webmaster

Sunday 30 June 2013

Double check for what you sign for at the car hire rental desk


I was reading yesterday's UK Indendepent under the money section and a "Question of cash". A car hire problem was reported.

Question. My friend travelled home for his brother's funeral and hired a car from Hertz at the airport. He was charged for "extra insurance", though he said no when asked if he wanted any. Hertz says he signed for the extra insurance and so was charged for it. LS, by email.


Answer. Hertz has produced screen shots of the booking forms showing your friend initialled the "super cover (zero-excess) insurance" option. It adds that he was served by an experienced staff member, who has not been the subject of a similar complaint. But Hertz accepts your friend was unaware what he was signing. As a result, and given that he was distressed at the time, Hertz has agreed to refund the zero-excess insurance premium and has repaid £117.72.

Original on line  at The Independent on Friday 28th June 2013 and that story and others can be found Here.

It does show that you do have to be so careful. You could have just had a very long flight, have your young family with you who are tired and want to get to their holiday destination or in a hurry for a business meeting because your flight was delayed.

It is so easy to do and in particular at certain car hire locations where it has been known that a company tries to make you buy excess insurance even if you did not want this insurance.

This happened to my wife in Dublin in November 2010 (article here). Although she verbally declined the company's excess insurance they still added it on and unlike the case illustrated in The Independent, the car hire company refused to budge. She has never rented a car from them again.

I was told that this happened a lot with them and personally is not a good business policy for a short term gain, but then a longer term loss of business. There are many such stories on line forums like Tripadvisor.

Generally you are asked to sign here, here and here for example, or initial sections. Some car hire companies are not using paper for this now but an electronic pad, but what you can still try to do if it is paper and you have your excess insurance is to write on the paper no additional excess insurance required and initial it.

Saturday 29 June 2013

New market study about the Future of Car Rental in Finland to 2017 has been published.

"The Future of Car Rental in Finland to 2017: Market Profile" is the result of extensive research on the travel and tourism industry covering car rentals in Finland.

It provides detailed analysis on key trends and issues, market size and forecasts and performance outlook in the Finnish car rental market.

The report also includes an overview of the Finnish travel and tourism industry covering key trends and issues to tourism and tourist attractions with a detailed SWOT analysis of the tourism industry in Finland. This report also provides an overview of the leading companies in the car rentals market in Finland.

In a Press Release issued yesterday by Fast Market Research 

The report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights, including:

* A detailed coverage of the travel and tourism industry in Finland

* A comprehensive analysis of the car rental market in Finland

* Profile of the top car rental companies operating in Finland

Source Fast Market Research which is an online aggregator and distributor of market research and business information.

Full Report Details Here

Hiring a car in Finland find out more Here  | Guide to Driving in Finland Here 

Friday 28 June 2013

Hire Car Insurance Dispute in The Daily Telegraph online today

This article was published today in the Daily Telegraph's Travel.

A reader had claimed on the excess insurance and reading the article it looks like it is also wise to check any terms and conditions when you take out car hire excess insurance if there is more than one driver.

Read the article in full here

insurance4carhire launches their new site

The longest running UK online provider of car hire excess insurance launched it's new site yesterday afternoon. Originally founded in 2003 - ten years ago.  

The new insurance4carhire.com It certainly looks much more up to date than the previous version and easier to navigate.

Unfortunately tracking links to jml Insurance and jml Holiday rental sites went off the system and hopefully the system will be restored in the very near future.

However the good news is that anyone wanting to go to the site via jml can do so by following this link http://www.insurance4carhire.com/jml-property-insurance

Take a look at the site today.

Wednesday 26 June 2013

Add-on fees are almost doubling the price of a two-week car hire says news article

It is nearly the summer holiday season with many schools breaking up in a few days and maybe some already and the articles are starting to come out about "additional car hire costs".

I was approached earlier this week by someone in Ireland on advice about hiring a car in Portugal in July and people are very cost concious know and wary of additional costs when it come to hiring a car and other matters to do with the family holiday.

Just come across this article from the Daily Mail's "This is Money" called "Families with young children face being charged more than £500 in extras for hiring a car on the Continent this summer" by Tony Hazell.

