About to rent a campervan or motorhome? Taking out an excess insurance policy for your campervan hire may just save you a nasty financial shock.
You’re dreaming of getting away from it all, hitting the road, getting out in the countryside. Who can blame you? There is something really invigorating about being out in the fresh air, surrounded by green space and wildlife.
As much as it is preferable to focus on the itinerary of your upcoming trip, other necessities must also be considered before you hit the road.
Let’s face it, the topic of campervan rental excess insurance is likely to be met with a groan. Granted, it’s not exciting but neither is a damage bill in your name for £1,000 or more. That’s likely to be met with an even bigger groan.
All campervan and motorhome hire must come with a level of insurance, but what that cover includes will vary.
What you can do as a campervan hirer is make sure you are fully covered, belts and braces, before you sign your rental agreement.
What is campervan rental excess insurance?
Excess insurance is an insurance policy that you can take out on top of the insurance policy that is part of your campervan hire. It pays for some or all of the insurance excess in the event of a claim.
Excess insurance on a campervan or motorhome hire reduces your personal financial liability from whatever the agreed security deposit amount is (often £1,000) to as little as £150, depending on the provider
Jargon note: excess insurance can be known by different names, including Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and liability insurance.
Standard motorhome hire insurance
It would be nice to have one policy that takes care of all the risk, but sadly that’s not how it works.
Whether you are hiring a campervan or motorhome from a commercial hire firm or renting from a private owner, having adequate insurance in place is essential.
Insurers gauge the risks of hire and clearly outline what they are and aren’t prepared to cover, based on the perceived risk profile.
The risk of damage to a hire vehicle is greater than one you own. Accidental damage can occur as a result of a lack of familiarity with the dimensions and handling of a vehicle on and off the road.
Outside of driver-caused damage are vandalism, theft, and lack of care from other drivers. Unfortunately, these are circumstances largely out of your control.
Campervan hire insurance exclusions
Certain kinds of damage or expense are often excluded from standard vehicle hire insurance policies. This is because they are particularly vulnerable to damage or loss. These can include:
- Windscreen
- Tyres
- Roof
- Underbody
- Internal damage
- Misfuelling
- Loss of keys
Excess insurance will cover you up to the agreed security deposit amount on your rental agreement. The campervan hire insurance policy provided with the hire will cover any additional cost over that amount, subject to any exclusions.
Why buy campervan rental excess insurance?
The main benefit in choosing to purchase campervan rental insurance is to reduce your personal financial risk should the worst happen.
As previously mentioned, it might not be as a result of you the hirer that damage occurs. Just as often, vehicle damage occurs via a third party.
From a liability perspective, the buck stops with you, the hirer.
Insurance excess amounts are commonly set at £1,000 to £2,000 for hiring a campervan or motorhome; they are expensive and luxury vehicles.
Damage repairs to these specialist vehicles can be very costly. Suddenly, the cost of your holiday just doubled.
By factoring in a small extra ‘security’ amount to your hire, you can reduce this liability to as little as £150 depending on the provider. £150 is much easier to swallow than £1,000 for sure.
You’ll need to buy an excess reduction policy specifically tailored to campervans or motorhomes. This is because motorhome hire carries a different risk profile than standard car hire.
Campervan rental excess insurance providers
The following table lists the leading providers of campervan excess reduction insurance policies in the UK.
We’ve included guide prices are and the reduced excess amounts. The criteria we selected for the premium quotations were:
- Drivers – 2
- Region – UK/Europe
- Vehicle – Motorhome/campervan
- Length of trip – 7 days
Motorhome hire excess insurance premiums
| Excess Insurer | Premium Cost | Policy Excess |
|---|---|---|
| iCarHireInsurance* | £72.98 | £0 |
| RAC* | £72.98 | £0 |
| Questor Insurance | £56.92 | £350 |
| RentalCover | £106.56 (motorhome) £91.33 (campervan) | £0 |
| WorldWide Insurance | £63.00 | £350 |
| InsureCarHire | £11.64 | £500 |
Some of the private campervan rental websites or motorhome hire companies will have excess reduction policies as an added option to purchase when you sign your rental agreement.
Ask for the details of their policy and compare with one of the market leaders in the above table. How does the cover compare? Is the pricing competitive?
What is covered under a campervan rental excess insurance policy?
The following points are common in these types of policies. Always familiarise yourself with the small print to know exactly what you are and are not covered for.
Typical coverage features
- Cover up to £2,500 to cover the security deposit amount on the rental agreement
- Includes cover for windscreens, tyres, roof and underbody damage.
- Loss of use
- Towing fees
- Vehicles up to £75,000 in value
- Hire agreements up to 45 days in length
- Loss of keys
- Misfuelling
- Covers vehicles with a maximum of 9 seats
Common exclusions
- Not valid if a hire has already commenced
- The first £350 of a claim (the excess on this policy – although £0 excess policies are available)
- Interior damage
- Third party death, injury or property damage
- Off road trails or safari
- Breaches of the rental agreement
Eligibility
To be eligible to take out campervan rental excess insurance cover in the UK, you typically have to meet the following criteria:
- Between 21-84 years of age.
- Hold a valid driving licence for the country in which you are travelling.
- A resident of the UK or an EEA country at the time of policy purchase.
Should you take out excess insurance for campervan hire?
At the end of the day, campervan hire excess insurance offers you, as a hirer, peace of mind. If something unexpected and costly happens, you’re covered.
It is yet another expense to add to your trip budget but it is often worth having for your trip so the unforeseen doesn’t spoil what should be a fantastic holiday.
Further reading:
Private Campervan Hire (How to Rent Someone Else’s Campervan)