Effect of rental car excess cover on personal no-claims bonus

shandy45

We recently got charged €240 by Europcar for a scratch to our rental-car bumper (which definitely wasn't caused by us!) in Spain.

We have Damage Excess Refund cover - with rentalcars.com - on which we could claim back the €240.

However, if we make the claim, will we then have to report it to our car insurance company - when we do our annual car insurance next year?

Gloomendoom

I wouldn't.

benjus

Car hire excess cover is not a form of car insurance as such, it's a form of insurance on the excess of another insurance policy. So if you are required to declare these claims (I don't know what the strict legal position is, but I wouldn't declare them) it shouldn't make any difference whether you claimed on your excess cover policy or not, as it's not actually a car insurance policy.

zagfles

You probably do need to declare it. My car insurance wants to know about "any accidents, incidents, claims or losses on any vehicle regardless of whether a claim was made or not". So it would apply whether you used the car hire's insurance, whether you had a third party excess insurance, or even if you paid it yourself.

I really wouldn't risk it unless you are certain you don't need to declare it - you don't want your car insurance finding out about an undeclared incident after you have an accident with a massive third party claim!