If you have not purchased excess car insurance before, here are some tips to help you to decide whether the cover is necessary for you, and if so, how you should go about selecting a suitable policy.

Do you need excess car cover?

First you need to decide whether you need excess car cover. The answer to this question depends on what the maximum is that you are prepared to pay for damage to the car that is subject to the main policy. It is not unusual for the excess in rental car policies to be over £1,500. So if the car is damaged and the repair bill costs £1,450, for example, the driver will have to pay for the whole bill himself. In that situation, had he purchased excess car cover, the excess insurer would have stepped up to pay the bill.

Also, some drivers do not realise that the excess applies to the first portion of any larger claim. So in the example above if the damage repair bill had come to £2,000, the driver would still have to pay the first £1,500, with the main insurer typically picking up the remaining £500. Again, if the driver has excess car insurance, the excess insurer would pay the first £1,500 and the main insurer the final £500.

Have your details to hand

When you are searching for excess car cover, have all of your details to hand including the age make and registration number of the hire car, and the names and drivers’ numbers of the people who will be driving it. You may be asked to fill in an online questionnaire so that the insurer can give you an accurate quote.

Get a number of quotes

Getting a number of quotes allows you to compare the prices, and gives you a feel for what the market rate for excess cover is. Do not be afraid to ask whether the price quoted is the best rate available.

How long do you need the cover?

Excess insurance providers can be really flexible in the lengths of the policies they offer. Some even offer a daily rate, in case you are really unsure about how much longer you will need the hire car.

Check that the insurance schedules meet your requirements

When you receive a draught policy to check, make sure that it meets you needs. For example, if you are hiring a car in Spain but wish to drive to France, check that the policy will continue to cover you if you cross the border.

Another issue to watch out for is the identity of the driver stated on the policy. If there is more than one of you who intends to do the driving, make sure that all of the drivers’ names appear on the hire documents, the main car rental insurance papers, and the excess car insurance details.

Update insurer if there is a change

As with any other insurance policy, the excess car insurance cover is only valid as long as its details are correct. So if you change cars, drivers or countries, make sure that you notify the insurer. Otherwise, the provider could claim that the policy is invalid if you make a claim on the wrong information.