Help welcome for car hire

[Guest]

Hi - we have a Thomas Cook holiday booked for 21 nights this August.

It includes 'free' car hire. Now, I know that we have to top up the insurance etc. This would be £420.

I keep reading that it is cheaper to book a car separately, but I'm not finding anything cheaper than the £420. We have a full size car currently booked with TC, so therefore, is going with the TC the best option for us. It's booked through Alamo.

[Mr Tom Morrow]

I always give advice to check the travel agents price first as sometimes they can work out cheaper. Never with Virgin though!
Funny you should mention Thomas Cook being cheap as this is the second time in two months I have seen that comment.
As long as you are fully covered I would snap their hand off.

[Damn Dirty Ape]

Usually it is cheaper to hire a car from somewhere else than to upgrade to the full insurance but as you have a 21 night stay during the summer then it's unlikely you are going to beat that £420 quote for the insurance top up if you try to hire a fullsize for the same period.

The only other option is to source the insurance top up elsewhere but the general advice given on the dibb is to be very wary of what you would have to pay to Alamo in the event of an accident.

Whatever way you look at it though it's a bit of a racket. A 3 week insurance package costs the same/more than many fully comp annual policies here and I wouldn't exactly say our insurance prices are cheap. It's been said many times on here before that the car isn't exactly free when you have to pay this price to get the necessary insurance.

[petetina]

personally we never take the free car and always get one through uscarhire/

[papamouse]

recommend Andy at Discount Florida Car Hire - hes a dibber and I'm sure he will be along soon - he has one of those Voldemort type spells I think, we do not speak his name, well I do...

[Mr Tom Morrow]

OP. Andy is very good. But I doubt anybody can beat your price for a fully Insured full size car for 3 weeks.

[MariaLynda]

Yea that does seem good for 3 weeks for full size. Would check around though just in case.

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Originally Posted by MariaLynda

Yea that does seem good for 3 weeks for full size. Would check around though just in case.

See more...

Good advice, check, check and then... check again!
I spend my life checking and rechecking prices! Every saving can be applied elsewhere where none sadly exist.

[briant2001]

What about the likes of this company:

insurance4carhire - I don't know them but it would appear that they cover all excesses etc and therefor no need to top up on free car hire?

they're quoting £110 for a year's cover and 25% cashback from Quidco makes it even cheaper

Anyone ever used this type of service?

[Jlo31]

Originally Posted by briant2001

What about the likes of this company:

insurance4carhire - I don't know them but it would appear that they cover all excesses etc and therefor no need to top up on free car hire?

they're quoting £110 for a year's cover and 25% cashback from Quidco makes it even cheaper

Anyone ever used this type of service?

See more...

Yes this is definatly the cheapest option of doing it and more hire car excess policies are offering the CDW option and sup liability insurance.

The negatives are
1) a large hold on your credit card,

2) if damage under $2000 you will prob need to pay upfront and claim back at home. (Although larger claims should be dealt directly with the hirer and insurer but I'm sure there will be paperwork involved.

Personally for me though I prefer doing the CDW/sli etc direct with the hire company for the US although I do use the excess policies for Europe.