How does car rental insurance work?
What insurances does my rental have?
The standard car rental insurance policies are Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and Theft Protection (TP). They can be either included in the price, purchased from the car rental company or provided by the customer's credit card company.
What is Collision Damage Waiver?
Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) limits the renter’s liability for the car to the Excess – the amount of money the car rental company will charge the renter in the event that the rental car is damaged. Such items as windscreen, locks, tires, undercarriage, keys, towing charges are often not covered by the CDW. Please check your confirmation voucher for terms and conditions to know what is covered.
What is Theft Protection?
Theft Protection (TP) limits the renter’s liability for the car to the Excess – the amount of money the car rental company will charge the renter in the event that the rental car is stolen. Theft Protection does not cover personal belongings.
What protection/cover do I receive for my car at the counter?
Please check the terms and conditions of the coverage before you sign the rental agreement at the counter to find out if something is excluded or limited. Standard policies normally exclude such details as windscreen, glass, wheels, tires, undercarriage, interior, personal possessions, as well as towing charges, off-road time and any additional equipment such as child seats and GPS devices. Note that your cover will be invalidated by negligence, misfuelling or breaking the terms of the rental agreement (for example, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs).
What additional cover can I buy from the counter staff?
The most common additional cover is Super Collision Damage Waiver (SCDW). Under the company T&Cs, an SCDW policy can cover those parts of the car that aren’t covered by the company’s standard Collision Damage Waiver policy like windows, wheels and tires, reduce the excess or set the excess to zero so you wouldn’t have to leave a deposit at pick-up or pay anything for damages.
What coverage does EconomyBookings provide?
We offer EconomyBookings Full Coverage. At the counter, the car rental company will block a security deposit amount on your credit card. In case the car is damaged or stolen during your rental, the car rental company will withhold an amount of money from your deposit/excess that will be reimbursed by EconomyBookings as long as you have purchased Full Coverage before pick-up. Please note, that the car rental company does not know that the customer has purchased EconomyBookings Full Coverage.
Will I need to leave a deposit if I have purchased EconomyBookings Full Coverage?
Yes, you will still need to leave a deposit. EconomyBookings Full Coverage reimburses an amount of money withheld from your deposit by the car rental company in case your rental car was damaged or stolen.