Avis Car Hire - Own Insurance

[evilempire13]

Hi there!

We are heading off for a fortnight in Orlando at the end of August. We have booked our hire car through Airmiles using Avis. In order to limit the costs when we are over these, and to possibly save some $$$, I have read about getting you own insurance (ie not through Avis) in the Brits Guide. In the book it recommends extrasureonline. Does anyone have any experience of this (or any other ) insurance company, and do you know if Avis "accepts" this kind of insurance?

Thanks in advance

 

[alisonbestford]

Myself, and several other DIS members have used the annual policy from www.insurance4carhire.com

The 'home' page suggests that it might not be suitable for 'Fly Drives' (ie there can be a 'hard sell' at the desk to take the hire company's insurance ) but I've used it succesfully

I've used it with both Dollar and Alamo with no problems

 

[evilempire13]

Myself, and several other DIS members have used the annual policy from nsurance4carhire

I've used it with both Dollar and Alamo with no problems

That seems like a good deal, thanks - anyone had any experience specifically with Avis?

 

[heatherbelle]

Giving this a bump, as I'm looking for car insurance as well. Virgin will give me a car free for 2 weeks and then 20.00 for the third week. Now I need some insurance of my own.
Have already checked out the one recommended by Alison, we'll see if anyone else comes along.

Alison, do you just pay 99.00 and that's it, nothing else? That's for 31 days, with all the top ups and named drivers? It seems cheap compared to the holiday companies.

 

[alisonbestford]

It certainly does work out cheaper

We had to pay extra for taxes - around £60 for 3 weeks if I remember rightly - but it certainly worked out cheaper than the rental companies

The only other thing they do is take a $1500 credit card imprint when you collect the car.
There's no money actually deducted from your cc unless you return the car damaged.

I just took along a cc that we don't use and let them swipe that

Just looked back at my original post and noticed that the £60 included a full tank of fuel

 

[lawlesslovewdw]

I thought the policy covered excess, does this mean if you had caused damage then you would have to pay the excess and then claim back? also if you take this insurance you dont have to have any other form, ie you only pay for the rental and nothing else bar normal taxes etc

 

[alisonbestford]

I thought the policy covered excess, does this mean if you had caused damage then you would have to pay the excess and then claim back? also if you take this insurance you dont have to have any other form, ie you only pay for the rental and nothing else bar normal taxes etc

I haven't needed to claim in the US but I did need to claim on my insurance4carhire European policy

I had to pay the full cost of damages (£900) but got the full amount back once my claim was processed, within the month

I'm not certain whether the US policy works in the same way but I do have to admit that it got me thinking about what I might have to pay if I needed to make a US claim ........

The only other thing I paid, in the US, was the taxes and a tank of fuel (about £60, in total, for 3 weeks)

 

[mickg7dyd]

Hi,
I had to make a claim on my Amex hire car insurance and all Dollar wanted was the name of the underwriter and a claim number. I got this with a quick call to Amex and they settled the claim directly with Dollar. Can't comment on other insurance/hire companies but in my case there was no problem.
As regards other costs all I pay for is taxes and opt to bring the car back full as the hire car companies fuel can be expensive.

Mick.

 

[evilempire13]

Has anyone had any experience of this type of insurance specifically with Avis?

 

[evilempire13]

Bump!! - anyone had experience of using this type of insurance when using Avis - just want to be 101% sure before parting with my cash!