Car rental with Budget (via BA) in Sicily - additional insurance?

We took up the option of car hire when we booked BA flights to Sicily next month. The contract is with Budget (at Catania airport). Since it's been ages since I rented a car in Europe I was wondering if there were any "extras" which I might expect to be upsold when I arrive?

Presumably it would be advisable to buy excess insurance from a UK provider before I travel? Any other tips?

The rental inclusions are listed as:
- Airport/City/Other Surcharge
- Local Tax
- Vehicle Registration Fee
- Fuel Policy Is Full To Full
- Theft Protection (TP) with an excess of 1,900 Euros
- Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) with an excess of 1,000 Euros
- Unlimited Mileage.
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Comments

  • EveryWhere
    EveryWhere Posts: 3,249 Forumite
    Yes, you need car hire excess insurance, in the case of them taking any payment for damage from the deposit authorisation.
    You don't need to discuss it with the car hire company on arrival. They'll just block the excess amount on your credit card.
    if you have to pay for damage, claim it back on the insurance policy.
  • itm2
    itm2 Posts: 1,310
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    EveryWhere wrote: »
    Yes, you need car hire excess insurance, in the case of them taking any payment for damage from the deposit authorisation.
    You don't need to discuss it with the car hire company on arrival. They'll just block the excess amount on your credit card.
    if you have to pay for damage, claim it back on the insurance policy.

    Thanks. Presumably they will try to sell me this (at a higher rate than I can get in advance in the UK) so it will be difficult to avoid discussion of it with them?
  • EveryWhere
    EveryWhere Posts: 3,249 Forumite
    itm2 wrote: »
    Thanks. Presumably they will try to sell me this (at a higher rate than I can get in advance in the UK) so it will be difficult to avoid discussion of it with them?

    They may try to sell a waiver, not insurance. Just decline and write Declined Excess Reduction/Extras on the contract before you sign it and they take their copy.
    They might not like it, but it protects you from them trying to add it surreptitiously
  • discat11
    discat11 Posts: 527
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    Enjoy your holiday, we loved Sicily. CDW excess is a must.
  • eDicky
    eDicky Posts: 6,547
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    itm2 wrote: »
    Thanks. Presumably they will try to sell me this (at a higher rate than I can get in advance in the UK) so it will be difficult to avoid discussion of it with them?
    There is nothing to discuss, simply smile and say 'no thanks' to their kind offer of excess waiver, and leave it at that. Don't even mention your separate cover, it's nothing to do with the hire firm.

    Make sure every tiny scratch etc is marked on the damage report before driving away, to reduce the chance of having to make a claim.
    Evolution, not revolution
  • itm2 wrote: »
    We took up the option of car hire when we booked BA flights to Sicily next month. The contract is with Budget (at Catania airport). Since it's been ages since I rented a car in Europe I was wondering if there were any "extras" which I might expect to be upsold when I arrive?

    Presumably it would be advisable to buy excess insurance from a UK provider before I travel? Any other tips?

    The rental inclusions are listed as:
    - Airport/City/Other Surcharge
    - Local Tax
    - Vehicle Registration Fee
    - Fuel Policy Is Full To Full
    - Theft Protection (TP) with an excess of 1,900 Euros
    - Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) with an excess of 1,000 Euros
    - Unlimited Mileage.

    We hired our holiday hire car via our BA flight booking for Spain, the confirmation also included the rental inclusions as above. I was surprised that after returning home we had been charged a £63 surcharge, when I queried it they said it was because we picked the car up at the airport. I raised a complaint. Am I reading the BA paperwork correctly? Surely if it says the surcharge is included in the rental inclusions we shouldn't have been charged? I'd appreciate some advice. Thanks
  • EveryWhere
    EveryWhere Posts: 3,249 Forumite
    wellsu wrote: »
    We hired our holiday hire car via our BA flight booking for Spain, the confirmation also included the rental inclusions as above. I was surprised that after returning home we had been charged a £63 surcharge, when I queried it they said it was because we picked the car up at the airport. I raised a complaint. Am I reading the BA paperwork correctly? Surely if it says the surcharge is included in the rental inclusions we shouldn't have been charged? I'd appreciate some advice. Thanks

    Indeed, they cannot make a charge as it is written as Included. no doubt they'll come up with another reason as for why you were charged.
    Ask for an invoice and then make a Section 75 dispute/claim, with the rental T&C as your evidence.
  • itm2
    itm2 Posts: 1,310
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    So my original question has been rendered partly redundant by the fact that BA have now cancelled my flight - although it's not clear from their email whether the refund which they say they have initiated will include the full cost of the return flights and car rental.
    I have now rebooked with Easyjet/Europcar (at a cost saving of around £130), so I'm hoping Europcar will prove to be reputable. I haven't received any T&Cs for the car hire so far (they weren't provided during the Easyjet booking process), so will need to investigate things further....
  • So I have an additional question - we are going to Majorca and our villa offers free car hire as part of the package. It offers a Basic insurance or an all inclusive, and I am used to the difference being the excess cover, but is it standard for the cover to differ in terms of not covering "scratches, bumps, mirror damage, tyre damage" etc? I assume my excess insurance would not cover me for such items were it to be necessary?
  • mgdavid
    mgdavid Posts: 6,705
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    Europcar are not good!

    They recently took over Goldcar and a little net reading will tell you how absolutely terrible they are, and to avoid at all costs. The Goldcar way of overcharging customers seems to be carried through to Europcar now too.
    The questions that get the best answers are the questions that give most detail....
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