Any Westpac card with rental car excess protection?

albatross710 · #1 (**permalink**) 29th January 2008, 06:04 PM

Is there a Wetspac card that offers rental car excess protection?

The "55 Day Gold MasterCard or Visa" lists "FREE Transport Accident Insurance2" . Calling the call centre confirmed this was only covering you when travelling on public transport.

Would be interested to know if Westpac has embraced excess reduction cover on any of their card offers.

albatross710 · #2 (**permalink**) 29th January 2008, 06:09 PM

Made some progress. The Altitude Platinum says:

Quote:

Rental Vehicle Excess Insurance

Quote:

Never pay for car rental excess reduction again. We'll cover the cost of any excess up to $5,500 as long as you take out comprehensive insurance cover from the rental car company.

I'll go and sit on hold again and find out what they mean by "take out comprehensive insurance cover".

alien · #3 (**permalink**) 29th January 2008, 07:25 PM

I'm certain they mean that you have to take our the maximum insurance coverage available by the hire company to bring the excess to a minimum.

drron · #4 (**permalink**) 29th January 2008, 08:26 PM

Yes make absolutely sure you understand the fine print.Read it all and then email the insurer to make sure your understanding is correct.Witrh rental car insurance it often means taking all insurance you are offered by the rental company and that is often exorbitant.Also several insurers in their general exclusions have an exclusion if in any mechanically propelled vehicle and that can exclude any rental car liability.Caveat Emptor.

alien · #5 (**permalink**) 29th January 2008, 08:49 PM

I know when I use Hertz I pay $19 per day for full comprehensive insurance cover with no excess to pay for any damage.

rwatts · #6 (**permalink**) 29th January 2008, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alien

I know when I use Hertz I pay $19 per day for full comprehensive insurance cover with no excess to pay for any damage.

Our business travel Hertz CDP has a CDW excess of only a couple of hundred dollars and the leisure travel CDP is only a few hundred more. I'm prepared to self insure for an amount like that and it definitely influences my usage of Hertz where possible.

I just wish I could get a simple, black and white answer about rental excess reduction cover for the other times.

Richard.

albatross710 · #7 (**permalink**) 29th January 2008, 10:02 PM

As rwatts has said "self insuring". I've been doing that on my rentals for the past few years.

I read a couple of other threads here about "excess" horror stories which were flashing through my mind while driving my Avis rental around Sydney last week.

If I can find a card, preferably Westpac, which will genuinely provide cover and still avoid the daily AVIS charge then I'd be much happier.

Touch wood, haven't had an acident or insurance claim in 25 years of driving so I guess I'm ahead....but it's the other drivers I'm worried about.

Mal · #8 (**permalink**) 29th January 2008, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by albatross710

I read a couple of other threads here about "excess" horror stories which were flashing through my mind while driving my Avis rental around Sydney last week.

You mean posts like mine here?:

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/comm...-car-9201.html (Gentle warning about Rental car excesses.)

It's not an experience I want to go through again. Took me around 2 1/2 months in total to resolve, and the rental company involved held around $1000 of my cash during that time. In the end, the total amount held was refunded to me and I didn't need to activate any travel insurance or other claim mechanisms.

albatross710 · #9 (**permalink**) 29th January 2008, 10:38 PM

yep, that's the thread that was flashing through my mind as I was cruising down the left hand lane of the Princess Highway through Rockdale when the driver of a parked car opened his door and left it open for longer than I expected. I had no wriggle room but in the end missed him andhis door.

Mal · #10 (**permalink**) 29th January 2008, 10:56 PM

I'll weigh into this thread properly now.

Hertz NT have a $1100 excess on 4WD's, plus $4400 additional excess if it's a single vehicle accident. This is after applying all available removal of excess options from them.

If you have no reduction in liability, the amount is $4400 (plus $4400 if a single vehicle accident - a total of $8800!)

(They also have a piece of paper you must sign before renting that has further conditions including full liability for damage caused by collision with animals between dusk and dawn).

www.hertznt.com/terms/insurance.htm gives details about the liability (but not the additional conditions) and the website is down at the moment. I believe Thrifty for example has similar conditions.

What I'm trying to say is you really need to be sure your insurance will cover you for the amount you are required to pay in an accident situation. Excesses can add up to big $!