellation right up to 48 hours before pick up and you only need to pay a fraction of the car hire cost to get your car reserved for you.

Why choose Car Hire Excess Insurance?

If you are hiring in Europe your car will more than likely come with the main insurances of collision damage waiver (CDW), theft protection and liability insurance. There would be an excess (or first part of the claim that you would be liable for) applicable to the CDW and theft parts of the policy. These excesses can vary between €500-2000 depending on where you are hiring.

If you are hiring in North America then we can also help with additional car hire insurance you may need for the USA or Canada.

Independent car hire excess policies reimburse you the excess if you are charged by the car hire company (so long as you are driving within the terms of the car hire agreement).

These independent policies are much cheaper than the excess waiver policies sold by the car hire company at the desk and often cover a lot more. For example, all policies on the MoneyMaxim comparison service cover damage to glass, wheels and the undercarriage of the car - all areas that are frequently excluded from car hire insurance policies or are available as another 'added extra'. Many of the policies on our site also cover a host of extras including, lost keys, towing, breakdown & recovery cover and misfuelling.

It is well worth running a comparison as there may have been more providers on our site since you last ran a search. You may well find one that suits your circumstances better now. If you are planning on hiring a car again later in the year, why not consider an annual policy? They are better value if you are looking at 16/17+ total days car hire in the year and you can sit back safe in the knowledge that the excess can be protected on another car that you hire during the year.

Compare car hire excess insurance for your half term trip today. You need to purchase any excess policy before you collect your vehicle.