Renting a car from Geneva Airport – cost of damage cover insurance
A traveler, Heart_voy, is planning to rent a car at Geneva Airport for 6 days and is concerned about the high damage coverage insurance fee of around $330, which seems steep compared to the rental rate. This is their first time renting a car in Switzerland, having previously enjoyed train travel during other visits.
- Get quotes from multiple car rental companies to compare rates and coverage options.
- Check if your travel insurance covers rental car insurance to potentially reduce rental company charges.
- The Swiss Travel Pass is valid on certain boats, providing an alternative travel option and flexibility along your route.
AI-generated summary-
Hi, We plan to rent car at GVA airport. We found a decent rental rate from Hertz for about $350 for 6 days. However, the extra fee for damage coverage insurance is about $330. We find very high compared with the rental fee, and also compared with what we pay for insurance in the U.S.
Is it common in Switzerland that car rental insurance is this high? Or it varies with different car rental companies? We used and very enjoy train rides on our last 3 Switzerland. And this is our 1st time renting a car to go thru different cities between France and Switzerland.
Thank you,
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Hello Heart_Voy
I have a question for you. Why are you hiring a car when you are delighted with Swiss trains? And you have in your other thread indicated that you are visiting Zermatt, so you will have to park the precious hire car in a car park at Tasch. (Serious question to other members of this forum, is that why the insurance is so high?)
I am thinking as I write this. I am a retired (English) law teacher. But I know that in France someone who operates a car is strictly liable for accidents ’caused’ by their car even though they are not at fault. That will push up the cost of insurance.
In your other thread the only place in France you mention is Chamonix. Chamonix has an hourly train service from Geneva, albeit with a change at St Gervais. It also also has an hourly service from Martigny, albeit with a change at the frontier (Vallorcine). Annecy, Thonan and Evian all have hourly through trains from Geneva. Better still there are boats from Lausanne to Evian which are run by a Swiss company. The fabulous Swiss Travel Pass is valid on these boats.
Kind regards
Roger
Hi Heart_voyage,
Perhaps acquire a second quotation from another car hire company and see if it’s comparable and what is exactly covered. Is it fully comprehensive cover or only partly?
Another suggestion, perhaps check with your travel insurance to see if they offer any cover for rental car hire. That way you may be able to omit some of the damage insurance the car rental company is quoting you. Do check closely as at the end of the day, you do not want to be out of pocket and would want to be covered in the event of a claim.
I think in general insurance for damage coverage when hiring a rental car is quite high.
We have some useful information on car rental hire in the link below:
Kind regards,
Yolanda
Hi, We have used train and boat on our last 3 Switzerland trips and loved it. This trip we like to do car because we plan to stop at Annecy, Chamonix, Zermatt, and Montreaux. Having a car gives us flexibility to stop along the way that we can’t if we take train.
We always buy travel insurance when we travel outside of North America. Great advice we should check if they also sell car rental insurance.
Thank you very much for your advice.
Hi again, Heart_Voy
I strongly suspect that it is too,late, but please read the ‘trip report’ just posted on this forum by j_k.
Her point 2 is crucial, especially her idea of ‘flexible’. The lack of a car even meant that while she did one thing, her husband did something completely different!
Kind regards
Roger
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