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Re: [OM] (Very OT) Rental Car Insurance, UK style

Subject: Re: [OM] (Very OT) Rental Car Insurance, UK style
From: Nathan Wajsman <photo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 06:35:41 +0200
Bob, I frequently travel to the UK and rent cars there, and what you describe 
sounds way too complex. I don't know which car rental companies you are dealing 
with; I usually rent from Europcar because they are at Bristol airport (my 
usual landing point) and I can book them through Easyjet at the same time as 
booking my ticket. The rental always includes insurance, and at the counter I 
am always asked about two options: whether I want to pay extra to get rid of 
the excess (deductible) and whether I want to pay up front for a full tank of 
fuel so as not to worry about returning the car full. The question is asked 
politely, with no full-court press (or any press at all), I equally politely 
decline, get my keys and drive off. The other things you mention in your mail I 
have never even heard of.

I do always use Amex when paying for car rental, hotels and other 
travel-related expenses. They are the best of the card companies if there is a 
problem.

Cheers,
Nathan

On 31 Jul 2013, at 02:33, Bob Whitmire wrote:

> Sigh. Several of the sites I read set the excess at 1600 pounds. That's a 
> good bit of cash.
> 
> I've read and re-read my VISA rental car coverage benefit, and it _seems_ to 
> cover just about everything, including a provision that you must refuse any 
> and all offers at the rental counter. Tina speaks highly of her American 
> Express experiences, so maybe the card companies are onto something. The 
> reviews I read indicated that VISA was best, with Mastercard struggling to 
> keep up. I don't recall reading anything specifically about AMEX.
> 
> One of my questions when I call them for clarification is whether I need to 
> have the cost of the bloody car in reserve for the car company before VISA 
> pays up.
> 
> --Bob Whitmire
> Registered Neanderthal
> 
> On Jul 30, 2013, at 7:43 PM, Andrew Fildes wrote:
> 
>> Nothing. I got caught like that last year - quote around 450 squid for a 
>> month (Europcar) but standing at the counter at 3am after a 26 hour flight I 
>> opted for a few things like zero excess that sounded reasonable at the time 
>> (the excess being VERY high at about 1200 pounds) and ended up with a bill 
>> just over double that quote and a lot more than I expected. 
>> Car insurance in the UK is bloody expensive and complex for a start 
>> (compared to here) - then the car rental companies seem to practice 
>> 'competition by confusion'.
>> An unpleasant experience.
> 
> -- 
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Nathan Wajsman
Alicante, Spain
http://www.frozenlight.eu
http://www.greatpix.eu

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