The article explains that hiring a Ford Focus equivalent for two weeks in Alicante, Spain would cost £561.76 with Hertz, in Nice, France it would be £631.43 with Avis, while Europcar would charge £600.76 from Malaga in Spain. Local firms may appear to be even cheaper.

The add ons include Child booster seats and Child seats, an extra driver, a Sat Nav and of course extra insurance.

The fuel issue comes up again and I warned the person in Ireland about this week, whereby "Many smaller companies sell you a full tank of fuel and insist you return empty. This is a double rip-off because they can charge a tip-top price and they know most motorists will leave around a quarter of a tank. However, some of the big names still give you a choice of returning the car with a full tank at some destinations. If you get this choice, take it."

Then there is the insurance - car hire excess insurance - Buy before you travel. Halo Insurance offers an annual European policy covering excess and tyres, windscreens and other items excluded by standard collision damage waiver for £39.99 (it’s £59.99 worldwide) via its website icarhireinsurance HERE. A U.S. and Canada policy for the whole works, including collision damage waiver, is £79.99.

There are other companies out there also offering great deals on line Here
  Finally three very important tips from this Daily Mail article -   Check your credit card — Some firms may try to convert your bill to pounds and you could get a lousy exchange rate. Always pay in local currency. Refuse to sign or key in your PIN if they don’t allow you to do this.

Check the car — When you pick it up, check it for marks, dents and scratches. Photograph them, draw them to the attendant’s attention and insist they are marked on the agreement. Check the tyres and refuse to take a car you’re not happy with.

And check that car again — When you drop off the car, photograph it so you have proof that there was no damage. And make sure the firm checks it in front of you. When you return home, make sure no unexpected charges crop up on your credit card.

To read the article in full Click Here

Let us know your good and bad holiday car rental experiences by replying on this blog.

Tuesday 25 June 2013

Report say using car rental can help people own fewer cars and change travel habits

The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) released a Press Release the week before last that says  "A major survey of UK customers has concluded that using car rental can help people own fewer cars and adopt more sustainable travel habits"

It goes on to point out that the new research, conducted by transport research body TRL on behalf of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), provides a fascinating insight into the travel habits and motivation of 3,700 car rental customers. It found that rental is used by a diverse range of people for a wide variety of purposes. In particular:

• Car rental enables a large number of drivers to avoid owning a car or to own fewer cars.

• On average, rental customers have more sustainable travel habits than the average licence holder.

• On average, rental cars are used more efficiently than private cars.

• Car rental trips are often linked with other forms of transport.

The findings build on research completed last year, which showed that, compared to the average private car, the average rental car is newer, better maintained and emits less pollution per mile driven.

They were welcomed by Transport Minister Norman Baker who said:
“This report shows that rental cars can encourage greater use of sustainable transport, easing congestion on our roads and cutting carbon emissions. When people travel, we want them to get from door-to-door with a smaller environmental footprint.

“Pay-as-you-go car use also encourages people to consider alternative forms of travel and this report shows that those using these schemes tend to walk and cycle more often, helping to improve health and quality of life.”

The BVRLA believes that the findings support its call for car rental to be given greater consideration by policymakers.
“This survey has established that car rental customers have similar travel habits to users of car clubs,” said BVRLA chief executive Gerry Keaney.


“We believe that car rental, car clubs and car sharing are part of the same family of pay-as-you-go motoring options that all contribute to a more sustainable, less intensive approach to car use, particularly in urban areas.” More information here

So if you rent a Pay as you go / car club car what do you do regarding excess insurance?

Well some of the car hire excess insurance companies have entered this market in the UK. Companies like Questor Insurance, iCarhireinsurance, Worldwideinsure and Insurance4carhire. Find out more here

Thursday 20 June 2013

Questor Insurance looks at figures which reveal that UK motorists are set to see a sharp rise in petrol costs across Europe this year

As part of its ‘Be Holiday Savvy’ campaign vehicle hire excess and travel insurance specialist Questor Insurance looks at figures which reveal that UK motorists are set to see a sharp rise in petrol costs across Europe this year.




With scores of Brits set to hit the road to explore their favourite holiday destinations in the Mediterranean and beyond this summer, the latest figures have revealed that UK travellers’ budgets may be stretched to the limit by the soaring cost of petrol on the continent.


