What does rental car theft protection cover?
Rental car theft protection, often called a theft waiver, covers the theft of a hire car or damage that results from a theft. It is usually included in the hire price or sold as a separate cover by the rental supplier. However, it almost always comes with an excess, which is the first part of any claim that you pay yourself. So if the car is stolen, you can still face a bill under theft protection alone.
Cars Renta does not sell theft protection or excess cover. It is a comparison site, and the cover is sold by the rental supplier or by a booking partner such as DiscoverCars.
Is the excess still payable after a theft?
Yes. Theft protection limits what you owe, but it does not remove the excess. Excess insurance is a separate policy that pays back the excess you have paid to the rental company after a theft or damage claim. One source notes that theft excesses can be larger than damage excesses, and gives an example of a family car with a theft excess of £3,000 in Italy.
What does theft protection not cover?
The source pages do not set out a full list of theft exclusions for the basic waiver in the hire price. Three points are clear from them:
- The excess. You pay it, unless you hold separate excess cover.
- Keys. Replacement keys are not part of the basic waiver. The RAC's excess policy offers cover for replacement keys only as an optional add-on. The sources give no limit or conditions for that add-on.
- Belongings. The sources do not say whether personal belongings in a stolen car are covered. One page lists a question about Personal Effects Cover but gives no answer. Check the supplier's policy wording before you assume belongings are covered.
What does an excess policy exclude?
The exclusions below come from the RAC's car hire excess policy. Other providers' policies will differ, so read the wording of the policy you are buying. The RAC policy does not cover:
- vehicles hired without comprehensive insurance
- any claim or payment where the terms of the rental agreement were not met
- vehicles more than 10 years old, or valued over £100,000
- interior damage, other than in the event of a collision
- hires in countries or areas where the government advises against travel
- fines and penalties
- campervans and motorhomes, unless the separate extension is bought
The policy also applies only to drivers named on the rental agreement, and the policyholder must be the main hirer.
How is excess insurance different from theft protection?
| Theft protection (in the hire price) | Excess insurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sells it | Rental supplier or booking partner | An insurer or broker, such as the RAC's policy arranged with Cover-More Insurance Services Ltd |
| What it does | Limits what you owe after a theft or damage | Pays back the excess you paid |
| Whether you pay the excess | Yes, at the desk | You pay first, then claim it back if accepted |
| Keys | Not stated in the sources | Replacement keys available as an optional add-on (RAC) |
Excess insurance is also different from a collision damage waiver (CDW). A CDW means you do not pay the full cost of damage in an accident, but you still pay an excess. Excess insurance covers that excess.
How does an excess claim work?
On the RAC policy, you pay the excess to the rental company and then start a claim online. If the claim is accepted, the excess you paid is refunded. The RAC policy has a single-incident limit of £7,500. If the excess is higher than that, you pay the difference yourself.
Other terms on the RAC policy:
- Cover is available to UK residents aged 25 to 80.
- Named drivers on the rental agreement are covered automatically, up to nine.
- No refund is offered once you have made a claim.
Check the current terms before you buy
The source pages are not dated, so the figures above may have changed. Read the current policy wording, including the excess limit, keys and belongings, before you buy. Cover is sold by the supplier or booking partner, so you will need to check those terms there. You can read more about how Cars Renta works on the about page.
Frequently asked questions
If my rental car is stolen, do I still have to pay anything?
Usually, yes. Theft protection almost always carries an excess, which is the first part of the claim you pay yourself. Excess insurance can pay that amount back if the claim is accepted, but only if you hold a policy that covers theft.
Does excess insurance cover replacement keys?
The RAC policy offers replacement keys as an optional add-on. The source does not give the limit, price or conditions, so check the policy wording before you buy.
Is excess insurance the same as a collision damage waiver?
No. A collision damage waiver means you do not pay the full cost of damage in an accident, but you still pay an excess. Excess insurance covers that excess.
Key takeaways
- Rental car theft protection covers the theft of the hire car and damage caused by theft, but it almost always carries an excess that the renter pays.
- Excess insurance is a separate policy that reimburses the excess paid after a theft or damage claim, and it is sold by an insurer or the booking partner, not by Cars Renta.
- The RAC's excess policy excludes vehicles over 10 years old or valued over £100,000, interior damage outside a collision, fines and penalties, and campervans unless an extension is bought.
- Replacement keys are an optional add-on on the RAC policy, and the sources do not say whether personal belongings are covered under theft protection.
- The RAC's excess policy has a £7,500 single-incident limit, and the source pages are undated, so check current terms before buying.
