Car hire from Geneva...Insurance?

[Andehh]

We are looking at hiring 3 cars from Geneva for a Stag do, just to get us from A to B in a better fashion then a bus. I am always nervous with hire cars with the Insurance implications though.

Currently its looking at nearly 33% of the hire car costs is going to end up on Insurance waivers - basically getting the full package on each car just in case the worst happens we don't need to worry about splitting a £1000 excess 11 ways etc....

Is there another *fool proof* way of taking out excess free, full coverage, type insurance without risk? - but cheaper then the £18/day per car? (working out at nearly £120 for the trip)?


EDIT: Having said that the below looks perfect, and for £7 extra day looks to be ideal. HOWEVER, are we missing anything that could bite us if we to go with the below & find someone has damaged the car?

Edited by Andehh on Saturday 13th January 09:19

[Whoozit]

Have a read of the rental insurance section on Moneysavingexpert. It'll guide you through the minefield of acronyms. And you will almost certainly find it cheaper to buy a separate excess insurance policy. I have £50,000 of excess cover for up to 60 days per rental agreement, all for £58.75. As I hire cars 3-4 times a year I probably save hundreds.

[Boz123]

Another question - are you driving into France or remaining in Switzerland? If you're going to France, make sure you hire from the French side of Geneva airport, can be substantially cheaper.

[RicksAlfas]

Just as an aside. The Swiss public transport system is very efficient and easy to use. We went last year and I think it’s the first holiday we’ve not had a hire car and it made a pleasant change.

If you do hire cars you can buy insurance to cover the excess. I’ve used these guys before:
http://www.insurance4carhire.com but shop around as there are lots of people doing it now.

[Andehh]

Boz123 said:

Another question - are you driving into France or remaining in Switzerland? If you're going to France, make sure you hire from the French side of Geneva airport, can be substantially cheaper.

How would I check that? As we are going into france - Chamonix!


Thanks for the comments so far guys.

[Whoozit]

Andehh said:

How would I check that? As we are going into france - Chamonix!

Thanks for the comments so far guys.

Given it's Chamonix and a stag do, you might consider using the transfer bus companies instead, and local buses to get around. It's doable although obviously not as convenient

[Andehh]

Whoozit said:

Andehh said:

How would I check that? As we are going into france - Chamonix!

Thanks for the comments so far guys.

Given it's Chamonix and a stag do, you might consider using the transfer bus companies instead, and local buses to get around. It's doable although obviously not as convenient

Thanks for the suggestions. That is our plan B but for nearly £30 each, getting a hire car between 4 people makes it easier & more or less the same price. We also have free parking at the hotel.

[rcspeirs]

Hire from French side? Often cheaper, but (1) no guarantee that your vehicle will have winter tyres and (2) unlikely to have Swiss motorway vignette (which you must have it you intend to 'cut the corner' and use Swiss motorways.
You can request a vehicle with winter tyres but this may cost more.

[rcspeirs]

Using your own excess waiver policy does save - lots. I do it myself. But you need to understand the system. If you're unfortunate to suffer damage (no matter who is at fault) the rental company will charge you (up to the excess maximum - which may be thousands), then you reclaim that against your own policy. It works, you do get the money back, but there is a short term wallop to your credit card - which for some people may be tough to cope with.

[Boz123]

rcspeirs said:

Hire from French side? Often cheaper, but (1) no guarantee that your vehicle will have winter tyres and (2) unlikely to have Swiss motorway vignette (which you must have it you intend to 'cut the corner' and use Swiss motorways.
You can request a vehicle with winter tyres but this may cost more.

You can tell if it's French side looking for hire from Geneva Airport (France) or code GGV versus GVA. Have done the route many times driving to Trois Vallees, they will give you winter tyres if asked. Avoiding the Swiss motorway is fine if you plan the route, and is only needed on the return leg. The other thing to be aware of is this insanity - you cannot hire a Swiss - registered car and then drive into the EU: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/holidays/articl...

If you do hire from the Swiss side, make sure it's an EU registered car. You're unlikely to get stopped, but better to make sure!

Edited by Boz123 on Sunday 14th January 10:20

[Whoozit]

Boz123 said:

You can tell if it's French side looking for hire from Geneva Airport (France) or code GGV versus GVA. Have done the route many times driving to Trois Vallees, they will give you winter tyres if asked. Avoiding the Swiss motorway is fine if you plan the route, and is only needed on the return leg. The other thing to be aware of is this insanity - you cannot hire a Swiss - registered car and then drive into the EU: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/holidays/articl...

If you do hire from the Swiss side, make sure it's an EU registered car. You're unlikely to get stopped, but better to make sure!

Edited by Boz123 on Sunday 14th January 10:20

My mate with a chalet in Chamonix rents regularly from GVA. Aside from being told the car recovery isn't valid in France, they have never mentioned this, and usually it's a swiss plated car.

[Andehh]

Boz123 said:

You can tell if it's French side looking for hire from Geneva Airport (France) or code GGV versus GVA. Have done the route many times driving to Trois Vallees, they will give you winter tyres if asked. Avoiding the Swiss motorway is fine if you plan the route, and is only needed on the return leg. The other thing to be aware of is this insanity - you cannot hire a Swiss - registered car and then drive into the EU: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/holidays/articl...

If you do hire from the Swiss side, make sure it's an EU registered car. You're unlikely to get stopped, but better to make sure!

Edited by Boz123 on Sunday 14th January 10:20

Never knew this, its as simple as asking the Rental Firm to provide it?

Company we are looking at - Dollar (above) only has a Swiss Side Rental place....

[Dog Star]

Whoozit said:

My mate with a chalet in Chamonix rents regularly from GVA. Aside from being told the car recovery isn't valid in France, they have never mentioned this, and usually it's a swiss plated car.

We went to Morzine from GVA last year and had a swiss registered hire car.

[Fluffsri]

Just for info, Ive booked my car from Genvea, Swiss side for early Feb and Avis have said the car comes with winters tyres as std.

[Andehh]

Just coming back to this. What complicates it with regards to getting our own excess hire agreements is the fact we are hiring 3 cars. I have never hired on the continent before so not fussed about them offering better value for money on futures hire (as most are around £30/car), what I am keen on is 100% reduced risk. . I also do not fancy having to ''claim back'' my excess having paid it up front. With three cars etc there is too much that could go wrong.

This is all for a stag do, so all costs are split 11 ways, hence I am very happy spending more ££ to reduce the risk. I can't allow one scratch to mean I am forced to pay a £1000 excess that I then need to claim back and either being put in the position of having to face the bill alone, try and split the cost 10 ways or forcing the person who caused the damage to suffer it alone etc etc...

Some of these 'claim back excess' also come with T&Cs which require police reports, which on a Sunday morning in France, for light damage with a flight to catch I imagine being a nightmare.

Just hoping to hear of anyone who has taken out a car hire firms own policy, happy in the knowledge they have paid an extra £10-20 a day but can hand the car in whatever state and walk away from it. This is the sort of thing I am hoping for! - Especially with 'Dollar' who are coming out distinctly cheaper for hiring cars.


As for winter tyres - we are going in June so no issue. I will intend to stay 100% in France.

Edited by Andehh on Sunday 21st January 12:59