Research conducted by Post Office Travel Money has revealed the British holidaymakers are facing increased costs at the pumps in popular holiday destinations such as Spain (up by 7.4% or 9p per litre), France (up by 4.7% or 7p per litre) and Andorra, famed for its wealth of skiing resorts (up by 3.5% or 4p per litre)*.


However, for savvy UK travellers there is still an opportunity to fill up their tanks for less in some European countries, with the cost of petrol falling in Croatia (down 2.4% or 3p per litre), the Czech Republic (down 0.7% or 1p per litre), Switzerland (down 2.2% or 3p per litre) and Denmark (down 4.6% or 7p per litre).


And it seems that there is another way that drivers can circumnavigate sky-high fuel costs on the continent – hiring a car that uses unleaded petrol.


The research showed that unleaded petrol prices were significantly lower in some European countries compared to diesel, with this difference most marked in the Netherlands (-31p). This was followed by Belgium and Germany (both -20p) and Denmark and France (both -17p).

Commenting on the figures, Questor Insurance CEO Andrew Lawrence, said: “While the escalating cost of fuel on the continent is sure to be a cause of concern for holidaying Brits, the research also proves that armed with the right information UK travellers can still enjoy a break abroad without breaking the bank.


“Questor’s newly launched ‘Be Holiday Savvy’ Campaign also aims to provide travellers will the tools they need to secure the most competitive price on holiday insurance essentials from travel insurance to car hire insurance and more, to ensure that they can make savvy savings on each aspect of their holiday.”


Running from June through to September Questor’s ‘Be Holiday Savvy’ campaign will provide travellers with a wealth of handy hints and tips to make the process of planning and executing their foreign holiday that much smoother.


Sources:


*http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-2322036/Petrol-costs-British-drivers-Europe-rocketed.html  & UK (PRWEB UK) 19 June 2013

Find out more about Questor Insurance Products Here

Holiday Autos is now to become part of CarTrawler

Lastminute.com parent company Travelocity Global is to sell car-hire broker Holiday Autos to CarTrawler. Holiday Autos celebrated it's 25th year in business last year.

The online assets being acquired comprise the Holiday Autos brand, Holiday Autos URLs and domain names, the underpinning B2B2C commercial agreements, subsidiary brands (Mietwagen, carhire4less, elmundoencoche, degrifauto and bookanddrive), white label and marketing contracts and intellectual property.

The deal does not include the Holiday Autos trade business. Travelocity Global said that one option, ‘pending further review and consultation across each of our countries, may be exiting the intensively competitive car rental trade sector’. Under a separate agreement, CarTrawler will replace Holiday Autos as the exclusive provider of car rental to lastminute.com, part of Travelocity Global.

Mike McGearty, chief executive of CarTrawler said: “The acquisition of these online assets will drive CarTrawler’s growth through diversification and increased scale and will deepen our geographic footprint. It will complement the existing aviation, travel, hospitality, leisure and consumer channels currently active across our platform.


“Our strategy is to realise the strong economic potential of the Holiday Autos assets through the platform, thereby creating enhanced value for CarTrawler, our partners, suppliers and customers”.


Matthew Crummack, president of Travelocity Europe, commented: “For the last ten years the Holiday Autos brand has been integral to Travelocity Global, and it has been our privilege to support the team to grow the business to become one of Europe’s most recognised, respected and leading car hire online aggregators.

Following the acquisition, CarTrawler will have booking volumes of 2.5m and gross sales of €500m a year.

The Ireland, Dublin based business, was set up in 2004 and provides partners in the aviation, travel, hospitality and leisure sectors with car rental solutions in 174 countries. Private equity investor, ECI Partners, took a 50% stake in CarTrawler in May 2011.

Holiday Autos was established in 1987 by Travel Weekly Group owner Clive Jacobs. In 2003 it was sold for £43m to lastminute.com, which was subsequently taken over by Sabre Holdings in 2005, becoming part of Travelocity Global.

According to the Holiday Autos website - "Over its 25 years of operation Holiday Autos has become recognised as the largest and leading international car hire broker for leisure. Established in 1987 we transformed the car rental industry - becoming the first broker to offer fully-inclusive pre-paid car hire. Our mission is to provide you with a car hire experience that is easy and stress-free.

