What should I do at the rental desk?

 

Renting a car overseas? Sort out your RentalCover before you go, and you’ll be covered for more at a better price†. Protection products may differ based on where you live and where you’re going, so choose your destination from the country list below and we’ll help you compare a typical rental car company policy to what you’d get with RentalCover.

 

Popular destinations

Australia    Canada    China    France   Germany   

Italy   Japan     Mexico   UK    US       

Other destinations

 

We provide you with rental protection and we partner with dozens of booking agents who are responsible for your car rental.

To make changes to your car booking, the contact details for our partners are below. 

Read this article for step-by-step instructions on how to cancel or modify your RentalCover Protection.

RentalCover provides rental protection and our partners are responsible for the rentals (a lot of our partners have very similar names to RentalCover, so it’s easy to get us mixed up).
This means that for most customers we also handle cancellations and other changes on RentalCover. Read this article for step-by-step instructions on how to cancel or modify your RentalCover Protection.

The first major difference is that rentals in the US do not always include CDW at the time of booking (as explained in our Rental Guides, CDW - or Collision Damage Waiver - waives most of the rental car damages in the event of an accident). Instead it is available at the rental desk. This is because Americans (and Canadians) are covered by their own car insurance (in most other countries car insurance is tied to the vehicle rather than a driver). RentalCover's CDW is available for Americans and visitors to the US and is equivalent to those sold at the desk, for up to 50% less.†

Secondly, CDW policies are typically zero - or low-excess (called a "deductible" in the US), meaning the amount to pay in the event of an accident is smaller than other countries if you have CDW. Our "Extra Protection for USA" covers that amount for US visitors and also includes roadside assistance, which is also at the rental desk for up to 50% extra cost.†.

Thirdly, if you have an accident in the US and are found to be at fault, you are liable if there are damages to other vehicles or injuries to other people. Unfortunately, those costs can be significant because rental companies are only required to carry a small amount of third-party liability cover for their vehicles (the amount differs from state to state). Supplemental Liability Insurance ("SLI") mitigates the third-party liability risk. Equivalent options are available for US residents and visitors alike and are sold by rental companies and RentalCover. 

US rental cars typically have a lower excess (called a 'deductible' in the US).  

it is not mandatory for car owners (i.e. the rental companies) to insure hired cars nor is it mandatory for them to insure the drivers against third-party personal & property damage (this is called "Liability Insurance" or "Supplementary Liability Insurance"), nor personal injury to the driver (called "Personal Accident Insurance"). Those responsibilities fall to the renter. This is not the case in the EU, Australia, NZ and most other countries so it is important that you understand the options and purpose of each insurance product that you will be offered by the rental companies! The other main difference to other countries is that the rental companies do not offer "Super CDW", "Super LDW" or equivalent "premium" insurance products. When sold in Europe and most of the World, these products are designed to reduce your excess towards zero from an amount that is usually between €/£/$1,000-4,000. In the US all rentals are sold with either the renter being liable for the full amount of the vehicle, or there is zero deductible excess: there's nothing in between! Our "Extra Cover for USA" fills the considerable "out of pocket" costs that still remain even when there is no deductible excess.

CDW/LDW

SLI (Supplementary Liability Insurance)

Theft Protection

PAI (Personal Accident Insurance)

Roadside Assistance

You can benefit from our popular American primary insurance plan called "Collision Damage Insurance".

Using RentalCover.com offers you damage protection without touching your personal auto plan. So if you make a damage claim you can rest easy, knowing that there’s no deductible to pay from your personal plan and the rates on your plan won’t increase!

We give a further rundown on the benefits in this article.

The following information is for US visitors only. In most other countries, renters are not liable for injury or damages to  other vehicles. Please refer to our Rental Guides for more information.

Supplementary Liability Insurance (SLI) protects you against injuries you may cause to other drivers and damage to their vehicles. In some countries this "third party" protection is compulsorily provided by the vehicle owner, i.e. the rental companies. However in the US, rental cars have minimal third-party liability, meaning the driver is potentially liable for injuries to other people and their property.

If you are renting in the US you will be offered SLI (also called Accident Liability Insurance/ALI or LIS or Renter Liability Protection) by the rental company, which will normally provide $1,000,000 coverage. SLI is also available on RentalCover. Prices at the rental desk can be up to 50% higher.†

How much protection is needed?

Rental companies typically provide the minimum amount of third-party coverage required by each state, which can be quite low. SLI, including that offered by RentalCover tops up that minimum, up to $1,000,000.

 

	Coverage included with a rental, as determined by state law
State	Individual	Multiple Persons	Property
California	$15,000	$30,000	$5,000
Florida	$10,000	$20,000	$10,000
Nevada	$15,000	$30,000	$10,000
New York	$25,000	$50,000	$10,000
Other	$10-50 thous.	$30-100 thous.	$5-25 thous.

 

When am I insured by SLI?

With SLI you would only claim if you were the driver at fault and caused third-party damages and/or injuries. The only exception to this would be if you were deemed by a court to be responsible for a third-party accident even if it is not caused by you directly, though this may vary - please check your wording.

How does the claims process work?

To make an SLI claim you will need to contact the protection provider provided by our claims team. Visit rentalcover.com/claim to get started. 

You will be asked to fill out a statement of claim, and to provide receipts of payment, copies of invoices and police reports as well as other details from the third party showing evidence of damages or injuries sustained).

Please refer to our Rental Guides for more information.

 

Since 2014 we’ve established ourselves as the specialist in car rental protection, with a long list of partners including Booking.com, Rentalcars.com, Rentcars.com, Despegar, VIP Cars, Airportrentals.com and many others choosing RentalCover as their partner for protection. Our prices are up to 50% cheaper^† than what you’ll be offered at the rental desk.

RentalCover Protection includes the following as standard:

Additional drivers Additional drivers are covered free if they are nominated on your rental agreement	Covers what rental companies don't You won’t find things commonly excluded by rental comapnies, such as tyres or windscreens	Zero excess No excess

Timely claim repayments

If you make a claim and it is approved, we will pay you as quickly as possible - on average within three business days.

