Car hire - collision damage waiver

[pinksomething]

I'm planning to hire a car this week and it has collision damage waiver included. I thought this basically meant that you then don't pay for any damage. But then it says excess £1000. So does the cdw mean I still pay an excess of £1000 but just am insured against the full amount?! That sounds pretty high :-O
(Same also for theft - waiver included excess £1000)
Thank you!

[TallulahTwinkletoes]

I believe that the waiver will be mentioned in the standard contract and the waiver is an addition which changes previous parts to it.

I once went for the graduate interviews for enterprise and they said they understand that people don't have (500 four years ago) and do not expect people to just give it there and then. Also, if you're not at fault you don't pay and I think you don't pay £1000 if the damage is £500.

[Optimistletoe1]

Yes, the CDW offered will mean that the most you pay in the event of a costly collision would be £1000. They're likely to offer a "total waiver" at an additional cost. Friends have recommended a separate Collision Damage Waiver Insurance policy that you can buy on an annual policy or one-trip. Sorry, I can't remember the name of the company used but googling should yield results.

(On the other hand, you could be brave, think about your accident-free driving history if you have one and save yourself additional expense on the basis that you're highly unlikely to have a collision anyway.)

[pinksomething]

But if I write it off or smash it up to the value of £2k I pay £1000? I wouldn't do that with my own insurance! It scares me!!
Not that I'm in the habit of writing off cars! Just very paranoid and risk averse!!

[pinksomething]

I can get separate excess cover for £25. That will take the weight off my mind. No idea why I'm so paranoid!!

[Optimistletoe1]

Yes, if the damage was £2000-worth you would pay only (!) £1000. I'm very risk averse, too, pink but my daughter is more pragmatic and sensibly offered me the advice in my last paragraph when I was recently hiring a car. Of course, if I had written the car off, I wouldn't be describing her advice as "sensible"!!

[pinksomething]

Thanks guys. Much easier to make sense of than the hire company websites!