We broker the best prices from the best brands, they're all here in one easy place to search, compare and purchase cheap car hire. Every day we provide fully-inclusive pre-paid car hire - so there are no hidden extras or add-ons, the price shown is the actual price you pay. With amazing daily deals and discounts to rent a car, a fantastic choice of cars and the best city, airport and worldwide pick-up locations, why rent a car with anyone else.

We work with the most prominent global suppliers and the best local car hire operators to provide you with cheap car hire; ensuring that we can deliver you the highest level of service. Our top car hire suppliers include the likes of Alamo, Avis and Hertz. We want you to hire cars with confidence and security from an international Brand that you can trust. "


Sources: Travel weekly e-tid  and Holiday Autos

Looking for car hire from Holiday Autos? Follow this link



20-6-13 Travel Mole reports - BCD buys Travelocity Business


Global travel management company BCD Travel has acquired Travelocity Business. Industry insiders believe the move is designed to help Travelocity parent Sabre prepare for an IPO that will take the company public.It's part of BCD Holdings N.V., a privately held Dutch company founded in 1975 that also owns CheapTickets, BudgetAir, Park 'N Fly, and TRX.

Tuesday 18 June 2013

Biggest car hire complaints revealed by Which?

Which?  the UK consumer magazine has just published "Which? reveals biggest car hire complaints- Extra charges fuel car hire complaints"

Car hire companies are failing to deal properly with customers complaints, Which? research has shown.

A massive 60% of Which? members who had made a complaint said they were unhappy with how car hire companies and brokers dealt with the matter.

However, there is no mention about customers having to pay for unwanted or force sold car hire excess insurance, but according to the report ".Nearly one in five (17%) Which? members complained about extra charges they had to pay when they picked up the car at the start of the rental. The other top reasons for complaint were customer service (14%), the condition of the car (11%) and fuel charges (10%) Of those who complained, six in 10 said their complaint was handled poorly or very poorly. Avis had the worst record as 59% said it handled their complaint poorly or very poorly - only 19% were happy with how the complaint was handled."

Richard Lloyd, Which? Executive Director, said: 'It's no surprise that consumers are completely fed up with hidden and sneaky car hire charges, and to add insult to injury they are getting a poor response when they complain about it. Car hire websites must be clearer about charges to allow consumers to shop around for the best deal. We are pleased to see, following our last invesigation, that some companies are making charges more transparent, but we need to see all companies making improvements." (source Which? 18-6-13)

Thursday 13 June 2013

London Taxi Advertising launch taxi ad campaign for Insurance4carhire.com

It was announced on the 29th May this year that Online car hire insurance service Insurance4carhire.com has enlisted the marketing skills of London Taxi Advertising, generated a fleet of fully branded taxis in order to promote the company amongst a cosmopolitan and frequently vacationing city.

Insurance4carhire.com strive to reduce the risks associated with car hire excess, offering a multitude of insurance options, from daily European cover through to 60 day worldwide cover.

Exhibiting full taxi livery advertising, Insurance4carhire.com benefits from the capacity to forcefully implement their brand within the London outdoor landscape. The iconic taxi poses a recognisable platform for positive brand association, and spends 95% of its time in bustling city central locations. Source London Taxi Advertising.   Want to buy insurance4carhire car excess insurance? Follow this link   

Wednesday 12 June 2013

Spanish car hire company is making customers pay for unnecessary hire car insurance according to newspaper report

The Daily Telegraph reported last Tuesday (4-6-13) that they had received a complaint from a reader who had hired a car through Record Rent-a-car in Malaga in Spain.

The reader's concern was that "On picking up the car I was asked if I wanted to purchase additional insurance to cover the damage excess. I declined and said that I had a separate policy in place.

The rental clerk would not accept this policy and insisted that I purchase Record’s own cover or else he could not release the keys to me. Under duress I purchased the cheapest “Comfort Plus” option for €53 (£47) for the week." He already had an annual car hire excess insurance policy from insurance4carhire"  

Insurance4carhire told the Telegraph's Gill Charlton that "that Record Spain is one of the worst offenders and says it also hears of similar cases at other well-known franchises in Spain and Ireland"

The car hire was arranged via Holiday Autos who have rectified the problem for the customer, but who also said "that renters who find themselves in a similar situation should telephone Holiday Autos’ 24-hour helpline from the rental desk so it can speak with the supplier and explain the situation to avoid these charges being made"

If you are renting via Holiday Autos, take the 24-hour helpline telephone number with you.

