If you would rather pay $2.25* a day to avoid losing $4,608** on an excess to your car rental company, then you need domestic car rental excess insurance. As well as potentially saving you thousands, car rental excess insurance in Australia can provide you with cover for vehicle repairs that rental companies typically exclude. This includes body, windscreen, tyres, roof and underbody damage.
| Name | Domestic cover? | Eligible driver age | Features | Starting price (per day) | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 19–99 years |
| 7.92 ($0 excess) | Get quote | |
 | 21–75 years |
| $9.29 ($0 excess) | Get quote |
*Prices are based on a 15-day hire in Australia, as of April 2024. Benefits vary from brand to brand. Always read through the product disclosure statement (PDS) to make sure the product is suitable for you.
When you rent a car in Australia, the rental company will charge you an excess if the car is damaged or stolen, which can be as much as $8,000. If anything goes wrong, you're liable to pay that excess. Domestic car rental excess insurance is designed to help you reduce the amount you have to pay to the rental company. You pay for a premium and in exchange, get peace of mind knowing that your domestic car rental excess insurance policy will protect you from extra fees if an accident occurs and the car is damaged.
Whether you're travelling for work or doing a road trip across Australia, domestic car rental excess insurance can be a trusty companion. Here's 5 ways it can help.
Most rental agreements won't cover you if you hit an animal. As anyone who has travelled outside the main cities of Australia will tell you, it's really common to hit a kangaroo and it can cause some serious damage to your car. Fortunately, some rental car excess companies will cover you if you hit an animal, so if you're planning a road trip, be sure it's not excluded from your policy.
Do you use Go-Get or Car Next Door? Car-sharing services are becoming increasingly popular. These companies will usually offer some form of excess insurance or reduction but it pays to compare. Generally, you can save some money by buying car rental excess insurance separately instead of adding it onto your rate.
Unlike the cover provided by rental companies, car rental excess insurance in Australia can include cover for damage to the windscreen, tyres, roof and underbody.
Rather than pay thousands of dollars, a domestic car excess insurance policy can reduce your excess to zero so you won't have to worry about huge out of pocket costs.
You can get cover for sedans, hatchbacks, coupes, station wagons, SUVs, 4x4 vehicles campervans and motorhomes (usually up to 4.5 tonnes) and up to 12-seater minibuses.
For a clearer indication of the costs, check out how the car rental excess insurer compares to car-sharing and rental company insurance.
| Brand | Rentalcover.com | Car-share brand | Rental company |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 excess | No, $300 | No, $634 | |
| Cover for windscreens, tyres, roof and underbody? | Unknown | ||
| Cover for key loss/ replacement? | |||
| Price | $9.48 | $18.00 | $19.28 |
* Prices are based on a 14 day hire in Australia for a 25+ year old driver. Quotes were retrieved in October 2019
Some travel insurance policies actually cover rental car excess insurance but it's good to understand what that cover includes. Domestic car rental excess insurance is its' own specific type of insurance so generally, you'll find it has more inclusions.
| Feature | Domestic car rental excess insurance - Rentalcover.com | Domestic travel insurance policy |
|---|---|---|
| No further excess payable | ||
| No distance limit | ||
| Cover for overbody/underbody of the vehicle | ||
| Maximum excess cover | No maximum | $8,000 |
In most cases, you won't be covered for the following:
* Prices in introduction are based on a 14 day car rental excess insurance policy in Australia with RACV.
** Price is based on the standard liability excess of Avis.
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