Car Rental with Deductible Coverage

If you’re looking for a rental car with us, you can check the “Excess Coverage” box in the filter system. This will show you only cars for rent where the excess is covered. But what does that actually mean? And do you still have to pay a deposit? We’ll explain it below.

What is the deductible when renting a car?

A rental car comes with standard insurance coverage: collision insurance, theft insurance, and liability insurance. These are always included in the price with us. Collision and theft insurance have an excess: the maximum amount you’re responsible for paying if you return the rental car with (new) damage or if the car is stolen.

For example: the damage to the rental car amounts to 600 euros, and the deductible for the collision coverage is 400 euros. In that case, you’ll have to pay the 400 euros yourself, and the insurance will cover the remaining 200 euros.

That deductible can be quite high, depending on factors such as the car class, the country where you’re renting the car, and the local rental company. The deductible can range from hundreds to thousands of euros. You can see how high the deductible is for a specific car by clicking on the “Rental Terms” link . Do you want a low deposit and therefore a lower deductible? Then set a maximum deposit amount in our search system, and you’ll only see rental cars with a deposit up to that amount.

Nothing is more annoying than having to pay a lot of extra money to repair damage after a great road trip in a rental car. That’s where “excess coverage” comes in: a fantastic solution to help you enjoy a worry-free vacation!

How does renting a car with excess coverage work?

If you’ve caused damage or if the rental car has been stolen, contact the local rental company immediately. They’ll tell you what to do next (for example, contact the local police if they aren’t already on the scene). When you return the rental car, the rental company will deduct the cost of repairing the damage from your security deposit and refund any remaining balance. In most cases, you’ll need to pay these costs upfront. Be sure to ask the rental company for a damage report. If you send us that report, along with the rental agreement, the police report, and the credit card statement showing the charge, we’ll refund your advance payment as soon as possible.

The voucher you receive by email after booking a rental car also explains exactly what to do if you experience damage or theft.

Do you find it annoying to still have to pay an advance in the event of damage? Then choose a car with no deductible at all. Keep in mind, however, that the rental price for those cars is higher. You can see exactly how much the difference is by comparing cars with different deductible coverage options in our system.

Rental Car Deposit and Deductible Coverage

Many people confuse these terms and mix up the deductible with the security deposit that’s held on your credit card when you rent a car.

“Excess coverage” includes everything covered by damage or theft insurance. So if you had to pay (part of) the excess, we’ll always refund that amount to you.

But the security deposit covers more: for example, if you return the rental car with too little fuel in the tank, the rental company will charge you for it and deduct that amount from your security deposit before releasing the remainder. The same applies if you receive a traffic ticket during the rental period, such as for a speeding violation. You’ll, of course, always have to pay those costs yourself.

Is excess coverage included with Worry-Free rental cars?

If you check the box next to “Excess Coverage,” you’ll mainly see rental cars with the Worry-Free label, but not exclusively. For example, some rental cars do have excess coverage but do not offer unlimited mileage. And the latter is one of the requirements for the Worry-Free label, just like a favorable fuel policy. Additionally, rental cars with the Worry-Free label always come from companies with high customer satisfaction ratings.

In other words: the Worry-Free label covers more than just the deductible. Most rental cars with that label also include insurance for damage to the roof, undercarriage, windows, and tires—parts of a rental car that are typically excluded from standard insurance. And with such a car, you can drive as much as you want. So there’s every reason to choose Worry-Free: everything is taken care of, you don’t have to worry about a thing, and you’re headed for a carefree vacation!

Why not offer only rental cars with excess coverage?

Only you can decide what makes you feel comfortable, which is why you can search for a rental car with us that’s perfectly suited to you. We don’t force anything on you; instead, we offer you many options through our extensive filter system so you can find exactly the rental car you’re looking for. The choice of whether or not to include excess coverage is one of those options. This makes it very easy to see the difference between a rental car with and without coverage. That’s not possible on some other car rental comparison sites. They’ve already made the choice for you, and you’re stuck with it. Not so with EasyTerra—we give you the choice!

We do want to urge you to think very carefully about that deductible. Don’t want to buy it out? Fine, but be prepared for the (often very persuasive) sales pitches at the rental counter. The agent will try to convince you to buy out that deductible after all. You’ll need to stand your ground. If you give in, the “offer” from the local rental company is always more expensive than if you’d arranged it in advance.

You’ll be in a much stronger position if you’ve reserved a rental car with the Worry-Free label. Then everything is taken care of, and you can confidently turn down all the “offers” from the local rental agent. No matter how persuasive the counter agent is, you know your deductible is covered by us. Really.