Hired car damaged but not covered by insurance.

[noproblem]

I recently hired a car for a friend coming from the USA. Paid €300 for a small car for a week to cover 2 US adults. When they arrived they went and showed their USA driving licence details at the garage, very reputable dealers who do car hire as well and were given their car (14 2 reg) and off they went. They came home for a family wedding but damaged the car in the car park of a hotel causing over €1000 worth of damage to it. They found out they weren't covered and had to dish out the cash before going back. I don't know why they weren't covered but would appreciate anyone who has some idea on this. Is there a basic insurance when renting that doesn't cover this type of thing? I, nor they know what insurance they had. Thanks in advance.

 

[peteb]

Yeah. When you take out rent a car the basic cover is third part liability with a large excess for any damage to the vehicle. So basically you pay the first amount of the claim of whatever the excess. Ranges from 1,000 to 3,000.

If they want to avoid being responsible for any small incidents and flat tyres excess they need to take out excess waiver insurance, either at the desk at an over inflated price of about $20 a day. Or buy their own policy before hiring at $3 a day.

 

[noproblem]

Thanks for that peteb. Annoying.

 

[twofor1]

If they want to avoid being responsible for any small incidents excess they need to take out excess waiver insurance,

If I scraped my rental car say on a gate pillar and claimed €1K on my excess waiver insurance where would that leave me with my current motor insurer on my own private car ? or when getting quotes when my current policy ends ?

As it is a claim presumably I would have to declare it ? and when declared would I be penalized as a result ?

Just curious.

 

[peteb]

You would have to declare it as it asks where you ever made a claim. However as it wasnt against your motor policy and didnt affect your no claims bonus, you are unlikely to be penalised. I amn't saying "never" for the simple reason if you had a 3 car pile up and killed 5 people, whilst the claim wasnt against your motor policy they may load you given the severity of the accident.