Poll finds UK hire car drivers unsure about car hire insurance, risking thousands in potential charges
UK hire car drivers are pretty confused about the excess waivers sold by car rental companies, our survey for iCarhireinsurance.com has found, with under a third of hire car drivers saying they know what car hire excess is, and fewer than one in five mistakenly believing that they can buy it only from the car rental company itself.
- The poll of 2,058 UK adults, of which 994 had hired a car, shows that only 29% of hire car drivers know what car hire excess is
- Just one in five (19%) mistakenly believe that they can only buy car hire excess from the car rental company
- More than a quarter (28%) thought car hire excess protected them from having to pay for damages, when unfortunately protection from rental desks often does not include damage to windows and tyres
- A sixth (16%) admitted they were surprised to be offered this cover at the car rental desk as they assumed it was included in the price
- While the same percentage of hire car drivers (16%) bought it to be on the safe side even though they were not sure what it covered
- 6% admitted they bought because of pressure at the rental desk, with 5% stating they were actually ‘scared’ into buying it
- 4% believed that excess cover protected them from charges such as speeding tickets and parking fines
iCarhireinsurance.com advises that excess cover is one of the most important considerations when hiring a vehicle, as driving without it can leave consumers vulnerable to costs of up to £2,000 if the car is stolen or damaged, even if it’s not their fault.
Low cost, fully comprehensive independent policies are available if drivers buy in advance, but those that find themselves at the rental desk without cover have to pay an average of £17 a day for a rental company policy.
Ernesto Suarez, founder of iCarhireinsurance.com said, “Our research has highlighted a worrying lack of knowledge about this form of protection. Rental desks seem to take advantage of this and can ‘scare’ drivers into buying their expensive and limited cover. Our policies cover the entire car, and can be bought online…without any of the confusion."
