Frequent renters insurance

[JohnK]

I thought your home city was BNE?

Are you trying to get me into trouble again?

 

[markis10]

so how long is my 'journey' if i live at home all year long and rent a car occasionally....?

For the period of the car rental, so long as the rental does not exceed the journey length permitted under the policy. I have had a number of policies over the years specifically for the coverage in a domestic context.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

do check the details of the insurance cover upon which you are relying. Many policies that cover the "excess" for rental car cover only apply if you have paid the rental car company to reduce the excess amount to the lowest amount offered. So if wanting to use the insurance to cover the basic excess amount (which can be $3000 or more) then make sure your policy is valid even if you do not elect to minimise the excess value at the time of renting.

I didn't know that. I have TID annual multi trip. Any know if that covers regardless?

Seems silly to have the coverage when many (all??) have an excess reduction to $0 option. Kind of makes the added insurance pointless if they require you to take up the hirers insurance.

 

[markis10]

I didn't know that. I have TID annual multi trip. Any know if that covers regardless?

Seems silly to have the coverage when many (all??) have an excess reduction to $0 option. Kind of makes the added insurance pointless if they require you to take up the hirers insurance.

I have yet to see a policy that requires this from TID or QBE or Covermore. Keep in mind no policy will cover you if you don't take CDW/LDW, which is not always included in rentals, specifically in California for instance.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I have yet to see a policy that requires this from TID or QBE or Covermore. Keep in mind no policy will cover you if you don't take CDW/LDW, which is not always included in rentals, specifically in California for instance.

Tid requires overnight accomodation or a flight iirc when I looked at the pds. I think covermore is unique In that case.

 

[markis10]

Tid requires overnight accomodation or a flight iirc when I looked at the pds. I think covermore is unique In that case.

The post you quoted was in response to another reporting that you had to lower the excess to get cover regardless of the locale

 

[Aussie_flyer]

The post you quoted was in response to another reporting that you had to lower the excess to get cover regardless of the locale

Sorry I didnt read it properly

 

[JohnK]

do check the details of the insurance cover upon which you are relying. Many policies that cover the "excess" for rental car cover only apply if you have paid the rental car company to reduce the excess amount to the lowest amount offered. So if wanting to use the insurance to cover the basic excess amount (which can be $3000 or more) then make sure your policy is valid even if you do not elect to minimise the excess value at the time of renting.

Is that the case in Australia or overseas?

For ~$35/day I can reduce a Hertz rental down to $0 excess. Travel insurance cover for car rental excess is then useless.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Is that the case in Australia or overseas?

For ~$35/day I can reduce a Hertz rental down to $0 excess. Travel insurance cover for car rental excess is then useless.

You will need to read through the pds of the insurance policy you have

 

[JohnK]

You will need to read through the pds of the insurance policy you have

In English or Swahili?

- for this benefit to apply , the rental vehicle must have comprehensive motor vehicle insurance for the period of the hire

No mention anywhere that you need to reduce the excess.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

In English or Swahili?

- for this benefit to apply , the rental vehicle must have comprehensive motor vehicle insurance for the period of the hire

No mention anywhere that you need to reduce the excess.

So you've answered your own question.

Pay attention though to when your domestic insurance is activated. Some will require flights or overnight stay etc

 

[Deleted member 29185]

for this benefit to apply , the rental vehicle must have comprehensive motor vehicle insurance for the period of the hire

No mention anywhere that you need to reduce the excess.

So do we assume "comprehensive motor vehicle insurance" is CDW (collision damage waiver)? I don't have my policy or I'd try to read it, but collision damage waiver suggests coverage for a collision accident. What about theft or fire for example?

I also assumed (with no evidence) that the big rental mobs may just self insure. Could that be the case and therefore invalidate the excess insurance policy?

 

[AdMEL]

So do we assume "comprehensive motor vehicle insurance" is CDW (collision damage waiver)? I don't have my policy or I'd try to read it, but collision damage waiver suggests coverage for a collision accident. What about theft or fire for example?

I also assumed (with no evidence) that the big rental mobs may just self insure. Could that be the case and therefore invalidate the excess insurance policy?

Given it's an Australian policy, I take 'comprehensive motor vehicle insurance' to have the meaning it would in Australia generally, so similar to standard comprehensive insurance for your personal car, i.e. insurance that covers damage to the rental car (CDW, though that term is not really applicable in Australia), theft of the rental car (TP in the US, usually part of LIS/SLI) and third party property damage/legal liability (part of SLI or LIS in the US). Of course, third party injury cover is provided by registration in Australia (part of LIS/SLI in the US). In the context of Australia, it's irrelevant, as all rental cars must come with comprehensive insurance by law.

I always thought that the large rental car companies just self insured too. But Hertz use a separate 'insurance/damage' company/business (can't remember the name) - it may or may not be related to Hertz though. From my experience damaging an Avis car, they appear to self insure.

 

[JohnK]

So you've answered your own question.

Pay attention though to when your domestic insurance is activated. Some will require flights or overnight stay etc

I do have flights to/from BNE.

So do we assume "comprehensive motor vehicle insurance" is CDW (collision damage waiver)? I don't have my policy or I'd try to read it, but collision damage waiver suggests coverage for a collision accident. What about theft or fire for example?

I also assumed (with no evidence) that the big rental mobs may just self insure. Could that be the case and therefore invalidate the excess insurance policy?

As far as I am aware there is comprehensive cover on the car I hire from hire car companies.