 

Global protection	Global providers	Payments in your currency
We cover rentals from any rental company globally*	We're backed by top-rated providers	Payable claims are refunded in your local currency

  
 

Want more information? Our Rental Guides explain how everything works.

*Please note that there may be some vehicles that are not covered by the rental plans (e.g. exotic vehicles), as well as rental companies we do not cover.

RentalCover uses full calendar days to calculate your price to ensure you are covered for the full day of pickup and dropoff, regardless of the time, however, partners who sell RentalCover may use a 24-hour clock, meaning an extension of your trip by a few hours leads to an adjustment to cover the extra period.

To shorten or extend your protection please follow these steps:

1. Visit My Account. 

2. Next login. 

3. Lastly, choose your protection and select Extend / Reduce dates. 

Reducing Days
You can only reduce unused days. This means refunds are not available for today and other preceding days. If you reduce the number of days we will refund you the difference to your original payment card. 

Adding Days
If you are extending your dates you will just need to pay the additional amount.
However, you will not be able to extend your protection if the end date has already passed (i.e. you cannot extend your booking if it is January 2, and the protection ends on January 1). If you have extended your rental and need extra protection, please create a new RentalCover booking for the remaining days of your rental.

RentalCover is an alternative to the waivers sold by rental companies (also called "Super Collision Damage Waiver" and various other names) for up to twice the price.†

Your options differ by country - try our Rental Guides for more information.

Here’s a comparison of what you can purchase at the rental desk:

	What you get with RentalCover	What you get at the rental desk
Multi vehicle accidents	✓	✓
Single vehicle accidents	✓	Sometimes
Fire, car theft and vandalism	✓	Sometimes
Towing, lockout & keys	✓	x
Windshield and headlights	✓	x
Tyres and underbody	✓	x
Weather-related damages	✓ Incl. fire, rain, snow etc.	Sometimes
Animal collisions	✓	Sometimes
Road conditions	✓ Inc. gravel, sand, ash etc.	Sometimes
Standard excess / deductible	$0	Up to €/£/$1,000 Excess waivers often do not waive the full excess, meaning there's an excess still to pay
Total cover amount	Covers the excess and damage-related fees charged by rental companies. Refer to your wording.	See rental guides for details
Price per day	50% cheaper than at the rental desk†	$20-$40* per day *Airports surcharge +10-25%†

RentalCover Protection covers cars, 4x4s, motorhomes/RVs, campervans, minibuses and caravans. While cars are available for any destination, we only cover 4x4s, motorhomes/RVs, campervans, minibuses and caravans in selected countries. You can choose your vehicle type on the RentalCover homepage when creating a quote. 

RentalCover does not cover supercars, high-end sports vehicles, motorcycles or quadbikes. For more specific information on what vehicle types are not covered, please refer to this helpful article. 

RentalCover also does not cover vehicle modifications such as bike rack attachments, child seats, additional sleeping berths and more. 

Please note that your vehicle type may depend on the configuration of your vehicle and where you are planning to drive. Please refer to this helpful article for information on what vehicle type to select. 

For specific details on what’s covered and not covered, please view your wording in your RentalCover Account.

Follow the tips below to avoid the hassle and have a safe, stress-free trip. There are more details in our Rental Guides.

1. Your RentalCover Protection is valid and doesn't need to be "recognised"!

If you are told by the rental company that they don’t recognise your RentalCover Protection, just explain that you are covered by RentalCover. Rental companies have "waivers" that compete with RentalCover and are up to twice the price, with many common types of damages excluded.† 

2. But if they refuse to rent you a vehicle...
If the rental company refuses to provide you with a vehicle, you can either:

• ​Try to rent with another company. If their price is higher, you might still save money because of the cheaper RentalCover Protection, or
• Cancel your RentalCover Protection. Instructions for how to login are provided below.

3. Be prepared

Have all required documents ready for your check-in and take a look at your country’s Rental Guide for a detailed overview of the waivers sold by rental companies at your destination.

4. Be confident

In buying protection from us, you have chosen to be covered by a global distributor of protection products with a proven track record of assessing claims in a timely fashion. We have been doing this since 2014 and our customers rate us "excellent" on consumer review website, TrustPilot.

5. If you have questions about the vehicle or need to change your rental booking

We recommend speaking to the rental company about anything relating to your vehicle. If you need to make changes or have a question about your booking, for example, if you need to reduce or increase your rental days, you can manage it via your booking agent. 

When you first visit RentalCover you will need to activate your account. Simply find the RentalCover confirmation SMS or email in your inbox or spam and click the activation link. If you’re having issues, it may be because the email addresses of some Apple users aren’t shared with RentalCover. Instead, you can simply click on the link provided in the confirmation email you received when you purchased RentalCover Protection and update your email address. From your RentalCover Account, you can make a claim, make changes or view your wording.
 

Renting in the US? Please read this article for US-specific information. You can also check our rental guides at any time for more information.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)

CDW (and Loss Damage Waiver, which adds Theft Protection to CDW) is usually included in the rental rate that you see on a website. Note that these “waivers” just reduce your risk from a high amount (similar to the full value of the car) to somewhere between US$/£/€1500 and US$/£/€3000 depending on the car and the rental company. That lowered amount is called the "excess" and it's payable in the event of an accident.

"Super Collision Damage Waiver" (SCDW) and our Full Protection

SCDW (also called "Damage Liability Waiver" and many other names) is sold at the rental desk and it lowers the excess towards $0 (the amount payable can still be as high as US$/£/€500 depending on the rental company, plus other charges for administration fees, towing, loss of use and more). Our "Full Protection" provides equivalent protection up to 50% cheaper†, with $0 to pay in the event of an accident and it also covers the additional accident-related fees charged by rental companies.

Check if your RentalCover Protection requires you to have the rental company's CDW.

We understand that acronyms can be confusing. Learn what the most commonly used terms mean.

CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) 

CDW protects you if there’s damage to your rental however there is usually a remaining excess that can be as high as $7,500. The excess can be waived with SCDW. Read on for more information about how RentalCover works with CDW and SCDW.

SCDW (Super Collision Damage Waiver) 

SCDW is sold outside of the US. It waives the excess that’s payable if you have CDW. RentalCover is designed to do the same thing, for 50% cheaper † than the rental companies’ SCDW.

SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance) - US only
SLI provides coverage for damages or injuries you may cause to another person or their property while operating a rental vehicle.

Excess ("deductible" in the US)​ 

A deductible (or “excess” outside of the US) is the amount payable by you if there’s damage to the rental vehicle. There is a deductible/excess for CDW that is waived by SCDW. RentalCover does not have a deductible/excess.

LDW (Loss Damage Waiver) 

This is the same as CDW but it adds theft and vandalism protection.

Loss of Use, Relocation & Towing Fees

Renters are often charged additional fees by rental companies if the rental requires repairs that keep it off the road (these “loss of use” fees are also called “demurrage”) or if the vehicle is a distance from the intended dropoff location (“relocation fees”) or if there’s costs incurred for towing the vehicle or processing a claim. These are usually payable even if you have CDW and SCDW (i.e. they are “exclusions” in CDW and SCDW). These are covered by RentalCover (i.e. they are “inclusions”).

Administration Fees & Other Charges
 
Rental companies often charge additional fees if there’s damage to the vehicle. These are usually payable even if you have CDW and SCDW. These are covered by RentalCover.
 
Want more information? Our Rental Guides explain how everything works

We work with some of the largest and most respected providers to cover you, no matter where you drive. Our top-rated global panel of insurers include:

Intact Insurance, Lloyds, US Fire, Sompo, Collinson and more.

 

While we make every effort to keep pricing consistent for our customers, multiple factors impact claims. Therefore the price that we charge can vary depending on travel dates, lead times, trip duration, car pricing and any fees charged (e.g. brokerage fees, booking fees, etc.). 

If you’re purchasing from one of our partners and the price is different to what’s listed on the RentalCover website, we have no control over our partners’ pricing and it cannot be adjusted by us. If you have any questions regarding the price set by our partners, please contact them directly.

You can either purchase RentalCover Protection directly via our partner, or the RentalCover website. As long as the protection type remains the same, the level of protection is also the same.
 
If you find a better price that’s not listed by one of our partners, we are happy to beat it. Just reply to any of our emails and include the required details of the alternative quote; in most countries, we are able to beat that price. However, if you were offered a better price from us in the past, we’re unable to offer it again if the prices have now changed.

We support our millions of customers via our Help Centre. Once logged in, you can also contact us if you can't find an answer.

We provide rental protection and partner with dozens of booking agents who are responsible for your car rental - please get in touch with them if you need to make changes to your car booking.

If you're reading this article it's because you let us know about an issue. So first and foremost, thank you for letting us know! If it's a technical issue, our technical team has already been notified. Shortly thereafter they add a note below, and when it's resolved they remove the note. "Bugs" are usually resolved in 3-5 days. If your problem persists though, please reply to any of our emails and we'll share an update. 

Technical Issues

This is a list of known technical issues that are being resolved.

- Multiple charges for the same policy
- Missing discount: discount may be deleted from the RentalCover.com quote once you sign in to your account
- Phone numbers not being accepted on our website: please enter your phone number using + at the beginning and no spaces between the number e.g. +4400000000000
- Unable to delete unwanted quotes
- Unable to upload documents to the Claim Form
- Duplicate bookings
- Unable to separate two policies purchased under the same account 
- Incorrectly charged credit card fee

RentalCover Protection is subject to additional terms, conditions, and exclusions. What you're not covered for can differ depending on your protection type, vehicle type and more. Make sure you check your wording in your RentalCover Account for more details. 

Typically, you may not be covered for:

✗ Misfuelling. 
✗ Out-of-pocket costs like phone call fees, taxis and accommodation. 
✗ Charges incurred through service providers that aren't authorised by your rental company. 
✗ Loss or damage to accessories/equipment.
✗ Interior damage like spillage or tears. 
✗ Personal property: we don't cover theft or loss of items that you own.
✗ Liability: please read the Rental Guide to better understand how this works in your travel country. 
✗ Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) for drivers: this is usually covered by your travel insurance.
✗ Annual protection: we no longer offer annual protection. You are however still covered if you previously purchased Annual Protection on RentalCover and it’s still active.
✗ Personal vehicles or vehicles that aren’t from authorised vehicle rentals or car share platforms, as outlined above.
✗ Commercial trucks and vehicles used for commercial purposes such as removal/moving trucks, pantech trucks, commercial delivery vans, courier trucks, trailer trucks, dump trucks, garbage trucks, carriers and refrigerator trucks. For the US,  renting “Passenger trucks” for non-commercial use is covered under the default “Car” type. Please refer to this helpful article for information on what vehicle type to select. 
✗ If your vehicle requires a special licence (for instance, if the passenger limit or cargo capacity exceeds the limitations of a standard licence) or if it is a commercial van, truck or bus, you will not be covered. 
✗ Vehicles that have trailers, camper trailers or other extensions, with the exception of caravans (see above), attached to the tow bar. Modifications such as bike rack attachments, child seats, additional sleeping berths and more are also not covered.
✗ High-end supercars, high-end sports cars, classic cars and exotic vehicles. Please refer to this helpful article to see the restricted vehicle types. 
✗ Certain combinations of country of residence and destination country.
✗ Motorcycles or other bikes.

Your rental needs to be booked with an authorised rental company, car dealership, accident replacement service or is a loan car from an authorised mechanic. 

Depending on your ‘country of residence’ and ‘destination country’, you may be covered for various vehicle types such as cars, caravans, motorhomes and more. Please see this helpful article to see what vehicle types are covered by RentalCover Protection.

You’ll be able to select your vehicle type when creating a quote on the RentalCover website. Please note that your vehicle type may depend on the configuration of your vehicle and where you are planning to drive. Please refer to this helpful article for information on what vehicle type to select.

Find out how much you could save on rental protection by creating a free quote on our website.

1. Log in to your RentalCover Account and enter your country of residence and destination country. 
2. Confirm the start and end dates for your trip. Then select the vehicle you plan to rent; 'Car' is always selected by default.
3. Lastly, click ‘Get a quote’ to retrieve your personal quote. You can review the details and complete your booking by entering your payment details.

The quote page displays the trip price and all the important information you need to know before you set off, including any inclusions and exclusions. You can also review your protection before you buy.

