Before a recent trip to Málaga, I booked a Hertz hire car for a week through a broker and paid for comprehensive insurance cover. At the airport, the Hertz staff insisted this policy was invalid in Spain, and I needed to pay €197 (£167) for its SuperCover excess-waiver policy, which removes the excess in the event of a claim. I was also told the two baby seats I had booked would cost an extra €168. What started as a £372 car hire ended up costing £711 after VAT. When I complained to head office I was sent a €40 (£33) voucher.
AOT, Brighton, East Sussex
Car rental companies are notorious for luring customers in with budget quotes, then inflating the price with hidden add-ons. Unwanted insurance cover is a favourite extra. You can buy excess-waiver cover, which reduces the insurance excess payable in the event of an accident, for about £2 a day from a third-party broker, while some hire firms charge three-figure sums and claim a rental is not valid without it.
