Is the car rental insurance included in the rental price? This is one of the most common question what people ask before they want to book a car in Dublin or Ireland. Third party liability insurance, theft waiwer (TW) and collision damage waiwer most likely included in the price. You can also purchase or decline extra insurance (SCDW) it is your choice.
CDW: Collision Damage Waiver is an insurance what is usually included in the price. Car rental companies make you pay for an excess also known as deductible if you have an accident or the car is stolen, this could be between €900 – €2,000 depending on the car category. If you are living and renting from the US in the a “basic” price option CDW is not included.
Super CDW (Super Collision Damage Waiver): If you pay an extra at the rental desk you can reduce or remove the excess so if there is an accident you pay nothing or only a reduced excess amount. Usually all part of the car is covered with this accept tires, undercarriage and windshields. SCDW can cost from €10 to €20 a day depending on car type and the rental company.
Let’s see what are your car rental insurance options at Dublin Airport, in Ireland.
First Option: Drive your rental car with basic CDW
You can drive away with basic CDW insurance, quotes usually includes the CDW insurance or as also known loss damage waiver (LDW). If the vehicle is damaged or stolen you will be covered for the most cost of repairing the rental car. However you still have to pay up to the excess amount.
For example, at Dublin Airport your liability (excess) would be €900-2000 depends on the size of the rented car.
Good: you can save €10-20/day by decline SCDW insurance.
Bad: if you had an accident you could end up paying up to €2000.
Second Option: Buy extra insurance from the car rental company at pick up
As a car hire client you can purchase additional (SCDW) insurance from the car rental desk. It could cost €10-€20/day in Ireland. But be aware they have two different products which you can choose from. One is the “Damage excess reduction”: which reduces your cexcess to €100-€195. The second one is the “Complete cover package” which fully removes the excess.
Good: Peace of mind driving so if anything happens with the rental car, your liability is reduced further or completely removed.
Bad: SCDW insurance can cost more than the original daily rental price and sometimes it won’t cover glass and tires damage.
Third Option: Purchase car hire excess reimbursement insurance online
You can purchase independent car hire excess insurance online from €2.99/day. If you rent cars more often, there is a possibility to buy annual car hire excess policy for only €65/year. Which is a better choice when you rent 14 days or more under 365 days.
These days there are many online insurance companies on the market whose core business is the provision of car rental excess insurance. Insurance4carhire invented the products and more followed them (Questor, Icarhireinsurance, Mondial) offering more options for the clients. These product can cover you not only for the total amount of excess for which you are liable if the rental car is damaged or stolen, but also for damage to the roof and undercarriage of the car, windows and tyres, loss of keys, misfueling and even your bags in the car.
The policy can be used with any car hire company and any car. It covers the policy holder and all additional drivers named in the rental agreement, offers full protection against the excess charges (up to €3000).
Good: it offers you convenience, peace of mind and significant savings with the daily prices starting from €2.99 a day.
Bad: In case of an accident you deal with a third party (insurance company) not with the company directly. The car rental company will charge your credit card by the amount of excess which will be paid back by the online insurance company. Which usually takes 7-14days.
Fourth Option: Credit card rental car CDW cover (citizen of the USA)
Certain credit cards (ie. Mastercard Platinum) may cover car loss and damage in Ireland while others may not. Please confirm with your credit card company directly and also with the car hire company before picking up your rental car at Dublin Airport. It is also advisable to confirm it for security when you arrive to collect your rental car because some rental company will ask for a confirmation letter from your credit card company. Please note: If you decline CDW and using a credit card coverage you may ask to leave a security deposit which is between €2000 to €15000 depending on the company.
Good: Save a lot. You don’t have to purchase additonal rental car insurance because your credit card covers you.
Bad: it may not cover every damage, very high deposit, administration fee, and currency conversion fee.
Consider these options before you book a car in Dublin , at Dublin Airport or anywhere in Ireland.
For further information on car rental insurances in Dublin, please visit: excessinsuranceforcarhire.com/reviews
