Rental Car Excess Insurance FAQs

Car hire excess insurance covers the excess charged by a rental company if their car is damaged or stolen while in your care. Without this cover, you could be liable for thousands of dollars in eligible excess charges. Rental Shield reimburses eligible charges so your Rental Shield policy excess is $0.

All plans cover eligible collision damage, theft, windscreen and glass, tyre damage, undercarriage damage, key replacement and lockout, admin and processing fees, towing costs, and authorised drivers listed on the rental agreement. All plans include $0 policy excess.

Rental Shield is independent rental car excess insurance bought before pickup. It can cover eligible excess charges and some costs that may be excluded by rental desk CDW, such as windscreen, tyre and admin charges, subject to policy terms.

Yes. Licensed drivers listed on your rental vehicle agreement are covered at no extra charge.

Credit card rental insurance varies by card. Some policies include conditions, exclusions, minimum spend rules, excesses or claim requirements. Check your card policy wording before relying on it.

Plans start at $22.99/day for Essential, $44.99/day for Premium and $66.99/day for Ultimate. The total depends on your plan, vehicle type and rental duration. Vehicle type surcharges may apply.

Your total premium is based on your daily plan rate, vehicle type and number of rental days. Your personalised total is shown on the quote result screen after you enter your dates, state and vehicle type.

Yes — full refund if you cancel any time before your rental start date. No questions asked. No cancellation fees. Simply log into your account and cancel your policy from the My Policies page.

Log in → My Claims → New Claim → upload your documents. You'll need the rental agreement, damage invoice, photos, and driver licences. We acknowledge within 24 hours and process approved claims within 3–5 business days.

We acknowledge all claims within 24 hours. Once approved, reimbursement is processed to your bank account within 3–5 business days. Complex claims requiring additional documentation may take longer.

The maximum benefit is up to $100,000 AUD per policy, subject to your policy terms and the eligible charges under your claim.

No. You usually do not need to show your policy at the counter, but keeping the policy email handy can help if staff ask about your independent excess cover. Read your rental agreement carefully before deciding whether to buy or decline CDW/LDW.

Your policy starts on the start date and time you specified when getting your quote. You are not covered before this date. Make sure your rental pickup is on or after your policy start date.

Licensed commercial car rental companies are covered, including major brands such as Hertz, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Thrifty, Alamo and Sixt. Private or peer-to-peer rentals are not covered.