Insurance coverage specialist reveals Brits over-paying for vacation automobile rent by greater than £450

A research by automobile rent insurance coverage suppliers, ReduceMyExcess has revealed that while Brits loved the solar overseas this summer season, many could have been overcharged for his or her automobile rent, while not being given the extent of safety they may suppose.

In truth, British holidaymakers could have spent as a lot as £450 greater than they should with automobile rent firms by giving in to stress on the rent desk.

Many holidaymakers don’t realise they’ll keep away from this with a bit pre-planning and through the use of impartial insurance coverage suppliers, particularly in terms of defending their extra for as little as £24.

For a 7-day single European journey, the commonest upgrades and common further prices* pushed by rent firms are:

• Extra waiver – £186
• Glass, undercarriage & tyres – £17
• Youngster booster seat – £87
• Private possessions – £16
• Satnav – £74
• Roadside Help – £55
• Pay on the day – £18

Complete = £453

Nonetheless, it needn’t be the case and customers can save this by prepping upfront.

Jon Rebuck, co-founder of ReduceMyExcess explains:

There are a variety of how automobile rent firms get more cash out of consumers on the rent desk.

Nonetheless, savvy customers can win again by following the following pointers.

1. Refuse the surplus waiver. Within the occasion of any unintended harm to the rent automobile, you’ll be liable to pay a large extra which is commonly taking straight out of your bank card. Rent firms cost a each day payment to waive the surplus you’re accountable for within the occasion of harm to the car. Nonetheless this waiver is on common practically eight instances dearer than the price of a standalone automobile rent extra insurance coverage coverage, which is able to reimburse your extra totally within the occasion you’re charged for unintended harm.
2. Injury to tyres, home windows, lights and undercarriage usually go unnoticed by the shopper on the level of assortment, so are simply charged for on the level of return even when they’ve not been attributable to you. In case you’ve taken out a standalone automobile rent extra insurance coverage coverage, then you might also be capable to refuse the rent firm’s tyres, glass and undercarriage safety which usually prices one other £17 per week on high of the rent firm’s extra waiver payment, and infrequently isn’t accessible individually. Many standalone extra insurance coverage insurance policies embrace this cowl as customary, and at no additional price.
3. Take automobile seats with you. Most airways received’t cost you for taking automobile seats on the airplane. Automotive rent firms overseas cost on common £87 per week, per booster or youngster seat, that are a authorized requirement for a lot of youngsters overseas. To make their each day rental costs look higher, rent firms may signal publish burdened and drained households to airport outlets the place automobile seats may be bought at above-market costs and make look hiring a automobile seat higher worth. Just by taking your personal youngster’s automobile seat can prevent more cash.
4. Many rent firms cost additional to insure your private results, one other additional you won’t want. It’s vital to grasp that private cowl usually comes with an extra of its personal and low stage of canopy. This implies after the price of the bolt-on (£16) and the surplus (usually a whole lot of kilos), it won’t be price making a declare. Generally private belongings cowl is lumped in with private harm cowl, so you’ll want to perceive precisely what the rent firm try to promote you and examine to standalone extra insurance coverage insurance policies which usually cowl private possessions for no additional cost.
5. Use a smartphone navigation app reasonably than rent a sat nav. Most rent vehicles could have a USB socket for cellphone charging, and most smartphones could have a default maps/navigation app, in addition to a lot of free and paid choices through the App Retailer / Google Play. Satnavs can price as a lot as £74 to rent for every week and supply no benefits over a smartphone. Benefit from bringing with you a cell phone holder as nicely that matches to wither the windscreen or air vents.
6. Typically, further roadside help cowl can also be pointless. Sometimes, the upgraded roadside help supplied by the rent firm is simply to cowl you for “breakdowns” which are your fault (misplaced keys, misfuelling or locking the keys throughout the car) and in circumstances the place a breakdown happens that isn’t your fault, chances are you’ll already solely be liable to pay a towing payment again to the rent centre the place the automobile will likely be swapped for one more. In each circumstances, many standalone extra insurance policies will cowl misplaced keys, misfuelling and restoration prices – so there’s no have to pay further charges (£55 per week on common) to the rent firm to cowl these.
7. Pay on-line upfront. In case you select to pay on assortment, on common the upper firm will cost a further £18 for every week’s reserving, though some rent firms cost as a lot as £26. Reserving and paying in your rent car on-line and upfront additionally means you may keep away from being subjected to the “laborious promote” when on the rent desk for the additional’s you don’t want. Don’t overlook to buy a automobile rent extra insurance coverage coverage upfront too and examine all coverage paperwork rigorously so that you perceive precisely what your cowl extends to.

*Costs are common taken for a 7-trip accumulating from and returning to Madrid Airport between 2nd September and ninth September 2024. Costs taken throughout 6 main suppliers of automobile rent, rounded to the closest £1 (GBP).