Is Zero Excess Worth It?

When hiring a car the excess can be an issue for well, everyone. The excess on a hired vehicle can range anywhere from a couple of hundred pounds to a couple of thousand pounds, basically what this means that if you are driving in the rental car and have an accident then this is the maximum figure you will have to pay out and sometimes it can be a very significant figure, in fact most the time. Most people simply don’t have £2000+ lying around in their bank account in the event of an accident so people choose to reduce their excess to zero which at Indigo Car Hire we can offer.

The question is, is it worth it? For peace of mind it’s definitely worth reducing your excess to zero and I know this is just another cost but it may not be as expensive as you think. There are two options when it comes to lowering your excess when you book with Indigo and here’s a little case study to choose the best option and save money.

I got a quote for a car at Pisa Airport and had a look at a few of the reputable brands in order to reduce my excess to zero. The quote I looked at was just a standard quote for 7 days this month.

Option 1 – Using The Suppliers Zero Excess Policy
The zero excess for Pisa through Avis was 13.53 EUR/p day if you use a credit card. It was considerably more per day if you were to use a debit card at 24 EUR/p day.

Just as an example however let’s choose the cheaper option and say you were using a credit card. To reduce the excess it will cost a total of 94.71 EUR, not to mention this is on top of the rental cost.

Option 2 – Excess Reimbursement Policy
This is the alternative option and there are a few options within this policy. This policy works by a third party company insuring you for zero excess, however it is reimbursement so you will have to pay the initial excess, however like the name suggests the company you take the policy out with will give you the money back as swiftly as possible.

The options you have within this policy is to be covered either for EU or worldwide, the EU policy costs £39.99 and the worldwide policy will set you back £49.99. The great thing about this policy however is that it covers you for a full year.

Which Option To Choose?
Well take for example the option 1, since the excess is 13.53 EUR/p day which is £11.44 it would take 4 days to be able to justify the reimbursement policy. If you are hiring over 4 days, or are a regular hirer through the year then the reimbursement policy is more than worth it.

Want to find out more information about the reimbursement policy or want to purchase one using Indigo Car Hire then please call us directly on +44 (0)113 880 0748 or email us at [email protected]. We will answer all your questions regarding this policy and find out if its worth it for you.

Having worked in the car rental industry for over 15 years, he really knows his stuff. Rob heads up our marketing department and as a keen traveller, always has a new location to talk about. Particularly if there is a golf course nearby.