You can change your details any time before you pick up the vehicle. Just sign in and go to the Profile page in to your RentalCover Account. Here you can add your company name to the invoice.

Additional drivers are automatically covered by RentalCover.
 

We will not be able to refund your premium after your rental period is complete, even if you did not have an accident.

When you purchase RentalCover Protection, you agree to pay a small non-refundable fee in exchange for us taking a big risk off your shoulders, and although luck is good, having RentalCover Protection is better.

We are here to provide you with protection for when things go wrong. Read this article to find out what is included in your RentalCover Protection.

You can check the status of your protection at any time by accessing your account.

1. Log in to your RentalCover Account. 

2. Next, sign in. 

3. On the left-hand side menu you will be able to see the status of your protection:

Confirmed	Your protection has been purchased
Quote	Your protection has not yet been purchased
Cancelled	Your protection is no longer active and a refund will be issued if applicable

At RentalCover we send two types of emails. Newsletter emails and quote/transactional emails. You can learn about how these emails are sent and managed below:

You can update your newsletter email preferences at any time from your My Account page.

1. Log in to your RentalCover Account.
 
2. Next, sign in. 
 
3. Select 'Profile' from the left-hand menu. Click 'unsubscribe' from the bottom of your profile and you will no longer receive our promotional emails.

Please note if you have made a booking enquiry you may receive quote/transactional emails from us with more information about your protection. You can’t unsubscribe from these emails. However, they are only sent for a short period regarding your trip and will automatically stop.

You can view, download or print your wording and invoice from your 'My Account' page.

1. Log in to your RentalCover Account.
2. From the menu on the left-hand side of your account page, select the protection you’d like to view your wording or invoice for.
3. Then to view your wording or invoice, click on "Wording" or “View invoice”.
4. To print or download your documents,  you can click ‘Print’ or ‘Save as PDF’ on the top right corner of the page.

Your rental company may ask you to provide your certificate at pick-up. This is the same as your RentalCover invoice. 

From your profile, you can also modify your personal information and add your company name to the invoice. For more information about how you can modify your RentalCover Protection, please refer to this helpful page.
 

RentalCover can only be used to cover one rental vehicle. The only exception is if your rental company replaces the vehicle, in which case your existing protection will still work.

With the exception of US SLI and CDI, our protection still works if your rental agreement permits you to drive the vehicle in other countries. You can view your wording in your RentalCover Account if you have any concerns about travel in sanctioned countries. 

When you first visit RentalCover you will need to activate your account. Simply find the RentalCover confirmation SMS or email in your inbox or spam and click the activation link. If you’re having issues, it may be because the email addresses of some Apple users aren’t shared with RentalCover. Instead, you can simply click on the link provided in the confirmation email you received when you purchased RentalCover Protection and update your email address.

Thank you for contacting RentalCover.com. We can confirm that your message was successfully received.

We can see that your questions has now been answered by a member of our Support team.

Therefore we will now proceed by closing this request, but if you have any other questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

If you damage your rental vehicle and the rental company provides you with a replacement, RentalCover will automatically cover the replacement vehicle, as long as the car type and your details remain the same.
 

Inclusions and exclusions can vary depending on your protection so please check your wording to find out more. You can find your wording attached to your confirmation email, or download it by logging into your RentalCover Account. 

For a broad overview of your inclusions, as well as more information about what to do at the rental desk and how you should proceed in the event of an accident, please read our country-specific Rental Guides.

 

The named driver and all additional drivers included on your customer's rental agreement are covered by their RentalCover Protection. There is no need to add any additional drivers to their RentalCover Protection because they are automatically covered free of charge. Encourage them to make sure the named driver's name on their rental agreement matches the name on their RentalCover Protection purchased on RentalCover.

Thinking of visiting other countries on their trip? With the exception of US SLI and CDI which, if collected in the US can only be driven in Canada (except if collected in New York which is restricted to the US), RentalCover Protection includes cover for additional countries as long as the rental vehicle was collected from the named country of pick-up and this is in accordance with the permissions set out in their rental agreement. 

They don't need to inform RentalCover of additional drivers or countries they are visiting but there may be territorial limitations within the RentalCover wording, for instance they would not be permitted to drive in countries that are sanctioned by the relevant country regulator.

Car rental companies will sometimes require you to leave a small security deposit (£/$/€50 to £/$/€150) that's payable via card at pick up, as a security measure in case you damage the car and if you don't purchase the insurance they offer at the rental desk. The deposit is payable if you have RentalCover Protection, however their insurance is double the price of our equivalent in many instances.

For further information about the rental deposit, please contact your booking agent.

Customers can view, download or print their policy wording and invoice from their confirmation email we will send them after purchase.

Some rental companies will request to see proof of purchase and the policy wording before renting a vehicle, so you should encourage your customers to print / save their RentalCover email.

On the homepage we ask for the country you “live in”. 



You can choose a country that you currently live in, or have resided in recently or one where you have the right of abode. Most rental companies permit you to drive with an international driver's licence.

 

If you booked RentalCover Protection through one of our partners' websites, any change to your car rental will be reflected on your RentalCover Protection. If you’ve cancelled your car booking on our partner’s website, your insurance will also automatically be cancelled. 
 
If you’ve received our cancellation email but you didn’t want to cancel our cover, you should verify your car's booking status on the website you booked through. 
 
To repurchase RentalCover Protection, simply log in to your RentalCover Account, using your email and your RentalCover Protection reference number. This is the number which ends with "-INS" that can be found in the subject line of your confirmation email.
 

Age requirements can vary depending on our provider. To see the limits that apply to you, please check your wording. You can view, download or print your wording from your RentalCover Account.
 

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Why do we collect your data

We safely collected your personal information when you purchased a RentalCover.com policy for legal and regulatory purposes.

We are legally obliged to pass your information to your insurer, whose details and licences are listed in your policy. This is for regulatory, compliance and claims handling reasons. 

We also collect personal data as outlined in our privacy policy.

How do we look after your data

RentalCover.com uses cookies to store data such as your country of residence and travel dates. 

However you can clear all the cookies we use at any time by following the instructions below, tailored for your browser: 
 

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To amend your personal information, please login to rentalcover.com/account.

