Car Rental - Own Insurance - Cheap Rental - Anyone do this?

I have had it mentioned to me a couple of times a cheaper way to rent cars as we only use them about 6 or 7 times a year just for long weekends.

Get your own car insurance
Then rent a car using Do You Spain Car Hire

Makes the whole thing alot cheaper.
Looks like you just have to be extra careful and make notes of any marks or damage in and out of the car.

Anyone do it this way and what experiences have you had?
What Insurance do you use?
Cheers

Paul

Do you mean your own Car Hire Excess Insurance?

You can get car hire excess insurance for about £40 a year so, yes, much cheaper. It's been discussed on here several times.
The car hire company may give you some hassle at the airport and put a block on a certain amount on your credit card and it can take some time to get it back which could also mean the exchange rate fluctuation could cost you.
Either way, it will still be cheaper than taking out insurance with the car hire company.

I always did this and always got the "we don't accept that insurance" spiel but stick to your guns and tell them you don't want it.

Only claimed once in UK after hitting the pothole from hell and had to pay for a new tyre and new wheel rim but the insurance company paid up very quickly.

If the hire company starts being silly and charging for damage that was already there or for tiny little scratches then the insurance company will sort it out for you although you may have to pay up front and then claim it back.

TonTri wrote:Do you mean your own Car Hire Excess Insurance?

Yes indeed, just something we are looking into

marcliff wrote:You can get car hire excess insurance for about £40 a year so, yes, much cheaper. It's been discussed on here several times.
The car hire company may give you some hassle at the airport and put a block on a certain amount on your credit card and it can take some time to get it back which could also mean the exchange rate fluctuation could cost you.
Either way, it will still be cheaper than taking out insurance with the car hire company.

I always did this and always got the "we don't accept that insurance" spiel but stick to your guns and tell them you don't want it.

Only claimed once in UK after hitting the pothole from hell and had to pay for a new tyre and new wheel rim but the insurance company paid up very quickly.

If the hire company starts being silly and charging for damage that was already there or for tiny little scratches then the insurance company will sort it out for you although you may have to pay up front and then claim it back.

At the moment we have used 2 companies, Lara Cars and Goldcar, can i assume this would not apply to them and i need to find other companies?

Thanks for your info, very useful

I just think sometimes when i am only over for a long weekend, i can't be bothered with any hassle grabbing a car and bringing it back, however, it is a healthy saving

Cheers

Paul

I got the excess insurance cover from insurance4carhire.com but there are others. Rental companies, both here and in UK, sometimes tell you they don't accept it but don't listen to them. Enterprise in UK was quite happy with it but Europa wasn't.
Here, they will sometimes put the excess on your credit card and refund it. In some cases you don't even see the charge on the credit card but some keep it for a while and then put it back but the exchange rate could have changed in between.

Still cheaper than the rental companies, though.

marcliff wrote:I got the excess insurance cover from insurance4carhire.com but there are others. Rental companies, both here and in UK, sometimes tell you they don't accept it but don't listen to them. Enterprise in UK was quite happy with it but Europa wasn't.
Here, they will sometimes put the excess on your credit card and refund it. In some cases you don't even see the charge on the credit card but some keep it for a while and then put it back but the exchange rate could have changed in between.

Still cheaper than the rental companies, though.

Thanks Marcliff

Do companies like goldcar and lara accept it that you know off?

I do this all the time, I get a car for as cheap as €5 for a week and use my own insurance. All hire companies accept this.I use a company called carhire excess. I pay €50 a year for my wife and I. Have claimed twice with no hassle, as long as you provide all documents they usually pay me back within the week.

tonyr wrote:I do this all the time, I get a car for as cheap as €5 for a week and use my own insurance. All hire companies accept this.I use a company called carhire excess. I pay €50 a year for my wife and I. Have claimed twice with no hassle, as long as you provide all documents they usually pay me back within the week.

Excellent, thank you

tonyr wrote:I do this all the time, I get a car for as cheap as €5 for a week and use my own insurance. All hire companies accept this.I use a company called carhire excess. I pay €50 a year for my wife and I. Have claimed twice with no hassle, as long as you provide all documents they usually pay me back within the week.

Just had a look and £41.99 for me but to add my wife it would be pretty much double because it becomes a Family Insurance which can be anyone that is a direct relation

Wonder if there is one that will include just us 2 for less?