We’ve reviewed the car rental excess insurance available from Insurance 4 Car Hire. It offers daily and multi-trip policies and specialist cover for Canada and the US. Here’s what you need to know.
If you’ve been planning a road trip, or even just driving abroad, it’s worth thinking about getting insurance that will cover your excess if you need to claim. Most car hire companies will charge an excess if you make a claim, and a typical excess could leave you several hundred pounds out of pocket, if not more. Don’t simply choose car hire insurance from your car hire company as shopping around could mean you make big savings.
Insurance 4 Car Hire claims to offer low-cost alternatives to the hire car excess cover sold by hire car companies. Its insurance policies will cover customers for up to £6,500. You can buy the cover up to 364 days in advance, right up until just before you collect the hire car.
Here’s what else we think you should know.
Insurance 4 Car Hire car rental excess insurance
Find the right Hire car rental excess insurance today:
- Cover for damage to windows, undercarriage, roof, tyres and headlights
- Cover if you require replacement keys or fill up with the wrong fuel
- Choose betweeen daily cover and multi-trip annual cover
Who is Insurance 4 Car Hire?
Insurance 4 Car Hire was as set up in 2003 and provides hire car excess insurance for people living in the UK as well as those in France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and Sweden.
As well as hire car excess insurance, it also offers excess insurance for rental vans and can provide separate cover for the UK and Europe, or worldwide, as well as specialist cover for Canada and the US.
What are my cover options?
Daily cover
Cover for you and up to seven other drivers for trips of 60 days or less (UK & Europe or worldwide cover options).
Multi-trip annual cover
Provides cover if you’re involved in an accident or collision and damage occurs.
Multi-trip annual worldwide plus cover
Enhanced cover for collision damage waiver (CDW) and supplementary liability insurance (SLI) applicable to Canada, the US, South America, Central America and the Caribbean.
What is covered under my policy?
- Excess on damage and theft up to £6,500
- Up to 60 days per rental period
- Mis-fuelling up to £500 per claim and £2,000 per year
- Key cover up to £500 per claim and £2,000 per year
- Flat battery cover up to £1,000
- Cover for damage to windows, undercarriage, roof, tyres and headlights
- Lost or stolen baggage up to £300 per claim
Exclusions
Your cover is likely to become invalid with Insurance 4 Car Hire if any of the following arises:
- A policy is purchased after the collection of the rental car.
- The rental car is in use for more than 60 days.
- The rental car is more than 10 years old.
- The rental car is driven by a person not named on the rental agreement.
What is my excess?
Your excess is the amount of money you’re expected to pay if you have to make a claim on insurance. With hire cars, these excess costs can range from £500 right up to £1,500 or more.
With a hire car excess insurance policy, you will be covered for any excess charges, as well as extra protection for your hire car.
Check your own policy document to see if any excess applies.
What is the claims process for Insurance 4 Car Hire?
To make a claim, you will need to log into the customer area on the Insurance 4 Car Hire website in order to access the claims form.
You will also need to have electronic copies of the following supporting documentation to submit alongside your claim form:
- The car rental agreement
- The rental receipt, if separate
- The damage report from the rental company
- Your damage invoice as proof that you have paid the amount that the rental company holds you responsible for
- Your credit card statement or other proof of payment for the damages claimed
- Photographic evidence, if available
It’s vital that you let your insurer know about a claim within 31 days of any payment made regarding a claim. Failure to do this could result in a delay or a rejected claim later on.
*Disclaimer: Please take reasonable care to answer all the questions honestly and to the best of your knowledge. If you don’t answer the questions correctly, your policy may be cancelled, or your claim rejected or not fully paid.
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