RentalCover.com’s parent company, Cover Genius, is compliant with local privacy and data security regulations and European GDPR regulations in all the countries they operate in. 
 

How long do we store your data for

We have a regulatory obligation to retain information such as policies purchased or claims submitted for our legal records for 7 years to fulfill regulatory obligations in line with Conduct Authority (FCA) UK and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC). This information cannot be deleted. We also retain this information for other jurisdictions based on the statutory requirements of the country where the policy was sold. Please email us for further information.

Your rights

You have the right to lodge a complaint with your national Data Protection Authority (DPA), such as the Information Commissioner’s Office in the UK or another privacy regulator.

US rental companies sell a policy called "Collision Damage Waiver" (CDW) to reduce your contribution to the rental car damage repair bill towards $0. "Supplemental Liability Insurance" (SLI) is also available which tops up the minimum state-mandated liability coverage that comes with the rental.

RentalCover's equivalent plans save you money in these ways:

1. The total price of the rental company's CDW and SLI is up to double the price of equivalent coverage from RentalCover.com.†
2. You may be responsible for a deductible with the rental company's CDW. There is no deductible with RentalCover's equivalent.
3. You may face a significant deductible if you choose to rely on your personal auto plan rather than the rental company's CDW or our equivalent. 
4. Because ours is primary coverage it doesn't impact your ongoing personal auto premiums.
5. CDW from the rental companies may not cover damages such as windshields, lamps, tires, undercarriage and damage-related fees such as loss of use and towing. 

The following steps address the common issue of not being able to sign into your RentalCover Account. 

1. Check you have entered the correct booking reference and email address - it’s easy to enter an incorrect number! To do this you will need your booking reference number which ends with “-INS”, this can be found in the subject line of your confirmation email. We recommend you copy and paste it to avoid mistakes. 

2. If you still see an error message, click the “Forgot your booking reference?” link. You can then confirm your email address and we'll email you your most recent booking reference so you can access your booking details.

If you have accidentally cancelled your RentalCover Protection, the refund has already been processed. However, you can purchase the same protection on RentalCover or click the “repurchase” link in the cancellation email that we sent when you cancelled.

If you purchased RentalCover Protection via one of our partners, it can take between 7 and 21 days for the refund to show on your card statement - please reach out to them directly if there’s a delay. If you purchased via RentalCover the refund is processed immediately however it may take up to 4 days to show.

Sometimes the limits of your RentalCover Protection are displayed in a different currency to the one you selected at purchase.

You can see the same limits in your preferred currency by clicking the question mark next to the ‘limit/excess details’ in your wording. Login to your RentalCover Account to get started.

No, our protection does not include luxury vehicles such as high-end supercars, high-end sports cars, classic cars and exotic vehicles e.g. Ferrari, Porsche, Bentley. These vehicles are either advertised as luxury vehicles by the rental company or have a replacement value higher than what's specified in your wording.

Please note depending on the rental company, vehicle types can be defined and categorised differently. To check if your rental car is a luxury, exotic or classic vehicle, please contact your rental company directly.

The restrictions defined in this article may not apply if you purchased Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI) with us. To check the restrictions specific to your SLI purchase, please view your wording in your RentalCover Account.

This article has more information on what's not covered.

If you are travelling to the USA, it is recommended that you purchase Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI) in addition to a Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) policy to ensure you’re protected for third-party injury and damage. 

At RentalCover we support our millions of customers via our Help Centre. Should you wish to contact us you can also reply to any of our emails.

When purchasing RentalCover Protection via our website, the vehicle type you select may depend on the configuration of your vehicle and where you’re planning to drive. Please see the list below for a description of each vehicle type.

For specific details on what types of vehicles are covered and not covered, please refer to this helpful article.

  Car

Please select this option if your vehicle has fewer than 10 seats, including the driver’s seat, as well as vehicles with disability modifications. Electric cars are also covered in this category. 

This vehicle type is not covered for driving on unsealed roads. However, SUVs and 4X4 vehicles are covered under “Cars” if you plan to drive on sealed roads. If you’re planning to drive on unsealed roads, please select the 4x4 option instead.

  4x4

Please select this option if you plan to drive on unsealed roads in accordance with the permissions set out in your rental agreement. If you have protection that excludes 4x4 vehicles, you will need to cancel that protection and purchase 4x4 protection instead.

  Campervan

Please select this option if your vehicle has in-built sleeping berths and no in-built shower or toilet. If you’re planning on driving on unsealed roads in accordance with the permissions set out in your rental agreement, add 4x4 protection to your Campervan via your RentalCover Account.

  Motorhome / RV

Please select this option if your vehicle has both in-built sleeping berths and an in-built shower and/or toilet. If you are planning on driving on unsealed roads in accordance with the permissions set out in your rental agreement, add 4x4 protection to your Motorhome/RV via your RentalCover Account.

  Minibus

Please select this option if your vehicle has between nine and 14 seats, including the driver’s seat. 

  Caravan 

Please select this option if your vehicle has no more than three seats at the front and no in-built sleeping berths, shower or toilet. We cover caravans that are not for commercial use and don’t need a special license to be driven. 

RentalCover does not have any particular requirements regarding your licence type. As long as your rental company in your pick-up location accepts your driver’s licence, your RentalCover Protection will be valid.

To check if your rental company has any requirements regarding the licence type, we encourage you to contact them directly.

You can purchase RentalCover Protection for different drivers under one RentalCover Account. However, a RentalCover Account can only be under one name and all purchases on that account will be reflected under this name.  

When purchasing RentalCover Protection for different drivers, ensure that you make the purchases under the correct names and download each protection certificate. If you accidentally purchased the protection using the same name, we can update the name on the certificate to reflect the correct driver at any time before your pick-up date. 

The RentalCover Account will only show one name at a time, but when making a claim, we will ask for the protection certificate to see the name of the actual driver on it.

When you purchase RentalCover Protection directly with us, RentalCover does not require the protection to be linked to your rental booking. You don’t need to share your rental booking details with us at the time of purchase, and we’ll only ask for your rental agreement when you make a claim.

Your RentalCover Protection certificate won’t include the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) as we only need to know the vehicle type of your rental. 