The level of excess is no indication of whether there is comprehensive cover or not.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

i.e. insurance that covers damage to the rental car (CDW, though that term is not really applicable in Australia),

Ok, so I currently have a Europcar rental and I'm stuck in a hotel so I thought I'd read the T&Cs (not something I enjoy and for that matter I cannot say I've ever done it), but clause 4.8 states a list of things they say
"You must always pay and there is no cover for:" (the bolding is theirs).
"a) the DLF in the rental agreement if there is damage, theft or third party loss" I gather this is the excess?
"c) damage whilst a commercial vehicle is driven in reverse"
"e) overhead damage"
"g) underbody damage"
and it goes on, but my concern is those exclusions (plus others) means this policy is not a general comprehensive policy as we would expect in AU, so is that perhaps a way out of a payment by (in my case) TID? I mean, what if I did undercarriage damage unintentionally which voided any cover (as per this clause) and then find I couldn't even claim the excess because TID say "well that's not a standard comprehensive policy". This is not totally silly. My wife had a vehicle written off by our insurers because some louts pushed it down an embankment at a inner city public carpark and then when the towies pulled it up in the dark, they failed to notice a star picket which ripped a huge gash from front to back on the undercarriage. Our insurance paid.....it seems Europcar insurance would not!

 

[RB]

. My wife had a vehicle written off by our insurers because some louts pushed it down an embankment at a inner city public carpark and then when the towies pulled it up in the dark, they failed to notice a star picket which ripped a huge gash from front to back on the undercarriage. Our insurance paid.....it seems Europcar insurance would not!

But in that case the towies would/could be pursued via their liability/professional indemnity cover? These are situations where having insurance in place lets you sit back and have the respective insurance companies fight it out without damage to your personal pocket

 

[AdMEL]

Ok, so I currently have a Europcar rental and I'm stuck in a hotel so I thought I'd read the T&Cs (not something I enjoy and for that matter I cannot say I've ever done it), but clause 4.8 states a list of things they say
"You must always pay and there is no cover for:" (the bolding is theirs).
"a) the DLF in the rental agreement if there is damage, theft or third party loss" I gather this is the excess?
"c) damage whilst a commercial vehicle is driven in reverse"
"e) overhead damage"
"g) underbody damage"
and it goes on, but my concern is those exclusions (plus others) means this policy is not a general comprehensive policy as we would expect in AU, so is that perhaps a way out of a payment by (in my case) TID? I mean, what if I did undercarriage damage unintentionally which voided any cover (as per this clause) and then find I couldn't even claim the excess because TID say "well that's not a standard comprehensive policy". This is not totally silly. My wife had a vehicle written off by our insurers because some louts pushed it down an embankment at a inner city public carpark and then when the towies pulled it up in the dark, they failed to notice a star picket which ripped a huge gash from front to back on the undercarriage. Our insurance paid.....it seems Europcar insurance would not!

DLF = Damage Liability Fee = Excess. Unfortunately Europcar use different terms to almost every other rental car company, including calling what is generally called/known as Excess Reduction, CDW! In my opinion, this is incorrect.

You raise an interesting point, in that the rental car waiver (don't forget it's not insurance, since you need to be licensed to sell insurance in Australia) has some key differences to a standard comprehensive car insurance policy, in that it doesn't cover overhead or undercarriage damage (Europcar is no different to the others in this regard). Given that this is the standard waiver/cover for rental cars, or in other words, as comprehensive as you can get, I doubt whether they could argue that the cover isn't comprehensive, given it was written for rental cars in Australia. Don't forget that even if you reduce the excess to zero, you are still liable for overhead, undercarriage and water damage - there is no way you buy cover for these from rental car companies. I think you're covered, but you need to be comfortable that you are and possibly the only way to get that comfort is seek clarification from the insurer, or to hear from others who have claimed.

 

[AdMEL]

swanning_it, further to my post above, this is the policy wording from the Westpac Credit Cards Insurance Policy, in respect of Rental Car Excess Cover in Australia:

We will reimburse you up to A$5,500 for any insurance excess or deductible which you become legally liable to pay
in respect of a claim under the comprehensive insurance
policy of the rental vehicle during the rental period provided:
• the rental vehicle must be rented from a licensed rental
agency; and
• the hiring agreement must incorporate the standard
comprehensive motor insurance normally provided by
the rental agency covering loss or damage to the rental
vehicle; and

you must comply with all the requirements of the rental
organisation under the hiring agreement and of the rental
vehicle insurance.

Note my bolding - same terminology as yours. I have claimed under this policy in respect damage caused to an Avis car and had no problems. In my opinion, this is standard terminology in Australia and all rental car waivers are considered comprehensive.

 

[Kiwi]

Have been watching these posts with interest given I have rented a few cars lately.

With Hertz have been getting $57 deals including on one way deals to Sydney which usually are more expensive.

It appears to be a minefield. Like last year with Hertz if took car to snow in the National Park not covered. This year can get snow cover insurance in these parks at $22 a day.

However it has been explained to me that if have single vehicle accident eg hit a kangaroo between I think it was 6pm and 6am are up for $2200 excess.

Goes to show how important it is to read T & C.

 

[AdMEL]

Have been watching these posts with interest given I have rented a few cars lately.

With Hertz have been getting $57 deals including on one way deals to Sydney which usually are more expensive.

It appears to be a minefield. Like last year with Hertz if took car to snow in the National Park not covered. This year can get snow cover insurance in these parks at $22 a day.

However it has been explained to me that if have single vehicle accident eg hit a kangaroo between I think it was 6pm and 6am are up for $2200 excess.

Goes to show how important it is to read T & C.

Just to clarify the bolded part, the actual clause states between sunset and sunrise, not 6pm and 6am. Further, you are actually liable for the standard Accident Damage Excess (ADE) ($4,000 +++) plus the SVA ($2,200 +++), not just the SVA. So, a total of $6,200 +++. +++ = airport/location surcharge & admin fee.

It should be noted the terms applying to Gold members do not include this clause. Not sure I'd want to test that though!