HIRE CAR EXCESS INSURANCEThere are a number of companies that offer, for £39 per year, hire car excess insurance. That means that when you hire a car abroad, you don't need to pay the 3 or 4 € per day excess insurance cover. You are already covered. That sounds like a good saving for someone like myself who uses spanish hire cars for a total of about 50 days each year. A saving of over 100€.
There is a snag. If you DON'T pay the insurance at the hire car desk, they will take a 300€ deposit from your credit card which is refunded when you return the car.
The credit card company convert the deduction into sterling at the euro purchase rate and when it is credited back, they will convert the refund at the euro selling rate.
Unless your credit card is a euro card, that 300€ deposit will cost you about 28€ in currency charges. The last visit I made was for 3 days, so for a saving of 9€, it cost me 28 €. (plus the £39 cost of the insurance in the first place).
In future. I shall pay the insurance at the desk EVEN THOUGH I am already covered, but I shall not renew the £39 cover when it expires.
Labels: "car hire", excess, insurance, rental
