Being ripped off for car insurance upgrades - Virgin Holidays

[infuze]

We booked our holiday to Florida last year for travel at end of September 2021. Booked fly-drive with Virgin Holidays and managed to get a good price with upgraded seating.
I did some more digging into the booking and noticed that we had only purchased the basic insurance for the car hire (my fault for not checking). The website used to let you upgrade via the website and at Christmas time, the price to upgrade was roughly £320. Now when you go on the website to upgrade you are no longer given a price but instead given a number to call to discuss the upgrade. After I failed at getting through via calls I messaged them with the WhatsApp feature. The response is attached. They are charging £600 to upgrade the insurance to fully comp for 13 days!

Am I over reacting to this or are they totally trying to rip me off and recover more of the money they lost out on last year?

[catherinesian]

That sounds extortionate!

I must admit I nearly booked a virgin package, as we booked the hotel through VH, but in the end went with BA and added on a car with full insurance and an extra drive for £300 on top of the flight cost- for 13 days. So it really sounds like they are trying to rip you off here. Can you get 3rd party insurance upgrade?

[mick]

You've sadly already realised what they do and I can't turn the clock back with belated advice.

Virgin fly drive are unfortunately well known on here for their including criminally low car insurance. You really must have CDW with no excess and $1m SLI cover.

Send an email to Andy at DFCH and ask for his best prices. If he can beat the Virgin upgrade cost just ditch the Virgin car.

discountfloridacarhire/

Andy gets tremendous support on here for his prices and customer service.

Mick

[infuze]

Originally Posted by catherinesian

That sounds extortionate!

I must admit I nearly booked a virgin package, as we booked the hotel through VH, but in the end went with BA and added on a car with full insurance and an extra drive for £300 on top of the flight cost- for 13 days. So it really sounds like they are trying to rip you off here. Can you get 3rd party insurance upgrade?

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I think that will be the route I go down. Either get 3rd party insurance (which I am not too keen on, I always think it could get a little messy) or ditch the car and get one somewhere else!

[infuze]

Originally Posted by mick

You've sadly already realised what they do and I can't turn the clock back with belated advice.

Virgin fly drive are unfortunately well known on here for their including criminally low car insurance. You really must have CDW with no excess and $1m SLI cover.

Send an email to Andy at DFCH and ask for his best prices. If he can beat the Virgin upgrade cost just ditch the Virgin car.

discountfloridacarhire/

Andy gets tremendous support on here for his prices and customer service.

Mick

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Perfect thank you, I will have a look into this. Never again will I book fly-drive!

[mick]

Originally Posted by infuze

Perfect thank you, I will have a look into this. Never again will I book fly-drive!

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First of all can I say that you're safe with BA fly drive. Their cars through Avis and Budget are fully insured. Just watch Virgin and Tui dubious sales techniques.

We've hired a car on all of our 37 visits and always take the included insurance. From my experience of what Dibbers post please be wary of taking out 3rd party insurance.

First of all if you take 3rd party CDW scores of Dibbers have said that any minor fender bender will be deemed your fault and they will put a large hold on your CC until the respective insurers agree apportionment of blame - maybe a year.

Secondly a number of Dibbers in my 17 years on here have proudly posted a link to 3rd party cover and it took me a 5 minute word search to find out that it excluded SLI. Extremely expensive toilet paper.

I can't tell you not to take 3rd party cover obviously but please read the T&Cs three times.

You don't want to injure some third party in a crash that was your fault with only $25k SLI - hello bankruptcy

Mick

[catherinesian]

Originally Posted by infuze

Perfect thank you, I will have a look into this. Never again will I book fly-drive!

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As Mick has mentioned, BA flydrives are fab. Includes all the insurances and if you join the Exec club and Avis Preferred schemes (both free) you get a free additional driver.

I tend to find BA beat Virgin flight prices whenever I look anyway, so it's easy to book the flight + car with BA and just pay a deposit. When I looked, Virgin seemed to suck you in with very cheap car hire prices and then wanted £750 to upgrade insurance. I am not a fan of Virgin really, but booked the hotel through them to get free parking as they have a special deal with the hotel.

[infuze]

Update: They have just come back to me on the chat and offered it for £375, there was a confusion on the first price they have given to me apparently.

[mick]

Originally Posted by infuze

Update: They have just come back to me on the chat and offered it for £375, there was a confusion on the first price they have given to me apparently.

See more...

Call me a 75 year old Yorkshire cynic if you like but how amazing that they've suddenly found a better price now you've challenged it.

Don't think Andy could match that as stand alone hire so I guess you must stick with the red jacket brigade.

Assume that you know that Virgin use Alamo and you can check in on line and go straight to the garage A or B and pick your own car. EDIT sorry I assume you're into MCO

I also started a thread about a month ago that the Visitor Toll Pass has started again at MCO. Best toll option of all.

Mick

[Healthcare29]

I booked a BA flight for Oct 21 last year then a few days/weeks later, through BA booked a Budget Car as opposed to a Flydrive booked at the same time, does BA cover all the required Insurance irrespective if you booked a Flydrive or a flight then Car hire through separate BA transations?