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When you rent a car in France through an online broker you will have insurance normally called Collision Damage Waiver or CDW, however the insurance will have an excess. Excess is the term used to describe your liability should you be unfortunate to be in an accident or if car is stolen or damaged etc.

This excess for car hire in France normally ranges from Euro 500 to over Euro 1, 5000 depending on the car category that you are renting. It is set high on purpose as the French car rental company would like to sell you an expensive local daily policy, sometimes called super cover, if you take out this additional daily insurance cover the high excess with be reduced to nil.

Imagine arriving in France new to the inner workings of car rental companies and being told that whilst you have insurance you will still be liable for a large excess amount should you be unfortunate enough to be in accident. In this situation particularly after a long flight and family in tow most people opt for this daily super cover only later realizing how expensive your French car hire turned out to be .

This super cover does not come cheap and is one of the main revenue generating streams for car rental companies in France and other countries, the average cost being Euros 7-15 per day again depending on the car category. Even with this extra insurance you will still be liable for any damage to the cars underside, tryes and windscreens. In some French depots we have even heard of the supplier checking underneath the car for damage.

If you intend to hire a care in France then it is advisable to take out insurance before you go to cover the CDW excess plus any damage to windscreens, tires, leaving you worry free so you may enjoy that hard earned break. Many companies offer this type of insurance AIG for example. Now be aware that the French car rental company will still swipe your card for the local excess and if an accident you must pay this excess, however after you come home from France you are then able to claim the excess amount back via your insurance policy.