For anyone else considering car rental hire in the UK this is worth a read from the well renowned Martin Lewis Moneysavingexpert website (https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-car-hire/). I live in the UK and always buy excess insurance, but only through a third party as below: Basic insurance will usually be included when you book car hire, but you'll still have to pay an initial amount (or 'excess') if you have a crash or there's other damage to the car. This can be in the £100s or even £1,000s.When you collect your car, hire firms often try to flog 'top-up' insurance which removes your excess, so you'd pay nothing in the event of an accident or other claim.This insurance can be as much as £25 a day – DON'T BUY IT.Instead, look to get an excess policy from a standalone provider for as little as £2 a day. With these policies, you pay the £100s or £1,000s of hire firm's excess in the event of a claim, and then reclaim the money from the excess insurer.What's more, standalone excess policies often cover more than the basic insurance offered by car hire firms, such as damage to wheels and windscreens. Policies and their limits vary from company to company, so always check before buying.
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I think the straightforward answer is, because they can get away with it.
Post: A Tale of Excess
Link to comment from May 8, 2025
For anyone else considering car rental hire in the UK this is worth a read from the well renowned Martin Lewis Moneysavingexpert website (https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-car-hire/). I live in the UK and always buy excess insurance, but only through a third party as below: Basic insurance will usually be included when you book car hire, but you'll still have to pay an initial amount (or 'excess') if you have a crash or there's other damage to the car. This can be in the £100s or even £1,000s. When you collect your car, hire firms often try to flog 'top-up' insurance which removes your excess, so you'd pay nothing in the event of an accident or other claim. This insurance can be as much as £25 a day – DON'T BUY IT. Instead, look to get an excess policy from a standalone provider for as little as £2 a day. With these policies, you pay the £100s or £1,000s of hire firm's excess in the event of a claim, and then reclaim the money from the excess insurer. What's more, standalone excess policies often cover more than the basic insurance offered by car hire firms, such as damage to wheels and windscreens. Policies and their limits vary from company to company, so always check before buying.
Post: A Tale of Excess
Link to comment from May 7, 2025