Car Excess Insurance can cost more than car rental itself in key European destinations this Easter

Moneymaxim.co.uk, the Car Hire Insurance specialists, highlight the ‘egg-sessive’ costs of car hire excess insurance this Easter and offer tips on how to avoid paying too much when renting a car.

Moneymaxim.co.uk, the Car Hire Insurance specialists, highlight the ‘egg-sessive’ costs of car hire excess insurance this Easter and offer tips on how to avoid paying too much when renting a car.

• Ireland and Portugal join France and Italy as ‘high excess zones’, where the excess charged on a compact car are over €1000 from the major car hire firms
• Excess Insurance can cost more than the cost of car rental in a number of key European countries
• Minimum standards of information should be provided for customers on car hire firm websites about excess charges

LONDON, Tuesday 13th February, 2012: Moneymaxim’s Annual Car Hire Insurance Review which looks at excess car hire insurance costs across Europe has revealed that car rental companies are charging as much, if not more, for excess insurance as they do for the car hire itself.

A survey of the car hire information available on leading car rental firm’s websites across Europe, including Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt has revealed that in a number of European cities surveyed the excess charges are now greater than the cost of the car rented. This could have a considerable impact on family costs ahead of the forthcoming busy Easter holiday period.

The figures show that in Ireland the weekly premium for a car hire excess insurance policy is on average over 40% more than the cost of car rental over a similar period.  Spain, Portugal and Italy were other countries where the cost of car hire excess insurance policies outstripped car hire costs, whilst the maximum weekly charge found in the Czech Republic was a staggering €210 (£176).

Mark Bower, Managing Director of Moneymaxim, said today;

“The cost of car hire excess insurance through car hire firms can easily hit the pocket harder than car rental itself. This is something all families need to be particularly aware of if they are hiring a car over the Easter holidays. Customers across Europe are paying too much for policies offered by the car hire firms which normally offer less cover those available from independent insurers. Amazingly the cheapest policy from a car rental company we found in any European destination was more than double the prices customers pay through our comparison service.

“Car hire excesses are understandably a real concern to the thousands of customers who worry about the massive bill they could face if they are involved in an accident or their rental car is vandalised or stolen. 

“Those in the know call upon our help to find cheaper alternatives to the high prices car rental firms demand to provide protection – which, as can be seen from the table below can often be higher than the cost of the car rental itself.”

Another concern identified by the Moneymaxim Annual Car Hire Insurance Review is the fact that some car rental companies are not offering consumers enough information about their charges on their websites. The research reveals that it can be difficult for potential customers to identify what they are letting themselves in for.

Whilst some car rental firms (such as Hertz and Sixt) detail the excesses and policy costs well, others, including Avis (who rarely advertise the cost of their excess policies) and Alamo (who have only minimal details of excesses on their website) have been highlighted by the research as needing to improve on their customer information when it comes to being clear about the cost of the car rental firm’s own policies.

Continues Bower;

“It is perhaps understandable why it is in the car rental firms interests to be less than forthcoming over these details bearing in mind the cost of their policies in Europe average over £80 a week whilst prices on our Car Hire Comparison Service run from under £14 for similar cover.

Another advantage of the independent policies is that they include cover for tyres, wheels, windscreen, glass, underbody and roof – all normally excluded from the car rental companies alternatives.”

To search and find excess car insurance visit: http://www.moneymaxim.co.uk/compare-car-hire-excess-insurance

Selected Car Rental Data: View a table at: http://www.moneymaxim.co.uk/news-articles/car-excess-insurance-can-cost-more-than-car-rental-itself-in-key-european-destinations-this-easter.htm

Notes

Excess levels and Excess insurance costs are for compact car (such as a Ford Focus or Opal Astra) rented from 9am on the 1st March to 9am on the 8th March at national airport through companies websites.  Car Hire Costs are for the cheapest similar vehicle available through the Moneymaxim Car Hire Comparison Service. Survey conducted w/c 29/1/12.

Rates in converted to/from Euros from £ Sterling at a rate of €1.19: £1

Car rental firms included in survey include Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt, where the details are available on their website

* Where Collision Damage Waiver and Theft Protection excesses differ the higher of the two has been taken.

** Average cost of excess insurance bought from car hire firm directly. Only policies which remove rather than reduce the excess have been included.

Full details of similar data for 19 European countries are available from moneymaxim

Notes:

For more information, case studies and interviews contact Dale Lovell, Search News Media, on: 01753 859 588. E-mail: dlovell@searchnewsmedia.co.uk

About moneymaxim.co.uk: Launched in 2008 by Mark Bower moneymaxim.co.uk aims to deliver an impartial and independent service both online and through telephone money saving specialists. Visit: www.moneymaxim.co.uk  for more money saving advice and information. The website won The Best Niche Insurance Aggregator Award 2010 from The Money Awards.

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