(edit title) 'Insurance 4 Car Hire' Any experience of this company, anybody? Updated ! Options

[SimonDMontfort]

Hi Folks

My partner and I have booked a hire car for a forthcoming holiday.

'Collision Damage Waiver' is included in the tariff - but no insurance for the excess applicable when you hire such cars.

Car hire companies usually offer expensive insurance, against 'uninsured losses' and I've looked at the website of Insurance4CarHire - they seem to offer such insurance, for more reasonable prices.

I suppose my main worry is that the car would get damaged when it was parked as can easily happen - and then you are liable for the 'excess deposit' which is usually frozen on your credit card when you book the car.

I wondered: has anybody else on this site used Insurance4CarHire? If so, what are they like at dealing with claims?

(Have read their small print - only wondered how customer-friendly they are when it comes to meeting claims?)

Comments appreciated

[Furu]

'Collision Damage Waiver' is included in the tariff - but no insurance for the excess applicable when you hire such cars.

How much is the amount?

Normally, the credit card you are using to pay for rental should have a coverage.

[SimonDMontfort]

Without 'super collision damage waiver', the rental company will freeze the full amount of 'deductable excess deposit' on my credit card: ( 500 GBP) which I end up paying.
.
Insurance4carhire covers this and is more cost effective but the 'deductable' will be frozen on my credit card because I am forgoing the rental company's super CDW - so the onus of reimbursement of that deductable is on me.

If all goes well and the car is returned intact, then the frozen 'deductable' is cleared,

A collision? Then I call the rental company, and they deal with the car, but they take my frozen 'deductable'. I would then go to Insurance4carhire for that deductable sum.

Just wondered if anyone had first hand experience of the manner in which this company deals with claims

[Dr_B]

This is a co-incidence, but I actually work in the UK for the same overall company as Insurance for Car Hire (Towergate Group), they are a couple of floors above me in the building I am in now.
Although I am not an expert on their offering, I would advise that most of my colleagues who regularly use hire cars when in Europe (and know about insurance) have a policy with them. These guys are pretty smart with their money and they all say it is a good offering.
No idea on the claims service though!
Hope this is of help.

[SimonDMontfort]

Cheers Dr B - I looked at the 'small print' for the company and it seemed straight and above board.

I didn't think the charge seemed excessive - just thought 'Are there any horror stories out there?'

[Rick Methven]

I use them and saved me a bundle. if just in peace of mind as I always worry that if I do not take the full cover the car hire firm pushes, I might just sustain some damage to the car.

Not needed to make a claim but the whole procedure seems straightforward

[Johno]

Had a policy with them for 5 years or more and its saved me a fortune. Only thing, never made a claim, so cant really help the op in that respect.

The papers are full of complaints from folks either forced to take out fullest cover at holiday locations, or being stung for what they claim is damage they were not responsible for. My only personal problem with car hire is that though general advice is always to get the car handed over to a company representative, it has never been possible - you leave in a remote parking spot, hand the keys over at an office, and they say any problems, and you say no. So still fingers crossed.

[SimonDMontfort]

Cheers, folks, for the replies. As Rick suggests - you don't take the insurance, maybe the car gets damaged - but if you do take it then probably everything will be OK.

Sods law!

[Rick Methven]

It was Johno who put me on to them

[Maggie Malay]

In my experience you have to be careful with this type of insurance.

I hired a car to tour Scotland some years ago - took out the insurance from the car rental company (I believe its called super collision damage waiver?) But I lost the car key, and this wasn't covered by the insurance.

I think many people don't read the 'small print' - because theres so much of it. Now I always check the 'product features' of insurance products; and if there is something unclear in that, always re-read the 'small print'

[Johno]

Just checked this one out and car hire insurance no matter how much you pay often excludes key loss. While Insurance4CarHire does ! While you say about reading the small print, insurance rarely covers you for everything, and you wont spot the exception until its too late.

Now if you want real rip offs, try holiday insurance for horror stories - topic for a whole new thread. And thats where you should never shop around for the cheapest. (Problems there with exclusions are legendary. Things like replace with new or just second hand value, needing all the receipts etc).

[Essingen]

I also use them as it is well know that some UK companies make more profit on selling you their own insurance to get rid of the excess than they do on the car rental. And others have a low rental and then try and charge for every hairline scratch.

I have never had to claim from them though so I can't say whether they pay up.

[*Guest*]

https://www.icarhireinsurance.com/ are pretty cheap when it comes to excess and collision damage waivers.

[Johno]

A note in todays Guardian (read down the article) praises Insurance4CarHire's customer service. http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/may/2...-parking-permit
Thought you would all like to know.

[Rick Methven]

A note in todays Guardian (read down the article) praises Insurance4CarHire's customer service. http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/may/2...-parking-permit Thought you would all like to know.

Nice to see.

Hiring a car in Italy next month, and I find it a bit dodgy driving there so good to know that I will get any claim (I hope I do not have) will be paid without a fuss.