2 April 2018

Travel Insurance – travel policies with car hire excess insurance built in

Want your car hire excess insurance included in your travel insurance? Now available through MoneyMaxim

We are occasionally asked by users of our Car Hire Excess Insurance comparison service whether it is possible to buy a combined Travel and Car Hire Excess insurance policy.

In the past this way of buying both types of cover has tended to be very expensive, costing substantially more than buying two separate policies, but recently one insurer InsureMore has started offering free Car Hire Excess Insurance within the standard cost of their deluxe travel insurance policies.

InsureMore, who have been offering low cost but comprehensive travel insurance for over 25 years, now include excess insurance of up to £2,500 for a rented car and include cover for damage to the windows, tyres, roof and undercarriage, as well as providing insurance for towing costs relating to the loss or damage & loss of the vehicle.

Do understand that it is primarily a travel insurance policy with a car hire insurance additional benefit rather than a policy designed to meet all the risks covered in a standard car hire excess insurance policy.

This means the cover is not as comprehensive as a tailor made car hire policy - it doesn't include lost keys, misfuelling, lock out, and in countries such as Italy or Australia, where excesses can be up to £4,000 it may contribute towards your claim rather than provide full cover.

It will however cover those between 18 and 20, which car hire excess policies won't (their minimum age limit is 21). Older drivers aged over 75 cannot buy a policy, which is rather younger than the 85 maximum limit that excess policies have.

Another difference is that whilst car hire excess insurance policies will cover additional drivers (those added to a car hire agreement at the desk) free of charge the InsureMore policy would require all drivers, primary or additional to be insured under the travel insurance policy. This might work well for family groups, but possibly is less flexible for friends travelling together.

The other downside is that there is an excess of £50 which applies to claims, whereas car hire excess insurance does not have an excess (apart from claims for lost baggage).

However it represents a good way to cover at least the headline risks connected to your car hire along with your other travel insurance requirements, and for those willing to accept the responsibility for the more peripheral risks and understand that they will have to pay the first £50 of any claim it can be a cost effective way forward.

To get a quote simply click through to the InsureMore website.

Alternatively simply purchase separate policies for Travel Insurance and Car Hire Excess Insurance.