Confused about UK car rental insurance "Excess" – is the basic cover enough?

[LittleEmily]

We want to rent a car at Heathrow this June for a 10-day trip to the Cotswolds. I’m seeing a massive "Excess" on the basic policy, and the rental company’s own "Full Cover" costs almost as much as the car itself! Is it risky to skip it, or is there a better way to get peace of mind without getting ripped off at the counter?

The car hire companies make more money selling the insurance than they do hiring cars.

You need car hire excess insurance. This is a separate policy which covers you for any excess in the event if a claim. Usually costs about £10 a week.

If you Google it there will be a number of providers offering it. I normally use Eversure but there are other providers also.