Just over seven in ten (72%) UK car hirers feel misled by the headline car hire price, with a further 72% saying they’re frustrated by hidden costs that only become apparent late in the booking process, according to new research from iCarhireinsurance.com, a leading provider of car hire excess insurance.
The Opinium1 survey of more than 1,000 drivers also finds that 63% believe rental companies make it difficult to find the total cost of their booking until the final stages, while 39% struggle to find information on the price of extras such as additional drivers, child seats or excess protection.
New pricing analysis by iCarhireiinsurance.com2 of six major car rental providers (Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz, and Sixt) across nine popular European holiday destinations reveals how these extras can significantly drive up the cost of car hire.
The research, based on a week’s rental (19–26 April 2025) of a medium compact car (e.g., VW Golf), finds that while the average rental cost is £263, typical extras from a rental company including an extra driver (£58), a child’s car seat (£55), a sat nav (£69) and excess protection (£187) bring the total to £632 – more than double the original price.
Excess protection is usually the single biggest additional cost. On average, renters face an excess liability of around £1,300, according to this study, if the vehicle is damaged or stolen – even if the incident isn’t their fault. Purchasing excess protection from the rental company costs £187 on average, whereas a standalone excess reimbursement policy from a specialist car hire excess insurance provider like iCarhireinsurance.com is available from just £3.49 per day3, or £41.994 for an annual European policy.
Standalone car hire excess reimbursement policies not only offer significant savings but usually include cover for damage to vulnerable parts of the vehicle such as tyres, windscreen, undercarriage and roof – areas often excluded from rental company policies. Renters should note that they will still need a credit card for the rental company to hold the excess as a deposit, as standalone insurance reimburses the hirer directly.
Additional extras can also vary dramatically in price depending on the provider and location. For example:
- • Sat nav hire ranges from, for example, £40 with Avis in Crete to £120 with Europcar in Nice.
- • Extra driver fees, for example, can be as low as £16 with Avis/Budget in Dalaman, but rise to £83 with Enterprise in the same location.
- • While child car seats, for example, range from £29 with Sixt in Larnaca to £88 with Enterprise in Nice.
Ben Wooltorton from iCarhireinsurance.com said: “The extras sold at the rental desk can add hundreds to your bill. It’s vital to compare not just the headline rental price, but also the cost of all the extras you’re likely to need. Buying excess reimbursement insurance in advance and bringing your own sat nav or child seat can help you keep the costs down.”
- Opinium online survey with 1000 adults who have hired a car in the UK or abroad took place between 21 – 28 March 2025.
- The study by iCarhireinsurance.com, looked at the cost of hiring a medium compact car (e.g., a VW Golf or Peugeot 308) for a week (19-26 April 2025) in nine popular European destinations - Barcelona, Dalaman, Dubronik, Crete, Faro, Milan, Larnaca, Nice and Tenerife – from six rental companies: Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz & Sixt.
- £3.49 daily price is based on a UK resident aged between 30-85 travelling in Europe for 10 days or longer.
- £41.99 annual price is based on a UK resident aged between 30-85 buying an excess Europe annual policy excluding in-country cover.
