Puglia car hire

[Desiderata]

Hi, I'm looking for recommendations for this summer, CDW insurance in Puglia seems very high, apparently because there's a high risk of cars disappearing in the direction of Albania.
I'm not looking for ways around the whole CDW thing, just don't want to be ripped off. I'm going on holiday and want it to be stress free with no worries about minor scratches so "happy" to pay for all inclusive insurance that means I just drop the car off and hop back on the plane without histrionics and amateur dramatics from the rental staff.
Just looking for the best "no hassle" deal. Any recommendations?

[riskyj]

Do you have a bank account which offers CDW excess cover as part of their travel insurance? (Revolut Metal for example)

[Desiderata]

riskyj said:

Do you have a bank account which offers CDW excess cover as part of their travel insurance? (Revolut Metal for example)

Thanks for the reply.
No, and I don't really want that.
Previous experience has shown me that although it's far more expensive, it's usually a lot easier process when you take the hire company's own "all inclusive" insurance . No hard sell on pick-up, no post-hire inspection, no deposits, no hassle trying to claim it back when you get home.
I'm on holiday and I want it to be as hassle free as possible and don't mind paying extra for that. I just want to take the best value and experience route down that line. Hence looking for recommendations.

[GT03ROB]

The rental companies all inclusive insurance is just a profit centre for them. I rent in Spain regularly. You get some good deals, until you then see the optional insurance add on. It will be 3 figures each time. A single stand alone annual policy costs me around 50 quid & gives the same coverage,

[The Leaper]

Desiderata said:

Hi, I'm looking for recommendations for this summer, CDW insurance in Puglia seems very high, apparently because there's a high risk of cars disappearing in the direction of Albania.
I'm not looking for ways around the whole CDW thing, just don't want to be ripped off. I'm going on holiday and want it to be stress free with no worries about minor scratches so "happy" to pay for all inclusive insurance that means I just drop the car off and hop back on the plane without histrionics and amateur dramatics from the rental staff.
Just looking for the best "no hassle" deal. Any recommendations?

I know what you mean. In 2018 wife and I had a fab holiday in Puglia (based at Torre Canne) via Bari Airport. Hired a VW Golf from Avis. The car hire was £310 and the insurance via Avis was £230! Like you, I like the pick up/drop off ease that this means, but you do pay for it.

R.

[Desiderata]

GT03ROB said:

The rental companies all inclusive insurance is just a profit centre for them. I rent in Spain regularly. You get some good deals, until you then see the optional insurance add on. It will be 3 figures each time. A single stand alone annual policy costs me around 50 quid & gives the same coverage,

Thanks for the reply, I'm aware of the various options on independent CDW insurance, but I really don't want the bother. I'm happy to pay extra just to have the hassle free experience of rolling up to the airport at the end of the holiday and dropping the keys off without any drama. That's worth a couple of hundred quid any day to me. Just looking for recommendations for the best hire company.

[Desiderata]

The Leaper said:

I know what you mean. In 2018 wife and I had a fab holiday in Puglia (based at Torre Canne) via Bari Airport. Hired a VW Golf from Avis. The car hire was £310 and the insurance via Avis was £230! Like you, I like the pick up/drop off ease that this means, but you do pay for it.

R.

Thanks for this, Avis was coming up as the best option for what I'm looking for (if not the cheapest) going by internet searches.
I do prefer to go local where possible, but haven't found any independents with good recommendations yet .
Yes £230 seems like a lot for an add on, but on the grand scale of what a holiday costs in total and is worth to me as a life experience, it's not much for peace of mind and relaxation tokens.

[GT03ROB]

Desiderata said:

The Leaper said:

I know what you mean. In 2018 wife and I had a fab holiday in Puglia (based at Torre Canne) via Bari Airport. Hired a VW Golf from Avis. The car hire was £310 and the insurance via Avis was £230! Like you, I like the pick up/drop off ease that this means, but you do pay for it.

R.