The Daily Telegraph's report can be found Here

Tuesday 11 June 2013

Cyprus is the best place to be this summer if you are wanting to save money on car hire according to report

Female First published an online story yesterday saying that The Car Hire Price Index', commissioned by car hire broker Holiday Autos found that Cyprus came top in affordability when compared with 20 other popular UK destinations for holidays this year.


Car Hire at Paphos Airport, Cyprus - Photo jml Insurance 2013
 The report investigated the charge of renting a four door family car based on one week’s stay, combined with the price of petrol, road tolls, parking and the unfortunate event of a speeding fine as well as the add ons such as sat naves and child seats.


France and Italy reached as much as £788 which was a huge £582 more than Cyprus and outside of Europe, South Africa and UAE were some of the best prices on hiring cars on holiday.

Holiday Autos released the report at the start of the summer to allow motorists to budget for their holiday transportation and how they can do it a cheaply as possible.

Kevin Currie, Managing Director of Holiday Autos comments as follows: “It’s been a decidedly wet and miserable start to 2013, so many Brits are already in the process of putting their hard earned cash towards seeking out some sunshine – booking flights, hotels and thinking about hiring a car.


As budgets get tighter, the cost of car hire is one thing but the true cost of getting behind the wheel is another entirely, which is why we hope our ‘Car Hire Price Index’ will help consumers get the most out of their holiday.”

Using customer booking trends and a typical compact four-door family car as a base, the findings showed that outside of the actual business of booking a hire car, many of the most popular holiday destinations were in reality a financial drain - with the rising fuel prices and the weak UK pound major contributing factors.


Interestingly the enduring allure of mainland Spain to British holidaymakers was almost entirely unaffected in the wake of one of the most dramatic fuel price increases in recent years - remaining the number one most booked destination for Holiday Autos customers. Source Femail First / Holiday Autos.

If you are looking for car hire in Cyprus - France - Italy - Spain - UAE - South Africa and more visit Holiday Autos at http://www.holidayautos.co.uk/cgi-bin/liveweb.sh/QSearch.w?ctryref=GBR&lang=EN&aff=xjeffreymilnerltd

Saturday 8 June 2013

Protect Your Bubble Announces Its Summer “OOPS” Contest - USA

Rental Car Insurance brand encourages consumers to share their experience for a the chance to win a prize - 31st May 2013 Press Release from ProtectYourBubble at Atlanta, GA, USA.

" Summer is a popular time of year for folks to hit the open road in a rental car. And many consumers, at some point in time, have had an “OOPS!” moment during a business trip or vacation with their rental car. These “OOPS!” moments can range from a minor scratch, to an impounded, or even a stolen, rental car. Rental car insurance brand, Protect Your Bubble, invites consumers to share their “OOPS!” story for the chance at winning a prize.

For the month on June, consumers can submit their story on the company’s blog. The story with the most votes will be awarded an iPad Mini. So, consumers should start thinking about their “OOPS” story and share it with Protect Your Bubble today. Remember: participants should share their submission with friends and family and invite them to vote for their story.

For those hitting the open road in a rental car this summer, it’s important to remember that rental car protection is a great way to cover damage. Visit us.protectyourbubble.com for a quick quote.

About Protect Your Bubble

Protect Your Bubble is a specialty insurance brand, offering insurance for gadgets, pets and travel―all for today’s modern consumer.

Rental Car - For those hitting the open road in a rental car, it’s important to remember that rental car damage protection is a great way to cover your rental car while on your road trip.

Travel - Plans provide a variety of coverage for travelers including cancellation, interruption, medical/dental, baggage, rental car damage and much more. Plan services include 24/7 emergency assistance, Consult a Doctor™, roadside assistance, restaurant reservations and tee-time scheduling.

Gadget - Smartphone and tablet insurance covers loss, theft and water damage and consumers will receive a replacement device in 24 hours. Home gadget warranties provide coverage for mechanical breakdown and accidental damage for laptops, game consoles and cameras as well as mechanical breakdown for appliances, televisions, desktop computers, home theater systems and more.