You can view and download your RentalCover Protection documents in your RentalCover Account.

If you’re renting outside the United States (US) and your rental agreement permits it, you can use ferry crossings with your rental vehicle. RentalCover does not have any specific restrictions regarding ferry crossings. 

If you’re renting within the US or purchased US Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI) and Collision Damage Insurance (CDI), there may be restrictions for travelling to other countries. Please check whether you’ll be crossing borders using the ferry crossing and see your wording for any border restrictions specific to your RentalCover Protection. 

If you have any questions about the details of your rental agreement, please contact your rental company directly.

RentalCover Protection covers you for damages caused by collisions with animals such as elk, deer or moose as long as you haven't breached the terms and conditions of your rental agreement. To check the terms of your rental agreement, please contact your rental company directly.

Please note that RentalCover Protection is subject to the terms and conditions of your rental agreement.

Refund amounts differ based on your RentalCover Protection, when the protection is scheduled to commence and your booking agent (if you booked through one of our partners). We recommend that you quickly follow these step-by-step instructions to cancel or modify your RentalCover Protection and, where applicable, obtain a refund.

When you first visit RentalCover you will need to activate your account. Simply find the RentalCover confirmation SMS or email in your inbox or spam and click the activation link. If you’re having issues, it may be because the email addresses of some Apple users aren’t shared with RentalCover. Instead, you can simply click on the link provided in the confirmation email you received when you purchased RentalCover Protection and update your email address. From your RentalCover Account, you can make a claim, make changes or view your wording.

You may also see an offer for a credit note that can be used on future bookings. Please read this article for more information on credit notes.
 

To cancel, extend or shorten your RentalCover Protection please follow the steps below. Please note that your protection can only be cancelled before your pickup date and you can only extend or shorten your RentalCover Protection dates once your pickup date has passed.

1. Log in to your RentalCover Account.
2. Select the protection you’d like to cancel or modify, and then go to ‘Options’ on the left-hand side. 
3. If available, click ‘Extend/Reduce’ to modify your protection dates or ‘Cancel’ to cancel your protection. 

If you booked directly with one of our partners, you may be redirected to their site. We are unable to extend, shorten or cancel protection purchased directly with a partner. Please contact the partner directly if you have any questions about the modification, cancellation or refund process.

If you booked directly with RentalCover and you’re eligible for a refund, you may receive an email offering you the choice of a credit note (with bonus credit). If you opt for the credit note, this will be issued instantly. If you opt for a cash refund, please allow some time for it to show in your account.

Please see this helpful article for more information on RentalCover credit.

At RentalCover we provide rental protection and our partners are responsible for the rental cars. We work with a number of partners who sell our protection when you book rentals from their site.

If that sounds like you, and you are having difficulty at the rental desk, please contact your rental agency directly for support.

If you need to cancel or shorten or extend your RentalCover Protection you can do this online via the My Account page. 

Your RentalCover Protection can be used for any rental vehicle*, from any rental company*, subject to the terms of the rental agreement.

If your RentalCover Protection was purchased directly via the RentalCover website, your protection is valid for any authorised rental company globally except any restricted rental companies. 

If you have multiple rentals or you are renting the same vehicle at different times or with different companies, you will need separate protection for each rental vehicle and rental period. If your company replaces your vehicle with the same vehicle type, the new vehicle will be covered. Please see this helpful article for more details about replacement vehicles.

If you purchased protection via one of our partners at the same time you made your car booking and have now cancelled your booking with them, your protection is still valid for use with another rental company. However, if the partner cancels the booking and protection together, you will no longer have protection. 

The details and processing of cancellations done by our partners for purchases made on their website are not shared with us, so we will not be able to reinstate any protection cancelled by them. Please contact our partner directly about your protection, or make a new purchase directly on the RentalCover website.

Your protection is valid for any vehicle type, except for luxury vehicles and any restricted vehicle types.

The named driver and all additional drivers included on your rental agreement are covered by RentalCover. There is no need to add any additional drivers to your protection; they are automatically covered free of charge. If your rental agreement clearly states that spouses are allowed to drive the rental vehicle, then they will be automatically covered with RentalCover. Please ensure that you are named on the rental agreement.

Thinking of visiting other countries on your trip? If you're renting outside of the US and your rental agreement permits it, you are permitted to travel to other countries after collecting a vehicle in the nominated pickup country. For US rentals, with the exception of New York residents, renters with Collision Damage Insurance and our Supplemental Liability Insurance (for US rentals) can visit Canada if the vehicle is collected in the US.

You do not need to inform RentalCover of additional drivers or countries you are visiting.

Want more information? Our Rental Guides explain how everything works.

Typically, RentalCover Protection cannot be purchased after your vehicle pick-up. This is examined during our claim assessment process to ensure that vehicles do not sustain damage prior to a RentalCover purchase.

We use cookies to collect and safely store some of your data. Here's why and how you can manage it.

How we look after your data

We take a duty of care when it comes to your personal data. This is why we will never share it with external marketing services. 

We have a regulatory obligation to record information like protection purchased or claims submitted for our legal records for 7 years. This information cannot be deleted.

However, you can manage your personal details at any time from your RentalCover Account. 

I want to clear my cookies and cache

Our website uses cookies to help us process your booking, and include your country of residence and travel dates for example. These cannot be switched off. 

However you can clear all the cookies we use at any time by following the instructions below, tailored for your browser:

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Internet Explorer
• Safari

If you want to learn more, visit our Privacy Policy page.

RentalCover is predominantly sold through partnerships with travel companies. When choosing our partners we take the time to understand their operations and we provide ongoing training to their customer support teams so they can effectively handle enquiries about our protection alongside car rental and other travel-related questions.

Our partners sell a range of travel products with a variety of cancellation and refund rules. You can log in to your RentalCover Account to make changes to your protection, however, if you require changes to your rental we encourage you to contact your booking agent.

