HIDDEN FEE
Excess waiver (CDW / super cover)
Collision damage waiverCDWSuper coverFull protection
An excess waiver reduces or removes the damage/theft excess on a hire car. Sold at the pick-up desk it is often expensive and pushed hard; the same protection bought in advance as standalone excess-reimbursement insurance is usually a fraction of the price. The two routes can differ in how a claim is handled — desk cover avoids the excess up front, standalone cover reimburses you after.
Where it applies
How to avoid or shrink it
- Arrange standalone excess cover before pick-up rather than buying at the desk.
- Decide before you arrive so you can decline the upsell calmly.
- Check whether a premium credit card or annual travel policy already includes hire-car excess cover.
THE HONEST CAVEAT
Some protection is sensible — a large excess is a real risk. The saving is in where you buy it, not in skipping cover entirely.
Count it in your true total
Run a specific booking through the calculator and this fee is counted — sourced, dated and confidence-graded alongside everything else the headline price leaves out.
Back to the full fee glossary, or browse the Hidden-Fee Index.