Pet - Plans provide up to 90 percent reimbursement for covered vet charges for eligible accidents, illnesses, hereditary conditions and behavioral treatments and alternative therapies. They allow owners to visit any licensed vet in the country. Additionally, annual deductible options start at $100 which only need to be met once per plan year.

Renters – Plans protect customers against theft, fire, lightning, wind, hail, smoke, vandalism, water damage liability (where applicable), earthquakes and power surges in most states. Content limits start at $10,000, with personal liability limits under $100,000.

ID Theft Protection – The program offers a full array of prevention services, including 24/7 access to customer service and education about identity theft protection. Detection services include credit and identity monitoring, both important early warning tools that notify customers about potential fraud involving their credit or identity. To resolve any identity theft incidents, certified resolution specialists are available 24/7 to work directly with customers to manage the entire resolution process from start to finish.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Protect Your Bubble is available online, via mobile app or phone, allowing consumers to understand, buy and, most importantly, protect what enriches their lives. Find Protect Your Bubble USA on Facebook or Twitter Protect Your Bubble is a new kind of insurance brand. We’re different, special even. For starters, we’ve got British roots, so we’ve got a sense of humor. While we may be new to the US, we’re part of a Fortune 500, global insurance company (find out more about our parent company below in Company Information) so we’ve got the dependability you’re looking for when it comes to your insurance. What sets us apart from the other guys is that, while we don’t offer home-owners insurance or life insurance, we do offer social life insurance." - Source: Protect Your Bubble


Find out more about Protect Your Bubble in the UK markets by visiting their advertisement page HERE on the insurance4carrental Website for Car hire excess insurance, Pet insurance and Life insurance 

Friday 7 June 2013

Minibus Excess Insurance has been launched by Questor Insurance

Vehicle hire excess and travel insurance specialist Questor Insurance has announced on the 1st June 2013 that it is expanding its range of quality insurance products with the launch of minibus excess insurance on 1 June, with prices starting from only £7.99 a day.


Vehicle hire excess and travel insurance specialist Questor Insurance has announced that it is expanding its range of quality insurance products with the launch of minibus excess insurance on 1 June, with prices starting from only £7.99 a day.


With the summer season almost upon us scores of people across the UK will be hiring a minibus for group and family outings to make the most of the UK’s attractions come rain or shine; ensuring that they have comprehensive minibus excess insurance in place will make sure their time on the road is covered for a number of eventualities.

Working in the same way as the company’s great car hire excess insurance, the firm’s minibus excess insurance builds on Questor’s reputation for innovation and covers the excess – the amount a policy normally pays towards a claim – on the minibus hire agreement up to £3,000, potentially sparing drivers for paying hefty excess costs.

Questor’s minibus excess insurance covers any loss or damage to the vehicle that the hirer is responsible for under the terms and conditions of the hire agreement. This includes areas such as damage to tyres, windscreen and under body.


To ensure that drivers are always able to continue on with their journey, Questor’s minibus excess insurance also covers for loss of vehicle keys up to £500 and towing fees up to £500 – services that may incur an additional charge with other minibus excess insurance policies.

Questor’s minibus excess insurance also gives consumers the flexibility of cover whether they are at home, or heading for a spell on the continent – with the ability to extend the policy to include trips to Europe, providing that journeys start and end in the UK.


The policy covers a single rental agreement up to 14 days and is applicable to UK residents aged between 24 and 64 renting a minibus up to 15 seats and not more than 7.5T.


Commenting on the launch of Questor’s minibus hire excess insurance Questor Insurance CEO Andrew Lawrence said:
“We continue to innovate our products, meeting our client’s needs and our new minibus excess insurance is no exception. At a time when consumers’ budgets are being hit hard by rising inflation, and soaring petrol costs, Questor’s new minibus excess insurance offers minibus hirers the chance to make substantial savings against buying excess insurance directly with a minibus rental company, which could set them back as much as £20 a day on top of their standard insurance costs.

“The quality and value of our minibus excess insurance is also matched by the quality of our customer service which has been given an impressive 9.2 out 10 rating by satisfied Questor customers who have praised Questor for offering an excellent all-round service.”