When you cancel your RentalCover Protection, depending on your country of residence, you may be offered a credit note with a bonus credit that may be used for future bookings. Here are some key things to know about RentalCover credit:

• Credit can only be used for purchases made directly with us via the RentalCover website.  
• If you choose to cancel your RentalCover credit refund to instead receive your refund on your original payment method, the bonus credit amount will not be refunded. Only the original paid amount is refunded. 
• RentalCover credit cannot be cancelled or refunded if it has already been partially or fully used. 
• Credit cannot be used with any other ongoing promotion/coupon codes. 
• If you do not have sufficient credit available, you can use a card to pay the remaining amount.

To check if you have any valid credit, please log in to your RentalCover Account. For more details about your credit offer, please review the terms and conditions.
 

If you’d like to update and verify the mobile number associated with your RentalCover Account, please follow the steps below.

• Log in to your RentalCover Account and select “Profile” from the bottom left-hand side menu on your account page.
  
• Enter your new mobile number without the country code. Make sure that you enter the number with no spaces, dashes (-) or additional zeroes.
  
• Click on ‘update number.’ You will then see a pop-up to verify your mobile number.
• Select the country code from the drop-down and request a verification code to be sent to you via SMS. Please note that verification codes can only be sent to mobile numbers and cannot be sent to landline numbers.
• Enter the verification code to verify the mobile number.

When you cancel your RentalCover Protection shortly after the purchase, your refund will be processed as a reversal of the initial charge. The original charge will disappear from your card statement and your bank account balance will adjust accordingly. 

We encourage you to contact your card issuer for an update at any time.

If you’re experiencing any issues with the RentalCover website, the following troubleshooting steps may help resolve the issue:

• Clear your browser’s cache and cookies.
• Try using a different browser.
• Access the website using a different device (e.g. if you’re on a desktop try using a mobile device).
• Check your internet for any connectivity issues.
• Disable any VPN.

If the above steps do not work, please contact us by replying to any of our emails with more details, such as a screenshot of the display or error message.

Please see this helpful article if you’re experiencing payment-related issues.

Depending on the protection type, country of destination and vehicle type, you may be able to increase or decrease your protection limit. 

To see if you can increase or decrease your protection limit, please follow the steps below:

• Log in to your RentalCover Account.
• Select the protection you’d like to adjust the limit for.
• If available, you’ll see a pen icon under “Limit (per trip)”. If you do not see a pen icon, we cannot modify your protection limit.
• Click the pen icon to increase or decrease your protection limit.

Your limit is subject to a minimum and maximum limit, and you won’t be able to increase or decrease your limit past the set limits.

If you find a better price that meets our eligibility requirements, we’re happy to beat it. Please see this helpful article for an in-depth list of reasons a price-beat may not be eligible.

To request a price beat, simply reply to any of our emails with the following information:

• Destination country.
• Country of residence.
• Pickup date.
• Drop-off date.
• Vehicle type.
• Link to the website where you found a better price.
• A screenshot that clearly shows the type of protection you selected and the price being offered.

Please send your request no later than two business days before the pickup date, otherwise, we may be unable to process your request. If any of the above details are missing, your price beat request may be declined.
 

We offer many types of accidental damage that the rental companies don’t, such as the following (not applicable with “Supplemental Liability Insurance" [for US rentals]):

All types of accident Theft/fire/vandalism Windscreens & tyres Roadside repairs Underbody damage Lockout & key replacement Towing Headlights

While we provide a detailed claim payment breakdown, unexpected charges, such as government fees or credit card fees, may apply. These charges are beyond our control and are not initially included in the payment breakdown.

One major cost that most travellers don’t plan for is potential charges from the rental company in the event of an accident or damage. Those fees can cost in excess of $3000 and credit card issuers typically charge 4-5% in additional fees for international travellers.

There are two major unexpected charges that often explain the difference between the approved claim payment amount and the final refund amount you receive from us.

• Credit card fees: If you paid using a credit card, then your card providers may charge you fees on transactions, such as international transaction fees or additional exchange rates. We recommend checking with your credit card issuer for details on any potential charges associated with receiving payments.
• International money transfers: For international transactions, banks or financial institutions handling the transfer may impose extra fees. Our payment technology allows your claim to be paid into any bank in the world. While we waive the fees that banks charge for sending payments and wherever we can we waive the fees charged by your bank for receiving payment, (these normally both cost between 10-20 USD per transaction), we take these fees into account when calculating the exchange rates that you see at the time of payment.

Please contact your credit card provider or bank to know more about their fee structures related to incoming transactions, especially for international transfers. Being aware of these potential charges can help you plan accordingly.

If you see a charge from RentalCover on your credit card statement that you don’t recognise, it is likely because you added protection through one of our partners, and it has been charged separately to your rental. Our partners include Rentalcars.com, Booking.com and many more. 

If required, you can cancel or modify your protection directly by logging into your RentalCover Account.

If eligible, the refund processing times can differ depending on where you purchased your protection.

If you purchased your protection directly with RentalCover, if eligible, your refund will be processed within 3-10 business days to the original payment method. If you opted for RentalCover credit instead of a cash refund, it’ll be processed in 24 hours and be available to you in your RentalCover Account.

If you purchased your protection with one of our partners at the same time as your rental car booking, payment is typically collected by the partner. Refunds are processed by the partner in this case and can take up to 21 business days to process. Please contact the partner directly if you have any questions about the refund process.

Sometimes refunds may go through in the form of a reversal. The original pending charge will drop off your statement entirely after a few days and you won’t see a refund credit on your statement. There will be no payment and no refund. If you’d like more information regarding reversals, we encourage you to contact your bank at any time.

This helpful article explains how to cancel or shorten your RentalCover Protection.

It is not possible to update your payment method or currency after your protection is purchased.

If you would like to change your payment method or currency you can cancel and re-book with RentalCover any time prior to pick-up.

Simply visit your RentalCover Account to get started.

We sometimes hear of rental companies charging customers for damages that did not happen, inflating or miscalculating the final charges. If this has happened to you, you should lodge a “dispute” with your credit card issuer for this unauthorised transaction.

To save time lodging your dispute please follow the instructions below:

1. Download our template letter  and fill in your details

2. Contact your credit card issuer and use your letter to lodge a dispute for the final transaction you were charged by the rental company. It is best not to explicitly request a refund as your bank may defer you to contact the rental company directly to contest the charge. Instead, we advise you state that “the charge was unauthorised” since you do not recognise the damage

What happens next? You can expect a response within 1-2 weeks, and for the charge to be reversed within 3-4 weeks. Our customers have a 95% success rate with these requests, however if your request is unsuccessful, or if you have some excess charges remaining after the dispute is settled, please start a claim online with us here and we will review your case as soon as possible.

