Save enough on car hire insurance to pay for a winter break
Over two million people booked a holiday last week according to ABTA and for those planning several breaks with the use of a hire car, iCarhireinsurance.com, the award-winning car hire insurance broker, recommends that consumers should also purchase an annual policy for excess car hire insurance at the same time which could save up to £400 a year (enough to pay for a mini winter sun break!).
Travellers often feel compelled to buy their car hire excess insurance from the rental company on arrival as they pick up their car, which is usually from £17 a day, with 83% not realising they could purchase it from another supplier and over two thirds (71%) not knowing that this insurance is significantly more expensive than they could buy elsewhere (YouGov research 2011).
“By the time people have a week’s break in February, a week at Easter and perhaps two weeks in the summer, they could well have spent over £400 on excess car hire insurance if they buy it from the car rental company compared with buying a one off annual policy from £39.99 with iCarhireinsurance.com,” said Ernesto Suarez, CEO and founder of iCarhireinsurance.com.
“We don’t begrudge sales staff at car rental desks trying to earn commission selling excess car hire insurance but we do begrudge the exorbitant cost, which is on average over 80% (see Table 1) more than buying the insurance direct from iCarhireinsurance.com. We recommend you put your hard earned cash to better use and have a free holiday in the autumn instead with the £400 saved.”
Many customers are unaware, until they collect their hire car, that in the event of damage or theft, even if it’s not their fault, they are liable for excess charges of up to £2000. At this point, unless they purchase excess protection from the rental-desk, they are left exposed. These policies are usually expensive, approximately £17 a day (see Table 1) and limited in scope.
Ernesto Suarez, CEO and founder of iCarhireinsurance.com, said: “Even a small chip on a windscreen or a scratch down the side of the car can leave people liable for hundreds of pounds if they don’t have an excess insurance policy. Our advice is simple - buy before you fly - to get the best excess car hire cover, at the most economical price and put the money saved towards another holiday.”
iCarhireinsurance.com’s excess insurance also protects vulnerable parts of the rental vehicle that are usually excluded by the rental companies’ policies.
As well as annual policies from £39.99, iCarhireinsurance.com also offers daily cover from £2.99.