I recently read about using this one - http://www.insurance4carhire.com - in lieu of purchasing the excess reduction insurance from the rental agent in Scotland and England as it appears it will save me about 50 GBP to do so. I learned about it in this article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travel-advice/10849592/Holiday-car-hire-an-essential-guide-to-save-you-money.html.
Anyone here with experience with this? Or thoughts about it?
No first hand experience but a couple of thoughts. 1) Insurance is a rental car company profit center and they will not be pleased when you use other insurance. This displeasure can vary with the company including putting a hold on your credit card for the value of the car without telling you. You won't know it until you try to use your credit card and find it is maxed out. 2) If an accident does happen, getting the finances resolved with a third party has frequently been known to be a long and unpleasant process especially since you will be here and the other two parties will be in the UK. Bottom line, you get what you pay for.
It's things like this that make me happy I'm able to take long enough trips that I can lease instead of rent.
In many years of traveling in Europe, almost all of which involved car rental, we have had three occasions to use the insurance, two with what came on the cc (once Chase and once Amex) and one with AMEX Premium rental car coverage. I have no complaints about the handling of any of them. If you go with what comes on your cc, be sure to talk to an agent to get clear about the coverage. Are tires and windows covered, for example? Do that if you go with the other insurer, too. As a matter of fact, do that if you decide to accept the rental company's insurance.
On our most recent trip, the rental company did put a hold on our cc because we didn't take their insurance; but it was 2000 euros, not the value of the car. That left us plenty of leeway to use the card. We always carry several cc's when we travel. so no problem anyway. This issue is also one you might be able to check on in advance.
One final thought - - 50 GBP, ($75?) is not a fortune, and is insignificant compared to the cost of your trip. If it reduces your stress to get the insurance from the rental company, maybe it's money well-spent. As for me, I'm a tightwad. I prefer the options I've outlined above. However, in my old age I am coming to appreciate things that reduce stress.
