Car hire and purchase your insurance via a 3rd party

JDT2019 · 14 Jun 18, 11:14 PM

Hi, has anyone done this, we have booked via Thomas Cook so hire is with Alamo. I have emailed them and they will accept the cover I can get, said there are no taxes or excess to pay so long as my cover includes excess cover, CDW, SLI breakdown etc (I thought there would be - taxes and excess).
� even asked about what's happens in event of accident, and they said, they work with the 3rd party.
I have this all by email. Has anyone done this and it's all be fine, or the opposite and awful, just want to know all the facts first, before I decide what to do.
Anyone know what the excess might be if they do insist on one?

Gryff · 14 Jun 18, 11:19 PM

We've hired cars for over 23 years wouldn't even consider this I'd rather just not pick up the "free" car and arrange our own car hire after hearing the hassle folks have at the hire desk when you are tired after a long flight sign contracts without reading them fully and issues with replacement cars if you have an accident and months of correspondence with insurance company's
Just not worth the hassle for us

Mr Tom Morrow · 15 Jun 18, 06:30 AM

OP. Very well summed up by Gryff.
Most of us wont touch this UK based Insurance and it's not as clear cut as Alamo have told you.

There will be circa �100 to pay for the following:-
Customer Facility Charge 3.50/day
Priv Fee Recov Chg 10 Pct (10.0%)
Tire Battery Fee .02 Day
Florida Surcharge 2.00/day
Vehicle License Fee .75/day
Sales Tax (6.5%)
Plus some minor amounts for enviromental issues.

Also there is no excess cover needed with US rentals as unlike Europe et al there is no excess to pay.

But, and there is always a but! For a minor bump and I mean a few thousand they will hit your credit card for the repair and you then have to deal with the UK Insurer to recover your costs.
Also they are not obliged to replace the car following a bump until they have confirmation that their costs are being repaid. That could take a while!

Other Members of this site have had experience of having a car trashed and being in a new vehicle in under an hour and the damaged car heading off on a low loader. That assurance is priceless in my view.

However other members have and do go this UK based route but in 41 years of renting out there I wont touch it sorry.

I will get this thread moved to the Car Forum for you.

15 Jun 18, 06:30 AM	#3
	15 Jun 18, 06:30 AM Mr Tom Morrow Imagineer
Mr Tom Morrow Imagineer Join Date: Jul 14 Location: The Tiki Room. theDIBB Guidebook Pages Created: 3	OP. Very well summed up by Gryff. Most of us wont touch this UK based Insurance and it's not as clear cut as Alamo have told you. There will be circa �100 to pay for the following:- Customer Facility Charge 3.50/day Priv Fee Recov Chg 10 Pct (10.0%) Tire Battery Fee .02 Day Florida Surcharge 2.00/day Vehicle License Fee .75/day Sales Tax (6.5%) Plus some minor amounts for enviromental issues. Also there is no excess cover needed with US rentals as unlike Europe et al there is no excess to pay. But, and there is always a but! For a minor bump and I mean a few thousand they will hit your credit card for the repair and you then have to deal with the UK Insurer to recover your costs. Also they are not obliged to replace the car following a bump until they have confirmation that their costs are being repaid. That could take a while! Other Members of this site have had experience of having a car trashed and being in a new vehicle in under an hour and the damaged car heading off on a low loader. That assurance is priceless in my view. However other members have and do go this UK based route but in 41 years of renting out there I wont touch it sorry. I will get this thread moved to the Car Forum for you. __________________ "PAGING MR MORROW, MR TOM MORROW..." ''I drink Wine and know things'' DVC Owners at SSR since 2003. Multiple annual visits to America since 1976 Edited at 06:31 AM.