What car insurance for a rental car?

Car rental on holiday: what insurance take to be sure in the event of an accident, during your journeys or road trip?

You go on vacation by plane and want to stay autonomous on site to visit the country? You're gonna have to rent a car. The rental includes car insurance. However, it is not certain that it is sufficient in case of a claim. Let’s make a point on car insurance for a rental car and the best choices not to spend your entire holiday budget in repairs.

Choose the rental car insurance

The simplest solution is to subscribe to your leasing’s insurance. Indeed, it is included in the contract, you have nothing more to do. However, this is, in most cases, totally inadequate. Capable to protect you if you are responsible for an accident and to compensate the third party, it does not always compensate you for the damage caused to your rental vehicle.

Thus, the basic insurance offered to you is third-party insurance or civil liability. If your warranty is higher, maybe you can claim a larger support. But will it be full or will you have to pay a franchise?

Before going to the simplest and subscribing a car insurance with your car rental, read the general conditions of his car insurance to avoid any surprise.

Count on his bank card to be insured

As part of car rental with your Credit card type Visa Premier or Mastercard Gold, you can claim auto insurance. This can be very useful in some situations, but sometimes a little limited. The main problem with credit card insurance is that it is fixed. It is not possible to add options and thus customize it as you can at an insurer.

Once again, we can only invite you to read the general terms and conditions and to check that the guarantees proposed for this insurance correspond to your rental. For example, there may be limitations on the value of the rented car. Similarly, some cards only compensate one to two claims per year. The insurance period may also be limited.

Undertake independent self-care

The third solution is to provide insurance from an independent insurance company. It offers temporary insurance to strengthen basic coverage. This time, it is easier to modulate your guarantees and find self-made insurance.

It is necessary to make a comparison as prices can be higher. However, if the insurance is more expensive, but your protection is stronger, the game is certainly worth the candle. When you rent a car, the franchise can reach more than 1 000€ in case of damage, it does not cause to drive serenely.

Car insurance and rental car: guarantees

When you rent a car during your holidays in France or abroad, different guarantees can be offered. We have seen it, you can be covered for civil liability, it is the basic guarantee. With her, your insurance pays one-third in case of a responsible accident on your part. This basic coverage covers the physical and physical damage of the third party.

Then you will certainly become acquainted with a little barbaric terms. We'll talk to you about CDW, TP or PAI. This is the English language that means:

• CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) : This allows for better collision compensation. If you plan to remove the franchise, opt for the super CDW;
• TP (Theft protection): This is a guarantee against theft and vandalism. Check out the exact nature of the guarantees to know your care in the event of theft of the rental car, but also its content;
• PAI (Personal Accident Insurance): with this option, you protect yourself as a driver, but you also ensure your passengers.

When you provide your vehicle, you must choose between third-party insurance, full third-party insurance with all-risk options or insurance.

Deductibles

The franchise is the main fear in case of car rental. There is a great chance that your auto insurance contract will impose one. However, we mentioned it, it can reach more than 1 000€ , difficult then to enjoy your vacation if you don’t have any budget to please you.

Know that it is possible to redeem this franchise. Certainly, it will mechanically increase the price of your car insurance all risks or to the third party, but whatever it is, it allows to be certain of an integral care. An insurance comparison allows you to find the best guarantees for your rental. You can also choose, not to delete the franchise, but to reduce it. Study with your insurer the possibilities that you are offered to find a just environment and respect your budget while being perfectly insured.

The ceilings

When you subscribe car insurance for your car rental, make sure to check the ceilings. Ice, bodily damage, vehicle damage, the best insurance must offer you ceilings suitable for your car and the possible cost of repairs.

Exclusions

Finding good car insurance is also ensuring that you are insured for most of the risks. Will you be supported in the event of a breakdown? Did you sign a 0 kilometer guarantee? Is your vehicle really protected? You have to ask all these questions before you sign.

Most of the time, your car rental insurance does not work for the following situations:

• Flight or Loss of Keys ;
• Damage to driver behaviour (excessive speed, drug or alcohol use, etc.);
• Damages after the date of restitution ;
• False driver information ;
• Car use for competitions ;
• Etc.

Car insurance for a rental car: how much does it cost?

You will have understood, the price will vary significantly depending on certain criteria.

First, it will depend on the very nature of this insurance. If you only enjoy car rental insurance from your bank card, you don’t have extra costs, it’s included in the card price.

If you subscribe to your leasing’s insurance, it will depend on the rates that it operates according to insurance providers with it. The renter is not an insurer, he works with companies of which it is the trade.

If you choose independent insurance, the prices are free, the rate of your car insurance can therefore vary greatly from one company to another.

But, of course, the fundamental criterion is the level of guarantees. Third-party insurance with a strong franchise will be much cheaper than a self-insurance without a deductible. Making a comparison is necessary to find the best value for money.

The driver profile can also play. A young and unexperienced driver can be considered a risk driver, which would automatically increase the insurance premium. Moreover, according to the companies, there is a minimum age for renting a car. Learn before making your choice.

The use of the car can also have an impact. Do you plan on a lot of miles? Large routes mechanically increase the risk. The price of repairs will also play. Ensuring a small city can not cost the same price as the insurance of a brand new large sedan.

Today it is possible to find a rental car insurance for a few euros a day, but also guarantees 20€ , 30€ , or even more according to the chosen formula, your profile and your vehicle.

It's time to take the road! Good road trip!

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