FAQs

Car Hire Excess

What is Car Hire Excess?

Car Hire Excess is the amount you are responsible to pay towards repair costs if the rental vehicle suffers any damage. The excess amount can vary between car hire providers and normally ranges between £500 and £2,000.
How does it work?

This policy operates on an excess reimbursement basis. Excess Reimbursement is designed to repay you the amount of any excess or repair costs you have to pay (up to the policy limit) under the terms of the rental agreement following damage to the rental vehicle.
What type of damage to the rental vehicle is covered?

Damage to the rental vehicle (including windows, tyres and wheels, headlights, the undercarriage and roof) caused by fire, vandalism, accident and theft and also loss of use of the rental vehicle is covered.
Do you cover lost or stolen rental car keys?

Yes, this policy also covers you for costs incurred up to a maximum of £500 per claim, subject to a maximum of £2,000 in any one period of insurance, for replacing a lost or stolen membership card/key for a rental vehicle, including replacement locks and locksmith charges.
Is there an excess on this policy?

No excess applies to this policy, the amount deducted from your card will be the amount returned to you up to the limit specified in the policy.
Who can qualify for cover on the Car Hire Excess policy?

In order to qualify for cover the person named as the lead driver on the Car Hire Excess insurance must be the person shown as the lead named driver on the car rental agreement. You can include up to five additional drivers as long as they are also named as a driver on the rental agreement.You and all additional drivers must be aged between 21 and 84 years on the date of purchase of this insurance and must have a full valid driving licence or hold a full internationally recognised licence to drive the rental vehicle.You and all additional drivers must be permanent residents in the United Kingdom.
Can I purchase a Car Hire Excess policy if my rental has already started?

No, you must purchase the Car Hire Excess policy before you have signed the rental agreement.
What is the maximum limit on the policy?

We will reimburse you for the excess up to a maximum of £7,500 (or equivalent in local currency) for any single incident under a single rental agreement. You can claim more than once but in total we will only reimburse you up to a maximum of £7,500 (or equivalent in local currency) during any one period of insurance. If a payment has been made in local currency any limits specified in this policy will be applied based on the exchange rate that applied at the time of the purchase of Your policy.If you have purchased a Worldwide policy we will cover you for losses incurred during a trip in or through the USA, Canada, the Caribbean or South and Central America, as a result of damage to the rental vehicle following a covered incident up to: US$ 100,000 (or the equivalent in local currency), the value of the rental vehicle or the value of claim, whichever is the lower.N.B. Where you were covered by any other insurance for the same excess, we will only pay our share of the claim. At any point during the period of insurance we will only cover one rental agreement, rental agreements may not overlap unless Family Cover has been selected and is applicable.
What is Supplemental Liability Insurance?

If you purchase the optional additional Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI), your policy will provide cover against costs you become legally liable to pay in respect of bodily injury and damage to property as a result of an accident whilst using the rental vehicle during the period of insurance for a trip in or through the USA, Canada, the Caribbean, South or Central America. The cover provided by this policy shall apply only in excess of amounts recoverable under any other applicable insurance, and the maximum that will be paid in respect of all claims arising from any one accident shall be the difference between the amount recoverable under any other insurance and US $1,000,000 (or equivalent in local currency).N.B. Where the car hire company provides no cover, this limit is reduced to US $250,000.
What does Daily Cover mean?

Daily Cover applies to each calendar day where you have the use of the rental vehicle for all or part thereof.
What dates should I select for a single rental?

The declared period of insurance must match the duration stated on your rental agreement. We cannot incept cover once your rental has already started. The maximum duration for any one single rental is 180 continuous days. Daily cover applies to each calendar day where you have the use of the rental vehicle for all or part thereof.
What is the difference between a Single Policy and an Annual Policy?

A Single Policy will cover you for a ‘one off’ car rental agreement and is only valid for the rental dates specified on the policy schedule up to a maximum of 180 continuous days. An Annual Policy is valid for 12 months from the issue date and will cover you for unlimited car rental agreements so long as each individual car rental does not exceed 62 days.
What is the maximum duration of continual cover allowed on this policy?

Single Policy - 180 days any one continuous rental. Annual Policy - 62 days any one continuous rental, unlimited rentals.
What is Family Cover?

This extends the cover provided by the policy to immediate family members named on the policy schedule, and enables them to rent vehicles independently without the lead named insured driver accompanying them. Immediate family members are defined as Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, Daughter, Son, Foster Child, Husband, Wife, Step-parent, Step-child, Step-sister, Step-brother, Parent-in-law, Son-in-law, Daughter-in-law, Sister-in-law, Brother-in-law or co habiting partner.
How much does it cost to add additional drivers to my Car Hire Excess policy?

You can include up to five additional insured drivers free of charge, however each additional insured driver must be named as a driver on the rental agreement also.Unless Family Cover has been purchased and is applicable, additional drivers cannot hire a rental vehicle independently from the lead named insured driver but can drive the rental vehicle unaccompanied by the lead named insured driver.
What countries are covered on a European policy?

European policy covers Europe - The countries of the continent of Europe plus Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey and Israel but excluding any trip in, to, or through Russia and Belarus.
What countries are covered on a Worldwide Policy?

Anywhere in the World excluding any trip in, to, or through Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Congo, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Liberia, North Korea, Myanmar, Russia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria and Zimbabwe.
What countries do you not cover?

We do not cover rentals or trips in, to, or through Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Congo, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Liberia, North Korea, Myanmar, Russia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria and Zimbabwe.
Am I covered to rent a vehicle in my country of residence?

In order to purchase this insurance you must be a permanent resident of the United Kingdom. If you are permanently resident in the United Kingdom and you purchase this insurance then yes, you will be covered to rent in your country of residence.
Will the car rental company pre-authorise my credit card when I have your excess Insurance?

Each car rental company will have their own policy and procedures on deposits. A number of companies will either pre-authorise or debit a sum equal to the excess from your credit card, while others may merely take an imprint.
What types of vehicles are not covered by the policy?

The policy does not cover rental of any of the following vehicles: vehicles over 10 years, vehicles valued at more than £70,000 (or equivalent in local currency), motor homes, campervans, trailers or caravans, vans, commercial vehicles or trucks, two or three wheeled vehicles, off-road vehicles, prestige or exotic vehicles, recreational vehicles, passenger vans or other vehicles with more than 7 seats, or over 3.5 tonnes, or any vehicle hired from Green Motion International trading as Green Motion Car Rental.
What is not covered?

For details on what is not covered please see your Policy Wording section “What Is Not Covered”.
Can I cancel my policy and get a full refund?

You may cancel this insurance within 14 days of arranging cover or, if later, within 14 days of receiving your policy documentation. This is known as the cooling-off period. You will be entitled to a full refund of the premium paid as long as you have not made a trip or made a claim and do not intend to make a claim. If you have purchased a single trip policy, you will be entitled to a full refund of the premium paid as long as the vehicle pickup date on your policy has not passed, you have not made a trip or made a claim and do not intend to make a claim.You can cancel at any time after the 14-day cooling off period and we will allow a proportionate refund of the premium paid, as long as you have not made a trip or made a claim and do not intend to make a claim. If you have purchased a single trip policy, you can cancel at any time after the 14-day cooling off period and we will make a proportionate refund of the premium paid as long as the vehicle pickup date on your policy has not passed, you have not made a trip or made a claim and do not intend to make a claim.