Does Driving Other Cars Cover Hire Cars?
No, driving other cars (DOC) cover does not apply to hire or rental vehicles. Hire cars are commercial vehicles with their own insurance arrangements, and your policy’s DOC clause explicitly excludes them.
This is one of the most common and expensive misunderstandings in UK car insurance. Drivers assume their DOC extension covers them when renting a car, then discover at the rental desk that it does not.
DOC cover only applies to privately owned cars driven with the owner’s permission. If you need to drive a vehicle that is not yours, check your own policy wording for a driving other cars clause before assuming you are covered.
No. A driving other cars clause applies to privately owned vehicles, not to anything you have hired, and even where it applies it is third party only — no use at all for damage to the car you are driving.
Cover comes with the rental. The catch is the excess, commonly four figures, and standalone excess insurance bought before you travel costs a fraction of what the desk charges for the same thing.
Compare temporary car insurance for short-term driving.
- Why does DOC cover exclude hire cars?
- What insurance comes with a hire car?
- Should you buy insurance from the hire company or a third party?
- Does travel insurance cover hire car damage?
- What should you do if you damage a hire car?
- How can you reduce the cost of hire car insurance?
- Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Why does DOC cover exclude hire cars?
DOC is designed for occasional use of another person’s private car, not commercial vehicles. It is third-party only cover, and applies to privately owned vehicles driven with the registered keeper’s consent.
What are the specific exclusion reasons?
Hire companies provide their own insurance as part of the rental agreement, and their terms specify that only their cover applies to the vehicle. Allowing two policies to overlap creates disputes over liability when a claim is made.
Even if DOC were to apply, it would only provide third-party cover. You would have no protection for damage to the hire car itself, which is typically the largest financial risk when renting.
Does any personal car insurance cover hire cars?
No standard UK comprehensive policy extends cover to hire cars. The rental agreement creates a separate commercial arrangement that overrides your personal insurance, regardless of your policy level.
What insurance comes with a hire car?
Every hire car includes mandatory third-party liability insurance in the rental price. This covers damage or injury you cause to other people and their property, but it does not cover damage to the hire car itself.
What does each cover level include?
| Cover type | What it covers | Included in rental price? | Typical cost if optional |
| Third-party liability | Damage and injury you cause to others | Yes (mandatory) | Included |
| Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) | Damage to the hire car, subject to an excess | Sometimes | £10-£20/day |
| Excess reduction | Reduces your excess from £800-£2,000 to £100-£500 | No | £5-£15/day |
| Super CDW (zero excess) | Removes all excess liability | No | £10-£25/day |
| Personal accident insurance | Injury to you and your passengers | Sometimes | £3-£8/day |
| Theft protection | Loss of the vehicle through theft | Usually | Included or £5-£10/day |
Without CDW, you are personally liable for the full repair or replacement cost of the hire car. Our excess guide explains how excess works and why reducing it matters.
Should you buy insurance from the hire company or a third party?
Third-party standalone hire car insurance is almost always cheaper than the hire company’s own options, particularly for rentals longer than three days. An annual policy costs £40 to £60 and covers every rental in the year.
How do the costs compare?
| Option | Typical cost | What it covers | Best for |
| Hire company CDW + excess reduction | £15-£35/day (£105-£245/week) | Damage to hire car with reduced excess | Convenience, short rentals |
| Third-party annual policy | £40-£60/year | Excess reimbursement, windscreen, tyres, underbody, roof | Frequent renters (2+ rentals/year) |
| Third-party single-trip | £3-£8/day | Same as annual, for one rental only | Occasional renters |
| Credit card cover | Free (built into card) | Excess reimbursement (some premium cards) | Cardholders who check terms first |
The trade-off with third-party insurance is the claims process. You pay the hire company’s excess upfront if there is damage, then claim it back from your standalone insurer afterwards.
Does credit card hire car cover work?
Some premium credit cards include hire car excess cover as a built-in benefit. Check whether your card offers this before buying separate cover, because it may already provide what you need.
Visa and Mastercard do not offer hire car cover on standard cards. It is typically available on premium or platinum cards with annual fees of £150 or more, and the cover level varies between card issuers.
Does travel insurance cover hire car damage?
Some travel insurance policies include hire car excess cover, but many do not. Always check your policy wording before assuming you are covered.
What should you check in your travel insurance?
Look for a specific hire car excess section in your policy schedule. Check the excess limit, because some policies cap reimbursement at £500 or £1,000, which may be less than the hire company’s standard excess.
Also check geographic restrictions. Some travel policies only cover hire cars in certain countries, and many exclude the United States and Canada where hire car liability is handled differently.
When is travel insurance enough?
If your travel insurance covers hire car excess up to £2,000 with no geographic restrictions, it may be sufficient for occasional holiday rentals. Check the exclusions in full before relying on any of it.
What should you do if you damage a hire car?
Report the damage to the hire company immediately and document everything before leaving the scene. The hire company will charge the excess to the card on file, and you can then claim this back from your standalone insurer.
What is the step-by-step process?
Take photos of the damage from multiple angles, including close-ups and wider shots showing the location on the vehicle. Note the date, time, and circumstances in writing before you forget the details.
Call the hire company’s emergency line and follow their instructions. Keep all paperwork including the damage report, repair invoice, and any correspondence, because your standalone insurer will need these to process your claim.
How long do excess claims take to process?
Most standalone hire car insurers process excess reimbursement claims within 10 to 14 working days. Keep the hire company’s charge receipt and damage report, because claims are typically rejected without proper documentation.
How can you reduce the cost of hire car insurance?
Buy a standalone annual policy before your rental, because it is the cheapest option for anyone who rents more than once per year. Our tips to lower your premium include broader strategies for managing insurance costs across all your vehicles.
What are the most effective savings?
Decline the hire company’s CDW and excess reduction if you have standalone cover. This can save £15 to £35 per day, which adds up quickly on longer rentals.
If you rent for short periods, temporary car insurance is a separate product designed for short-term driving needs, but it does not cover hire cars either. It is only for privately owned vehicles.
Should you pay the hire company’s deposit?
Most hire companies hold a deposit of £500 to £2,000 on your credit card when you collect the vehicle. This is released when you return the car undamaged, but it ties up your credit limit during the rental.
Some standalone policies offer a deposit waiver benefit that reduces the hold amount. Check whether your policy includes this, because it frees up credit card capacity during your trip.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No, driving other cars cover explicitly excludes hire, rental, and courtesy vehicles. You need the hire company’s insurance or standalone hire car insurance.
Third-party liability insurance is compulsory and included in every rental price. Collision damage waiver is optional but strongly recommended, because without it you pay for all damage to the hire car yourself.
You pay the full repair cost, which can reach £1,000 to £5,000 or more for body panel damage. The hire company charges this to the card you provided at collection.
Almost always. Annual policies cost £40 to £60 and cover every rental in the year, compared to £15 to £35 per day from the hire company for CDW and excess reduction.
Some policies include hire car excess cover, but many do not. Check your policy schedule for a specific hire car section and confirm the excess limit and geographic restrictions.
No. Hire company rental agreements exclude external personal insurance policies, and your policy’s DOC clause excludes commercial and hired vehicles.