Has anyone heard of a rental car having an extra charge in case the car is stolen? I always figured that was included in the basic protection. This is an option AVIS has on a car I am renting in Scotland. I have never seen this before. Is this a new thing in the rental car industry? Should I get it? It's not much, one $3/day, but these addtional charges all add up. They also have a special road service option, which is in addition to the regular road service included on the car. That I think is $5/day. This stuff adds up. So confusing.
Posted by
Somerset, UK
63 posts
There is no need to get this. If the car is stolen under normal circumstances you'll be liable for the excess, this fee means you will not be liable for the excess.
However, car theft is rare in the UK, and what statistics there are are massively inflated by people committing insurance fraud - the actual numbers of cars taken is very small indeed. I never bother with any additional insurance beyond the most basic package.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
8732 posts
Right, just lock the doors anytime you park and aren’t near the car. I’ve seen “special” coverage options for theft, as well as specifically for windshield and wheel damage, but haven’t taken it, nor needed it.
By the way, are you renting a basic car, or a Rolls Royce? Nondescript would seem to be less of a target, if there actually was a thief lurking about.
Posted by
Isle of Skye, Scotland
1640 posts
Maybe what’s being referred to is an ‘excess’? It’s possible to buy third party insurance policies to cover the excess. These are usually cheaper than the excess coverage offered by the rental company.
For coming to Scotland ensure you have coverage for wheels and tyres and some sort of breakdown/recovery coverage. Many, many visitors get punctures from being unfamiliar with driving on the left and straying into the frequent potholes, which can be difficult to see when full of rain water. In rural areas the roads are often in bad condition. We don’t have ‘shoulders’ like in the USA. As an B&B owner I have had to make calls for several guests who didn’t take the wheel/tyres/breakdown & recovery insurance. A single tyre fitted by a local garage who have to drive out many miles to reach your rental car can cost £400+.
By the way, many forum members over on the Scotland forum recommend using Arnold Clark (the largest car dealership and car rental company in Scotland) who also supply rental cars via Celtic Legend.