Questor Minibus Excess Insurance – what’s included at a glance:


•Covering clients permanently resident in the UK renting a minibus up to 15 seats and not more than 7.5T


•The excess on the hire agreement, loss or damage to tyres, windscreen and under body up to £3,000

•Vehicle keys up to £500

•Towing up to £500

•Covering drivers aged between 24 and 64

•Covers a single rental agreement up to 14 days

•Policy can be extended to include trips to Europe subject to the hire starting and finishing in the UK

•No hidden policy or card fees

Find out more HERE     More Information About Questor Insurance Services Limited


They are an independent privately owned insurance intermediary that is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Questor Insurance designs and distributes niche insurance products for the Internet at the same time providing great customer service via a dedicated in-house team.

Their mission is to provide our clients with the best niche insurance products and client service. They do this by designing our own insurance products, building our own software and by providing detailed and ongoing training to their staff.


They have also made it easy for you to talk to them so that they can provide personal touch client service. You can telephone, email or make contact through their Live Chat application. Whichever way you make contact with them, you will always find that their staff are ready to go the extra mile to assist.

Questor also supports its clients through the claim process. They have access to the Underwriter's claim systems so that they can provide their clients with updates on their claim and they meet with the claim handlers regularly to discuss servicing issues. They are also in the process of developing what will be an industry-leading claims platform to streamline the claims process even further to the benefit of their customers.

Questor currently offers insurance in three product classes, Vehicle Hire Excess, Travel Insurance and Excess Protection.


They started trading in August 2007 having received their authorisation from the Financial Services Authority in July 2007. They are a dynamic innovative business with committed staff which translates into a great business. Their products are supplied retail to their website and wholesale to other sites like the one below.


Source: Questor insurance










Visit the Questor Minibus Hire Excess Insurance page at insurance4minibus site

Fewer new car hire cars registered in Cyprus in January to April 2013

Last weekend's "Cyprus Weekly"  reported that the number of rental cars registered between January to April 2013 dropped to 332 from 614 in the same period in 2012. 

Meanwhile I have just rented a car from Sixt Cyprus rent a car and their partner Uniwheels Car Rentals Ltd via Economy Car Hire for a week from Paphos International Airport in Cyprus.

I was sent an email a few days before going from Economy Car Hire saying "Your booking was made without purchasing the optional top-up insurance. £14 will make sure you are covered. Our enhanced top-up insurance policy provides cover against any loss or damage to the vehicle which is not covered by the car hire company. This includes the following: Damage to the tyres, windscreen, underside of the vehicle and the interior.

The cost of replacing lost, stolen or damaged keys, including replacement locks. Cover of up to £500 in the event the wrong fuel is put into the hire vehicle. Up to £100 can be claimed should the hirer unintentionally lock themselves out of the vehicle. You can add this additional cover to your car hire booking for just £14. This is a reimbursement insurance which means that any loss or damage must be paid for at the time of the rental and a claim must be made against the policy for reimbursement."

I declined this invitation as I have an annual car hire excess insurance from insurance4carhire

The service from Sixt at Paphos Airport in Cyprus was very good, their representative told me that they have a lot of dealings with Economy Car Hire   and as I was concerned about many car hire companies in Cyprus have a collect full, pay for a full tank of fuel and return empty new that with Sixt it was pay for a full tank and return full and you are refunded the amount you paid.

It looks like the only extra was the airport collection tax charge which according to the calculations on my credit card statement was £15.46. The Ford Fiesta was OK for our needs, however after driving a few kms, the top part of the gear lever fell off. Not a real problem as I soon knew which was reverse.

Driving at night was not so easy. The lights looked like they were all misted up and trying to clean the dirty windscreen, I found the spray jets on the bonnet blocked as the water bottle was full. I also found out that the near side headlamp did not work on dipped.

On returning to Paphos Airport I reported these issue to the friendly Sixt Cyprus person who was also the same person who had provided all the rental documentation at the check in desk the week before. He told me that the glass was misted up due to the sun in Cyprus, but at looking at other cars in the week it seemed rather strange that it only happened with this one. Hopefully they fixed the spary jets for the front windscreen wipers and put a new light bulb in and stuck the gear lever indicator on properly before the next rental.

I could not find a fuel station at the airport and fortunately filled up at the last one I saw before going to the airport, some 6 km or so from it, so if you are intending to return a car full of fuel


If you are thinking of taking a self catering holiday villa rental in Cyprus follow this link to the jmlvillas website