RentalCover is proud to offer a range of discounts including:

(Discounts N/A for US residents)
 

Military Discount

Servicemen and servicewomen can benefit from a 30% discount when booking RentalCover for their holidays and business travel - access the discount here. 

When making a claim, we will ask for your Military ID card.
 

Seniors Discount

Pension/Seniors cardholders can receive 30% off when booking RentalCover - access the discount here.

When making a claim, we will ask for your Pensioners / Seniors ID card.
 

Student Discount

We’re happy to support students with our 30% discount off your next RentalCover purchase - access the discount here.

When making a claim, we will ask for your Student ID card.

We will always aim to price-beat like-for-like protection quotes. However, your price-beat request can be denied for the following reasons:

• Due to protection restrictions, we can’t offer a price beat for quotes from CarInsuRent, Care Excess Hire or CoverWise.
• Iceland is the destination country.
• You’re a US resident.
• You’re a non-UK resident requesting a price beat for Eversure. Eversure is valid for UK residents only.
• Any required details were missing from your request.
• Your request was submitted less than two business days before your pickup date.
• The quote provides less protection than offered by RentalCover. For example, if the third-party quote has a lower protection limit, charges an excess, charges an extra cost for additional drivers and more.
• You’re purchasing Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI) for US-based vehicle rentals.
• The protection was purchased from our approved partner websites. Our partners control their own car and protection packaging and pricing.
• Quote details do not match your trip details such as the vehicle type or protection type. Please note that we only offer a price beat if the quote is designed to cover your specific vehicle type. We do not accept quotes that cover additional or multiple vehicle types.
• You have active RentalCover credit. We cannot combine two or more promotional offers.
• You’ve already purchased RentalCover Protection. We cannot price beat post-purchase.
• Certain combinations of ‘country of residence’ and ‘destination country’. For example, a Canadian resident travelling to the US with Collision Damage Insurance (CDI).

 

Car rental companies will generally require you to leave a security deposit with them at pick-up, as a security measure in case you damage the car.

Deposit amounts are usually between £/$/€500 to £/$/€900 but can go up to £/$/€1200 depending on the destination and vehicle type. Make sure your credit card limit allows you to pay the deposit plus any other expenses you have planned for your trip.

You will usually need a credit card for this and the rental company will either deduct or place a hold on your funds. If there is no damage to the car, the hold will be released or a refund will be issued after drop off.  Please note that it can take a few days for the money to get back into your account.

If the car is damaged the rental company may deduct the security deposit and any other amounts from your card.

For more specific questions about your car rental, including queries about refunds of your deposit, please contact our partner you booked through.

If you’re experiencing payment issues when purchasing your RentalCover Protection, the following troubleshooting steps may help resolve the issue.

• Ensure you have entered all the correct details and try again.
• Make the payment using a different card if possible.
• Try purchasing your protection with a different browser.
• Clear your browser's cache and cookies.
• Check your internet for any connectivity issues.

If the above steps do not work, try creating a new quote for your purchase and proceed to payment again. Please make sure you are logged in while creating a new quote. 

If the problem persists, please contact your bank directly for more information.

 

RentalCover does not require you to use the same card as your protection purchase when making a rental booking, or when you need to pay for damages or repair costs. You can also use a card that’s under a different name.

Even though RentalCover does not have any restrictions on which credit card you can use when purchasing protection, your rental company might. Please check with your rental company by contacting them directly.

If you cancel your protection via your RentalCover Account, depending on your country we offer you the option to either receive a credit note or a cash refund. Credit notes are processed immediately and added to your RentalCover Account. If eligible, you can choose to receive a credit note, otherwise, the refund will typically show in your card statement within 3-7 days, although it may take some of our agents longer. If it’s taking longer please contact your bank or your booking agent.

You can log in to your RentalCover Account to manage your RentalCover protection and view your invoices and certificates at any time. 

Rental companies charge a deposit (or put an amount on hold), to make sure you can pay for damages in case of an accident. 

If you return the vehicle with no damages, the rental company must refund you the deposit. If you return the vehicle with damages, the rental company will charge you, and offer you an invoice. You can then make a claim with us to ask for reimbursement of the damage cost.

Rental companies do not share any information with us regarding deposits made with them. If you have any questions about the refund of your deposit, we encourage you to contact the rental company directly.

RentalCover takes the security and privacy of our customers’ information seriously. To streamline the claim payment process, we provide a secure link through which you can share the bank account details for receiving the approved claim payment. 

When you click the secure link provided in the email, it will direct you to a secure and encrypted web page. 

Our emails are sent from a verified and official domain and will always include the official company logo and branding. Confirm that these elements are present to authenticate the email's source.

Never share your login credentials or any sensitive information with anyone. Our system will only prompt you for the necessary details related to your claim payment.

We process payments quickly and securely by electronic transfer but adding the wrong payment details may cause delays in payment processing.

The most common issues when adding the payment details are:

• Incorrect beneficiary name: Beneficiary name doesn’t match the bank account.
• Incorrect account number or IBAN: Please make sure you are not missing any numbers.
• IBAN does not match the billing country: An IBAN is used in some countries to uniquely identify a customer’s bank account. The IBAN consists of an alphabetical country code, followed by two digits, and then up to thirty five characters for the bank account number. Your IBAN starts with the letters of the country. E.g. a bank account in France will have an IBAN that starts with the letters FR.
• Incorrect SWIFT code: SWIFT code, also known as Bank Identifier Code (BIC) is an 8-11 alphanumeric code used to identify banks and financial institutions globally. Most banks include their SWIFT code in customer account details and on their mobile apps, websites and statements.

If you added the wrong payment details via the secure link we sent with you, please allow time for the payment to fail first.

Once we’ve received a notification from the bank confirming that the payment has failed, we will send you an email with a new secure link for you to resubmit your bank details. Carefully resubmit your bank account details or provide the details of another bank account.