Only 37% Of Motorists Take Out Excess Insurance When Hiring A Car – AA Ireland

Research carried out by AA Ireland has found that 1 in 3 motorists are planning on hiring a car while abroad this year, but only 37% of the motorists have taken out excess insurance when hiring a car in the past. Reasons identified for this were cost and lack of necessity.

The research, which was conducted through an AA Travel Insurance survey of over 7,000 motorists, also revealed that 10.53% of motorists who have previously hired a car abroad either paid for damage that they disputed having caused or felt that they were pressured to pay for damage by the car provider.

“While many of us ignore excess insurance because we’re trying to save money where we can when it comes to our holiday, going without it can leave you at the mercy of car hire companies who may over-charge you for insurance or pressure you to pay for damage you never caused to the vehicle,”Conor Faughnan, Director of Consumer Affairs stated. “When hiring a car abroad it’s important to document any existing damage to the car before you leave the dealer, while also remembering to do your research when it comes to your insurance options. Having cover in place before you ever leave the country allows you to save some extra money while also having peace of mind so you can truly enjoy your holiday.

Just under 10% of motorists revealed that the reason they didn’t take out excess insurance was that they didn’t feel it was a necessity, while 8% stated that excess insurance was too expensive to take out on top of car hire.

“Based on market research many car rental companies can charge up to €28 a day for excess insurance and for many, particularly having already spent a large amount of their hard-earned cash on their holiday, this just isn’t affordable,” Faughnan added. “Having recently entered the excess insurance market we are providing Irish holidaygoers the chance to take out excess cover with a known brand at an affordable price. Not only does this give them additional peace of mind when hiring a car while abroad, but our product also covers misfuels as well as your personal possessions meaning there will be no bumps on the road with a hired car.”