Thanks for this, Avis was coming up as the best option for what I'm looking for (if not the cheapest) going by internet searches.
I do prefer to go local where possible, but haven't found any independents with good recommendations yet .
Yes £230 seems like a lot for an add on, but on the grand scale of what a holiday costs in total and is worth to me as a life experience, it's not much for peace of mind and relaxation tokens.

I think it was 2018 but flew into Bari & used Avis also. They were fine & didn’t really check the car when we handed it back. Just as well as it had mysteriously developed a large scuff on the rear bumper!

[The Leaper]

Desiderata said:

The Leaper said:

I know what you mean. In 2018 wife and I had a fab holiday in Puglia (based at Torre Canne) via Bari Airport. Hired a VW Golf from Avis. The car hire was £310 and the insurance via Avis was £230! Like you, I like the pick up/drop off ease that this means, but you do pay for it.

R.

Thanks for this, Avis was coming up as the best option for what I'm looking for (if not the cheapest) going by internet searches.
I do prefer to go local where possible, but haven't found any independents with good recommendations yet .
Yes £230 seems like a lot for an add on, but on the grand scale of what a holiday costs in total and is worth to me as a life experience, it's not much for peace of mind and relaxation tokens.

If you decide on Avis, sign up for Avis Preferred before making a booking. At Bari there's a separate Avis check in inside the terminal building and enables you to avoid the otherwise lengthy queue at their main check in desk. Check in process is quick too because they will already have all your relevant details.

R.

[GT03ROB]

The Leaper said:

If you decide on Avis, sign up for Avis Preferred before making a booking. At Bari there's a separate Avis check in inside the terminal building and enables you to avoid the otherwise lengthy queue at their main check in desk. Check in process is quick too because they will already have all your relevant details.

R.

2nd that. Compared to other places Bari can take an age to get your car if you don’t,

[Chucklehead]

You're confusing the terminology, so that's possibly why you're struggling to find what you need.

Assuming you're booking with a regular UK broker or on the supplier direct site, the rental will include CDW, but will have an excess. Generally speaking theft cover is included, but it may have a different excess (I've only ever really seen this in Italy for the reasons you've already mentioned).

You can then buy cover from the rental company or a third party to reduce your excess, but best to understand the terms around theft for both.

Use a broker to find your preferred supplier and then go to their direct site and study the T&Cs and available waivers. Make your choice fell there. Most direct sites allow you to spec the waiver products as part of the initial checkout rather than waiting for the surprise at the counter.

[omniflow]

Regardless of the terminology, I think there's a big difference in the way the depot staff treat a transaction where you've paid them directly for "full insurance" vs. paid head office for "full insurance". The net result, in terms of damage charges, may well end up being the same after a protracted period of time. However, the difference in hassle factor will be massive.

I returned a hire car to Avis in Lisbon. There was a massive queue to hand back cars and check them in. The guy recognised me, said something along the lines of "you have full insurance, just leave the car and go". I had pre-booked the car hire, but paid in the depot for the additional insurance. For me, in those circumstances, it was worth doing it this way.

I am going through exactly the same search as the OP, but for car hire in Crete for 24 days. I think the big difference in Crete is that I'm unlikely to be renting from Hertz or Avis, so head office is likely to be somewhere on the Island.

[Chucklehead]

omniflow said:

Regardless of the terminology, I think there's a big difference in the way the depot staff treat a transaction where you've paid them directly for "full insurance" vs. paid head office for "full insurance". The net result, in terms of damage charges, may well end up being the same after a protracted period of time. However, the difference in hassle factor will be massive.

Not at all - only when you've paid a third party like a broker for their insurance. Whether you pre-book the supplier's own or you choose it at the counter, the process is the same. It's only when you purchase through a broker and don't buy the supplier insurance that things become protracted.

[riskyj]

This is slightly off topic, but what riles me up is picking up a hire car that isn’t damage free. I assume hire companies pocket any excess as profit at the time, and take the hit when they finally sell the vehicles, rather than constantly repairing them?

I once picked up a van from a local rental company and scraped it down a gate post, rendering the side door inoperable. Went back with my tail between my legs only to be told ‘you took the full insurance, don’t worry about it’. I got out of there sharpish as I definitely had not paid for the full insurance!