COLLISION DAMAGE WAIVER (CDW)
Charters Hire have a premium CDW cover for customers who either hire direct through us or through one of our preferred hire customers, please see your specific terms to understand the type of cover you have. You have the option to reduce the excesses applicable by purchasing Premium CDW. Premium CDW cover reduces or in some cases removes the excess applicable to the rental. Payment will be required at the commencement of the rental and the cost will vary dependent on the hirer and the vehicle hired, Premium CDW does not include cover for damage to the interior damage due to vehicle loss due to driver negligence such as keys left in the vehicle, missing tools, misfuelling and Ad blue not being kept to the correct level Not with-standing this payment, you will remain responsible for paying the full daily rental charges until such time as the vehicle is either repaired or deemed a write-off or is considered to be beyond economical repair. This process can take up to a minimum of 25 days, or under the companies discretion under a special policy type this we wavered.
How does an excess work with Collision Damage Waiver?
An excess is the most you'll have to pay towards repairs to certain parts of a rental van. Collision Damage Waiver policies almost always have an 'excess'. Discover how this excess works and which parts of the van it applies to.
Nothing gives you as much freedom as your own set of wheels, and hiring a van can be a lot cheaper than you might think. If you're worried about bumps and scratches, remember you're protected by your van's Collision Damage Waiver . If something does go wrong, the most you'll have to pay for any damage to the bodywork is the 'excess', which is usually between £250 and £3,000.
What does Collision Damage Waiver cover?
The only thing your Collision Damage Waiver covers is the bodywork: the bonnet, doors, side panels and back of the van. It doesn't cover anything else, such as the engine, wheels, mirrors, windows or interior.
Collision Damage Waiver only covers the parts in blue. And it won't cover you if the van gets damaged while you're breaking the terms of the rental agreement. So if you're off-roading, driving drunk, or letting someone else drive the van without the rental company's permission, for example, you'll be responsible for the full cost of any repairs.
To find out more, see Which parts of a hire van does Collision Damage Waiver cover?
How much would you pay for damage?
If the bodywork gets damaged during your rental, you will have to pay something (the excess) towards repairs. Let's say, for example, that the Collision Damage Waiver's excess is £400:
- If there's £600 of damage, you'll pay £250
- If there's £800 of damage, you'll pay £250
- If there's £1,000 of damage, you'll pay £250
Remember that's only for bodywork damage. Unless you've bought some extra cover, you'll have to pay the full cost of repairs to any other part of the van.
How would you pay for the damage?
In most cases, the rental company will withhold your security deposit to pay for the damage. That means they'll take the money they 'blocked' on your credit card when you picked the van up.
If the repair costs are bigger than your deposit, the company will take the extra from your credit card.
To find out more, see Why do I have to leave a deposit when I hire a van?
How can you get a smaller excess?
You might get a smaller excess by choosing a different rental company, or by choosing a smaller van with the same company. In general, the bigger (or fancier) the van, the bigger the excess.
When you pick your van up, the counter staff might offer you a type of extra coverage called Super Collision Damage Waiver.
You don't have to buy this extra cover. It’s entirely up to you. If you do choose to buy it, it'll be on top of the Collision Damage Waiver and Theft Protection policies you've already got. The daily cost will depend on the rental company you choose and the type of van.
Different companies offer different kinds of Super Collision Damage Waiver:
- Some of these policies will cover more parts of the van than standard Collision Damage Waiver.
- Some reduce your excess.
- Some take the excess all the way down to zero, so you won't pay anything at all if you damage something that's covered. These are called 'zero excess' policies.