Hertz Car Hire - Europe

I've a car booked for next week, all paid up in advance, etc. My question is regards the excess insurance they always try to sell you at the airport - anyone think it is really necessary seeing as in event of accident, they'll probably just charge my cc anyway. I got caught for an extra 300euro last year and trying to avoid it again. Anyone got experience of this?

The excess usually costs around €15/day (€210 for 14 days). Try an annual policy with Insurance4carhire - costs £49 stg (about €58) for an annual policy covering Europe.

The test with any insurance co is how you fare when you make a claim. I've had a policy with this crowd for the past 4 years and haven't made a claim, so can't comment on how good they really are, but it's saved me a packet in the meantime.

The excess is usually around €1200 for the type of car I get - there are a lot of €58s in €1200! Peace of mind.

I bought single trip cover this morning for €44.85 on LABrokers.ie, quick and easy.

I have no connection with LABrokers except as an occasional customer etc...

Slim

PS: Is your Irish driving licence sufficient to pick up hire car in France? Do I need an International Drivers Permit?

Irish licence is sufficient for pretty much anywhere you'd be likely to be hiring a car (European countries, US, Canada, Australia, NZ) .. International driving permit isn't required for any of these places.

right after posting this thread there was an article in Irish Indo on Tues or Wed this week about same thing. Bought excess coverag last night.

,Hi the simpsons,
just to add, with autoeurope.com there is no apparent excess,worth a look maybe.


pat

I have used autoeurope before where there is no excess however if there is damage to the car you are responsible at country of hiring, you then claim back with all the relevant forms.I now always have a car hire excess policy.This year on holidays though, the car hire place got a bit thick when I said I didnt want the extra cover and gave me a crock of ..instead when I told him this.The car hire was way cheaper on Argus Car Rentals however the car that I was given actually broke down in the middle of nowhere so I had to hire another car from another car hire co. You pay for what you get I suppose.

Somone tried to sell us "super cover" with Hertz this year - something like €300 for the two weeks.

We told the vendor that we get my year back home covered fully comp for €500 and here she was trying to sell me cover for an equivalent annualized rate of €7,600?

Naturally we didn't avail of their "service"...

Milan Bergamo airport in case anyone is interested.

[And we were hit with €20 afterward we returned home - it was VAT on something or other - but we didn't dicker]

FWIW

ONQ