UK Car Rental Insurance
In the United Kingdom, inexhaustible Third Party Liability Insurance is a legal necessity and is included in the pre-paid price of all car rentals with Auto Europe. Third Party Liability Insurance protects you from any and all indebtedness resulting from property damage, injury, or death caused to anyone or anything outside of your british rental car. In addition to Third Party Liability Insurance, all rental car rates with Auto Europe include Fire Insurance, which covers any wrong caused to your rental vehicle as a leave of fire-related damage .
UK Car Rental: Insurance Options Comparison
A Collision Damage Waiver ( CDW ) is indemnity coverage that reduces the measure of the deductible ( the amount the driver would have to pay if there was an accident ) to a more accomplishable measure, larceny auspices is typically included with a CDW, which protects you in the case that your rental car is stolen by reducing your deductible to a like amount as your CDW might require.
To supplement your CDW, drivers can opt to purchase extra insurance, either a zero deductible rate, or a refundable deductible. With a zero deductible rate, you wo n’t be held apt for any damages to the vehicle ( although you will have to pay a damage administrative fee, typically around £50 ), and with a refundable deductible you will be held liable when you return the fomite, but Auto Europe will reimburse you after processing all necessary paperwork you provide, including a file patrol report, if applicable .
| Optional Insurance | Avg. Insurance Cost at Counter* | Avg. Insurance Deductible at Counter* | Avg. Cost for Zero-Excess Insurance with Auto Europe* | Cost of Deductible with Zero-Excess from Auto Europe* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) + Theft Protection (TP) | $20-$58 USD per day | $1,100-$2,735 USD | $15-$27 USD per day | $0 USD |
*Auto Europe averages are based on CDW+TP insurance costs for a 3-day rental of an economy, compact, mid-size or life-size car course. The UK car rental insurance rates listed here are estimates and are subject to change without notice. For the most up-to-date pricing information we encourage you to request a free on-line quote via our booking locomotive or invite you to call Auto Europe toll-free at 1-888-223-5555 to speak with a UK car rental specialist.
About Credit Card Coverage For Your Rental in the UK
Most major US citation cards ( Visa, American Express, MasterCard ) offer collision and larceny indemnity for your lease car in the United Kingdom as a perk up of being a card holder. In decree to take advantage of your credit wag rental car indemnity, you have to pay for the rental with the card you plan on accepting coverage from. If you decline coverage through your rental ship’s company or Auto Europe and opt to rent with only credit poster coverage, it ‘s imperative you provide written proofread from your citation card party outlining your coverage, as the lease company may refuse to rent you the fomite without proof of coverage ( which if you ‘ve failed to acquire written evidence of, means purchasing indemnity locally or having your credit card blocked for the entire respect of the vehicle. ) Review the charts below outlining coverage major US credit card companies typically offer, but be certain to clarify any and all of these coverage ‘s with your citation batting order ship’s company personally .
A credit card is your greatest asset when renting a car!
Read more: Best car insurance companies for 2022
Visa and MasterCard Car Rental Insurance Coverage
| Benefit | Visa | MasterCard |
| Offered On | All Cards | Gold, Platinum, World, World Elite |
| Rental Period | 15 consecutive days domestically, 31 abroad |
31 consecutive days |
| Max Vehicle Value | Unspecified | $50,000 |
| Includes | Theft/Collision damage, loss of use |
<-- Same |
| Excludes | Injury, property damage, taxes, damage to other vehicles, damage to tires |
<-- Same |
| Drivers Covered | All authorized drivers | <-- Same |
| Excluded Vehicles | Exotic or antique cars, trucks, RV’s, ATV’s, motorcycles, certain vans |
<-- Same |
| Excluded Countries | Ireland, Northern Ireland, Israel, Jamaica |
New Zealand, Australia, Costa Rica, Israel, Jamaica, Mexico, sometimes Italy and Germany |
| Excluded vans/SUVs with more than… |
8 seats | 10 seats |
| Max Coverage | Unspecified | $50,000 |
| Max Loss of Use | Unspecified | $500 |
| File Claim Within… | 45 days | 30 days |
| Source | Visa | MasterCard |
American Express Car Rental Insurance Coverage
| Benefit | AmEx Basic | AmEx Platinum | AmEx Premium |
| Offered on | All Cards | Platinum | Any cardholder can purchase |
| Rental Period | 30 days | <-- Same | 42 days (30 in WA state) |
| Max Vehicle Value | $50,000 | Under $75,000 | Unspecified |
| Includes | Theft, collision damage | Theft, collision damage, property damage and injury |
<-- Same |
| Excludes | Diminished value, taxes, wear and tear | <-- Same | <-- Same |
| Drivers Covered | All authorized drivers | <-- Same | <-- Same |
| Excluded Vehicles | Exotic or antique cars, trucks, RV’s, motorycles, luxury vehicles valued at over $50,000 | <-- Same + luxury vehicles valued at over $75,000 | <-- Same |
| Excluded Countries | Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Australia, Italy, New Zealand | <-- Same | <-- Same |
| Excluded vans/SUVs with more than… |
7 seats | <-- Same | Unspecified |
