FabSwingers.com forum: Rental car insurance

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Just wanted to run this by the folks on here who are possibly more knowledgeable on this subject than me.

It might be a long one, so bear with me.

Yesterday my car broke down and I called out the AA.

I have the top level of cover with them, so because my car couldn't be fixed at the roadside, my car was towed to a garage, and another vehicle was sent to collect me and many dogs and take us home.

I requested a hire car while my car was in for repair, which arrived promptly to my home.

Now, on the phone, the car hire company explained that a £50 deposit would be taken on delivery of the car, which would be returned to me on collection of the car. All good.

Guy arrives with the car and says that there is a £500 excess to pay if I damage the car in any way, and it's £500 per area of damage bigger than a certain area. He then shows me a clear plastic tool they use for deciding how big the area of damage is. Still all fine.

The guy goes on to explain that if I want I can reduce the excess I pay to zero by allowing the company to keep the £50 deposit I've paid.

I declined.

He then reminds me it's £500 per area of damage.

I told him that was fine, and I still didn't want to pay it.

After he had left, I thought on this. Firstly £500 excess PER AREA of damage seems ridiculous, plus the offer to reduce it to zero for only £50

Was he trying it on?

I won't name the company the car was hired from, but it's one of the big national ones.

Does this sound right to anyone?

I've actually decided not to risk using the car.

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"I have just had a courtesy car from Enterprise last week. All I had to do was pay a £1 deposit which has been returned. If I had been in an accident then all I would have to pay was my £250 excess that I have with my own insurance."

Thank you.

I asked if I could do it on my own insurance, and he said no.

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"Sounds dodgy as ffk to me

Contact AA Customer care and go thru all of that with them

If your fully comp call your insurance and see if they will rent you a car and get the AA one taken back. "

Is it actually anything to do with the AA though?

I'm not actually bothered about another replacement car, as mine will be back tomorrow.

It was just that I've hired cars numerous times in the past and never paid an excess like that.