Car hire excess insurance martin lewis

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) is included as standard in the Worldwide Car Hire Excess Insurance policy, whether it's an Annual or Daily policy. It applies on trips around the USA and Canada, as well as the Caribbean, South and Central America.

How does excess insurance work? In the event you are charged an excess after handing back your rental vehicle, you will need to pay this up front to the rental company. In most cases, the rental company will simply deduct this amount from your rental deposit.

For a standard car this is usually between $3,000 and $5,000. It is common for car hire companies to try and upsell you a hefty daily fee that will reduce your excess to around $300. The good news is there are better ways to reduce your excess liability.