Hiring a van to transport student's stuff to Uni?

It is late September and time when students are moving into university and college accommodation.

Icarhireinsurance issued a News Release on Monday this week entitled "Don't Get Bitten By The Great White Van …"

Around two million students will be heading to University this autumn. Many of these students, along with their parents, will be hiring vans to transport their TVs, laptops, posters, pots and pans, cuddly toys etc. and the last thing they want is to land themselves another student debt of up to £2,000 if they damage their hire van. “Even a small chip on the windscreen can cost hundreds of pounds,” said Ernesto Suarez, Founder and CEO, iCarhireinsurance.com.

“We want to warn students and their parents that while hiring a van can be cost-effective, please be aware that if the van is stolen or damaged in any way, even if it’s not their fault, they could end up with a large excess bill.” With almost two-thirds (65%)* of van hirers driving a van for the first time, according to 2011 YouGov research, proper insurance cover to protect against the first part of any claim, known as the excess, is absolutely essential.

Buying insurance direct from the van company to protect against the first part of any claim, known as the excess, can cost up to £20 a day, which will still only reduce the liability to £250 - £750 rather than reducing it to zero. Specialist provider, iCarhireinsurance.com, sells daily van hire excess insurance from only £7.99 a day, and reduces the excess liability to zero.

“Driving a van is very different to a car therefore we urge students, and anyone hiring a van, to check their excess liability if they don’t want to end up with a large bill they were not expecting,” said Ernesto Suarez, Founder and CEO, iCarhireinsurance.com. * Daily Telegraph, 13 Sept 2011 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/8759436/OECD-UK-student-tuition-fees-third-highest-in-the-world.html ** YouGov Plc survey.

Total sample size was 2007 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 1 - 4 April 2011. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

To visit the icahireinsurance.com van hire excess insurance page at the insurance4carrrental.com site - Click Here

Why do UK car retailers not supply GB Plate Number Plates

Whenever you leave the UK with your vehicle, you must display the GB nationality plate. Euro-plates - number plates that include the GB euro-symbol - have been legal since March 2001 and make display of a conventional sticker unnecessary when the vehicle is travelling within the European Union according to the DVLA.


Most European countries have their national identity on their number plates these days (e.g. France - F, Ireland -IRL, Poland -PL. Netherlands- NL) whether they are members of the EU or not. In the UK although a lot of vehicles are fitted with these , many vehicle suppliers have a policy of not providing them which means a car owner has to buy a sticker for one or get a traditional GB sticker .

It is a great pity that the UK Government does not do the same as it's European neigbours and make it a legal requirement for all vehicles to have euro-number plates. The GB is then shown on the rear yellow plate and white front plate.

The cost of a GB "Euro-plate" costs the same as the conventional yelloe and white plates and putting a "GB" sticker on the back of the vehicle is not only ugly because of their average size, it can also damage paintwork when you try to remove them.

If main car dealers actually adopted a policy of providing these euro-plates when they sell a brand new vehicle or second hand one the numbers of these would dramatically increase.

Many of the newer EU member states have this type of plate as standard and non EU countries like Switzerland and Monaco have a flag or country code within their registration plate. I even spotted a Rusian registered Ferrari in Antibes port a couple of weeks ago that had "RUS" within it's number plates.

What are your thoughts? Add your comments to this blog  

Car Renters must take care with Unfair Wear and Tear Charges

Carrentals.co.uk issued a news release yesterday advising that Travellers renting cars are being advised to report any 'wear and tear' issues they experience with a car, including concerns such as brake and clutch performance, to the supplier to help avoid unfair excess charges on their return.
The advice comes from leading comparison site Carrentals.co.uk, which has been told of a number of cases where customers were charged for issues such as a damaged clutch, which would have been built up over time.

Gareth Robinson, Managing Director of Carrentals.co.uk, says: "Most people will check over their rental car before driving off, but sometimes there can be problems that can't be found until the car is actually being driven. A clutch that has been damaged by frequent riding, brakes affected by aggressive usage over time - they're just some of the potential issues that can build up and result in one unlucky customer being unfairly charged. Our advice is that if you have any concerns about your car - be that the oil level or braking performance, contact your rental company straight away.

"Rental companies do regularly maintain their cars, but it's always possible for unseen damage to occur over time. Our focus is on ensuring our customers aren't financially hit for previous misuse."

Carrentals.co.uk Top Tips to Avoid 'Unfair Wear & Tear' Charges -

Shop around for the most comprehensive excess insurance cover before you travel - and make sure it covers things like tyre and windscreen damage.
On collection, check over your rental car carefully - take your time and highlight any concerns with your supplier.

While you may not be able to see things like a nail in a tyre or a clutch that is slipping, once you start driving the vehicle take your time to feel if everything's OK and if you have any concerns go back to the supplier and let them know straight away.
Again, once you're out on the road or in your destination, if something's not right with your car, don't wait until you drop it off to highlight the problem, contact the supplier and let them know.
Keep a record of your contact with your supplier, including phone calls and written communication to ensure you have all of the details in case you need to challenge any charges.

Gareth adds: "While many people now take out excess insurance cover, some elements such as damage to windscreens and tyres just aren't covered with many suppliers, despite them being the most likely to be damaged. Make sure you know what you're getting with your insurance cover, and if in any doubt about your car's performance report it to the supplier immediately."

The award winning Carrentals.co.uk compares cheap car hire deals from companies including Alamo, Auto Europe, Budget, Holiday Autos and Sixt, and has booked over 650,000 rentals to date. Offering car hire in Portugal, including car hire in Faro, as well as Spain, France and over 15,000 locations worldwide, for more information go to http://www.insurance4carrental.com/Carrrentals.htm