Reputable car hire services consider car hire insurance to be crucial. However, very few people have the relevant knowledge when it comes to such insurance issues, and most customers allow the rental agency to deal with this on their behalf. The danger of such a move lies in having to pay for unnecessary insurance cover which inflates car hire costs.
The crucial car hire insurance covers to look out for are just a handful, and they include collision insurance, theft insurance, liability insurance, personal effect insurance and personal accident insurance. When you subscribe to personal effects coverage you are securing payment for belongings in a car hire up to a certain value. This means that if your belongings are damaged you are liable to get compensation.
Personal accident insurance for car hire agencies covers all the people in the vehicle, in case of an accident by catering for medical expenses resulting from the accident. In certain cases, this cover can easily be replaced by a reliable health plan, but you have to clarify this issue with your insurance agent. Liability insurance for car hire agencies is used to cover damages to property or people outside a vehicle in case of an accident. It is important to ensure that your liability insurance offers unlimited cover to allow for adequate payment in case of damages during an accident. This cover is included in most European car hire agencies, and one should verify the existence of such a cover in the car hire contract before subscribing to a car hire from any agency.
Theft insurance is for the benefit of the car hire, but for it to be used the theft of the car must be reported as soon as possible ideally within 24 hours of the theft. It is also mandatory for one to inform the rent- a - car agency as soon as the theft occurs and to inform the insurance agency offering the cover, as well. Collision insurance is used to cover the repair of the car body in case of an accident or collision. Many people think the cover extends to replacement of windshields, head lights and so on, but it actually covers the car body alone and any other damages cannot be repaired under this cover.
Most customers hate to face the issue of car insurance, but every reputable car hire company makes a point of insisting on adequate insurance cover before releasing their vehicle to a client. Ensure you are adequately covered if you decide to hire a car while on holiday. This is to avoid going home after your vacation with huge bills due to inadequate car insurance cover.
