Rental Car Excess Cover Before Pickup.

Sort your excess protection online before you reach the rental counter.

$0 Policy Excess Up to $100K Cover Refund Before Pickup

Get Your Free Quote

Takes 30 seconds · No payment required

Where are you hiring your car from?

I'm renting a:

Pickup Date

Time

Return Date

Time

Secure checkout · Instant policy · Refund before pickup

The Problem

Decide on excess cover before the counter does it for you.

Rental desks commonly offer CDW or LDW at pickup, often around $25-$35 per day. For a 7-day rental, that can add up quickly. Rental Shield lets you compare your excess cover online first, with plans from $22.99/day.

Rental Desk

$35

/day

Rental Shield

$22.99

/day

A clearer way to compare cover before you travel

Here's what you get:

Collision damage protection
Theft protection
Windscreen, tyres & undercarriage
All authorised drivers included
Admin & processing fees covered
Towing costs after an accident
Key replacement & lockout
$0 policy excess on eligible claims

See full coverage details →

Simple Process

Protected in 3 easy steps

No phone calls. Clear documents. Less pressure at pickup.

Get Your Quote

Enter your rental state and dates. Takes under 2 minutes online. No commitment required.

Drive Protected

Your policy is emailed instantly. At pickup, decide whether to decline the rental desk CDW or LDW because you already have independent excess cover.

Claim With Ease

Submit documents online if anything goes wrong. Approved claims paid within a few business days.

See the full process →

Choose Your Cover

Pick the plan that fits your trip

All plans include up to $100,000 cover and $0 policy excess. From $22.99/day.

Essential $22.99/day Starter

Collision, theft, windscreen

Tyres, undercarriage, keys

$0 policy excess on eligible claims

All authorised drivers

★ Best Value Premium $44.99/day Best Value

Everything in Essential

Headlights, mirrors & lights

Roof, hail & dent damage

Misfuelling & overseas

Priority claim processing

Maximum Protection Ultimate $66.99/day Maximum Protection

Everything in Premium

Luxury vehicle coverage

Interior, scratch & paint

Rollover, water & flood

24/7 support & claims manager

All plans include up to $100,000 cover · $0 policy excess · All authorised drivers · Vehicle surcharges may apply

Get a Quote Now

Transparency

Know exactly what you're covered for

Covered

Collision damage (up to your coverage limit)
Theft of the rental vehicle
Windscreen & glass damage
Tyre damage
Undercarriage damage
Key replacement & lockout
Admin & processing fees
Towing costs after accident
All authorised drivers on agreement

Not Covered

Interior damage from misuse
Driving under the influence
Off-road use (without specific add-on)
Personal belongings in vehicle
Mechanical or electrical failure
Racing or sports use

View Full Coverage Details →

Built on trust and
transparency.

Your policy is issued with clear terms, upfront pricing and simple claim instructions.

Up to $100K Cover

Maximum policy benefit

$0 Policy Excess

On eligible claims

Secure Payments

Handled by Stripe

Australia-Wide

All states & territories

Before Pickup

What to check before you reach the counter

Counter CDW can have exclusions

Windscreen cracks, tyre damage, admin fees and processing charges are often excluded from the rental desk CDW — even after you've paid for it.

Credit card cover varies

Some credit card policies have conditions, exclusions or claim steps that are easy to miss. Check the wording before relying on it.

You can choose your own cover

If you arrange independent excess cover before pickup, you can make a calmer decision when CDW or LDW is offered at the desk.

FAQ

Common questions answered

Car hire excess insurance covers the excess (deductible) you'd otherwise have to pay if your rental car is damaged or stolen. Most rental cars come with basic insurance built in, but you're still liable for the excess — often up to $4,500. Rental Shield reimburses eligible excess charges so your Rental Shield policy excess is $0.

Our policies start at just $22.99/day for $100,000 of coverage with our Essential plan. Upgrade to Premium for $44.99/day or Ultimate for $66.99/day for enhanced protection. Vehicle type surcharges may apply. Compare that to rental desks charging $25–$35/day for similar cover.

No. You don't need to show your policy document at the counter. Simply tell the rental agent you have arranged your own excess cover. They may still offer CDW or LDW, but you can decide whether their cover is right for you.

Our policies are compatible with all licensed commercial car rental companies including Hertz, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Thrifty, Alamo, Sixt, Jucy, Apollo and thousands more — anywhere in Australia and overseas.

Yes. You can cancel your policy at any time before your rental pickup date for a full refund. No cancellation fees.

Yes. All licensed drivers listed on your rental vehicle agreement are covered under your policy at no extra charge. This can be an advantage over some credit card policies which may only cover the primary cardholder.

Log into your account after your rental, click "New Claim," and upload your documents (rental agreement, damage invoice, driver licence, and photos). We'll acknowledge your claim within 24 hours and process approved claims within 3–5 business days.

We cover rentals across all Australian states and territories: NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, ACT, and NT. Premium and Ultimate plans also include international/overseas rentals.

View all FAQs →