Holidaymakers driven to distraction by car hire

29 April 2008

Hiring a car abroad can be a minefield, with holidaymakers sometimes spending hundreds of pounds more than they anticipated, says a new report from Which? Holiday.

Although most car hire fees include some type of insurance, holidaymakers may not be aware that in most cases there is a large excess, sometimes over £1,000.* A damage waiver, which reduces liability but can add around £80 to a week’s hire, may well be cheaper if bought directly from a separate insurer.**

Exclusions on car hire policies can catch people out too; windscreen, wheels, tyres, roof and undercarriage are not covered. Some firms also add Personal Accident Insurance automatically, adding around £5 per day to the cost – this is unnecessary if the holidaymaker has adequate travel insurance.

People who book online or by phone before they arrive at their destination don’t always get the size or type of car they expect, and are then charged extra to upgrade to a more suitable model. Which? Holiday also found that holidaymakers can end up paying well over the odds for fuel, or paying for fuel that they do not use.

To help holidaymakers, Which? Holiday gives the following tips for avoiding a car hire nightmare:

• Read your documents – when you collect your car read the contract and make sure you understand everything before signing
• Insurance – make sure you know what is and isn’t covered by your insurance, and how much excess is carried by the policy
• Check the vehicle – before you drive the car away, check all parts and report any damage to the hire firm, getting a signed confirmation
• Check credit card bills – look at statements as soon as you return home to ensure you haven’t been overcharged or billed for something you did not receive

Lorna Cowan, Editor, Which? Holiday says:

“A bad experience with your car hire firm can ruin what should be a relaxing and enjoyable break so make sure you read all of your car hire documents before signing anything, and question any of the terms or conditions you’re not happy with.

“If the hire firm does not provide what you have paid for, they are in breach of contract so you can claim back any extra charges involved in getting what was initially promised.”

* The excess charged by five leading UK car hire firms collecting from an airport in Ireland ranged from £614 to £1,535, depending on the type of car.

** Daily and annual Super Collision Damage Waiver (SCDW) policies are available from a range of insurance companies, such as dailyexcess.com, insurance4carhire.co.uk,
questor-insurance.co.uk and worldwideinsure.com

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