| Max Car Coverage | $50,000 | $75,000 | $19.99 plan: $75,000 |
| Max Loss of Use | Proprietary Info | <-- Same | <-- Same |
| File Claim within… | 60 days | <-- Same | <-- Same |
| Source | American Express | American Express | American Express |
Discover Card Car Rental Insurance Coverage
| Benefit | Discover | Discover Escape |
| Offered on | Motiva, Miles, Open Roads, others | Escape |
| Rental Period | 31 days | <-- Same |
| Max Vehicle Value | $50,000 | <-- Same |
| Includes | Collision only | Collision, theft, and towing |
| Excludes | Theft, any damage not due to collision, loss of use | Diminished value, taxes, wear and tear |
| Drivers Covered | All authorized drivers | <-- Same |
| Excluded Vehicles | Exotic or antique cars, trucks, RV’s, motorcycles, luxury vehicles valued at more than $50,000 | <-- Same |
| Excluded Countries | Valid in any country that accepts Discover | Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Australia, Italy, New Zealand |
| Exclusive vans/SUV’s with more than… | 7 seats | <-- Same |
| Max Coverage | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| Max Loss of Use | N/A | <-- Same |
| File Claim Within… | 90 days | 30 days |
| Source | Discover | Discover |
bill that while most major credit wag companies do offer coverage in the United Kingdom, rentals in Northern Ireland may not be included and limitations may apply ; such as the full length of the rental, the respect of the rental, and the total measure of coverage you can receive .
Do You Need a Credit Card Card to Rent a Car in the United Kingdom?
You may be wondering why a credit wag is an asset when it comes to renting a fomite, and whether or not it is a prerequisite to rent a vehicle in the United Kingdom. Although technically no, you might be allowed to rent a vehicle with a debit wag, a credit card is a valuable tool that not entirely offers insurance coverage in some situations, but besides allows you to rent a vehicle without leaving a ample cash deposit as collateral or paying premium for complete coverage with the lease means locally. If you are renting with a credit rating card, the rental supplier will typically place an authority on your poster ( typically the measure of your deductible ) ensuring that in the case of price or larceny, you ‘ll be able to pay for the damages. With a debit card rental, the rental company ‘s lone recourse is to receive recompense from you using your debit tease, which is why you are required to leave a large deposit, sometimes covering the full value of the vehicle.
In brusque, renting with a credit card, whether you ‘re taking coverage through your credit card company or not, allows the rental company to be satisfactorily assured should any damage happen during your lease without requiring you to leave a large sediment or purchase indemnity locally at a agio.
Optional Insurance Coverage for Driving in the United Kingdom
In addition to the zero deductible and refundable deductible rates mentioned above, renters can besides opt for extra indemnity for dispatch peace of mind while driving in the United Kingdom. Most suppliers offer a Super CDW policy, which reduces your deductible to 0 and can be purchased for a daily tip ( typically between £10 and £30, depending on the vehicle ). All suppliers besides offer Personal Accident Insurance (PAI), which provides checkup coverage for you and early passengers in the vehicle in shell of injury. Typically PAI is pleonastic if you ‘re covered by either your normal health indemnity while traveling abroad, or if you ‘ve purchased travel indemnity to cover your stumble. While you ‘re surely not required to purchase any extra insurances while renting in the UK, it ’ s decidedly worth consideration as it can save time and money down the road should an accident or collision occur .
More General Information About Car Rental Insurance and Credit Card Coverage
Clarifying the coverage you ‘ll receive from your credit tease is an absolute must earlier picking up your lease car. Should you misunderstand the coverage offered to you, you may not be covered a much as you might like should an incident occur, and even worse, the rental supplier may refuse to rent you a fomite unless you do purchase extra policy to cover any gaps or leave a boastfully depository. additionally, accredit poster companies may exclusive certain types of vehicles for car rental coverage, such as exotic or lavishness cars, off-road vehicles, RV camper vans, and big vans. They besides may have a limit on the sum of time you may be covered ( typically between 30-45 days ), so for longer term rentals it ‘s very important to purchase the allow policy before heading out on the road, you may find ascribable to the miss of coverage offered to you, a short-run lease may be the most economically feasible choice .
Do n’t be like the valet above ; take some clock to understand what you ‘re financially responsible for and not responsible for in the case of a collision or accident. Whether you ‘re renting with a credit wag or buying indemnity through Auto Europe or the rental car company, you surely do n’t want to be surprised by unexpected charges for damages should the unthinkable occur.
If you have any far questions about policy, see our generic car policy page or consult with our frequently asked questions for the UK section of this travel guide.
Additional UK Car Rental Resources