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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To cancel holiday due to anxiety over driving

112 replies

anxious88 · 02/08/2020 16:35

I’ve done something incredibly stupid and am feeling terrible. I’m fully prepared to be told that I’m a total idiot but please try to be a bit kind.

I’m off on holiday in the UK tomorrow with DH. I collected a rental car earlier today and declined to take out the car hire company’s insurance, because I was planning to buy third party insurance with one of those online companies that are much more affordable. However, what I stupidly didn’t realise is that I had to purchase the insurance before collecting the car, which in hindsight of course makes complete sense.

I’m now feeling incredibly anxious about driving without additional insurance, because if I do have an accident or even just a scrape then I’ll be liable for up to £1,000 per incident in damages. The holiday is a 250 mile round trip and will involve leaving the car parked in a car park for some of the time, as well as a bit of driving while we’re there.

If we were to cancel the trip now, we would have to pay the full rental fee for the cottage we’ve hired as it’s less than 24 hours notice, and would also have to pay a £130 penalty refund fee if we cut the car hire booking short and took the vehicle back now.

I’ve told DH that I want to cancel because I’m too anxious to drive and he’s really upset, as we were really looking forward to getting away after lockdown. However he has said that if I really don’t feel up to driving then I can cancel if I want.

DH doesn’t drive, so there’s no option but for me to do all the driving. Our destination is hard to get to by train and we also have a new baby with all the additional stuff that requires, so a car is just far more convenient.

I know I’ve been a total idiot messing up such a basic detail like insurance and am feeling so nervous and panicky about driving without it. AIBU to take the car back now and cancel the trip, with all the fees that will incur?

Thanks for reading.

OP posts:
MzHz · 02/08/2020 17:07

I have also never bought the additional insurance

Currently have a car hired on holiday and excess is in vet €2k iirc. I don’t care... cars bashed up already and they have it all noted

Lovely1a2b3c · 02/08/2020 17:08

In this situation I would return the car and pay the £130 and then try to find another car to hire elsewhere and take out the insurance.

You could otherwise phone the car hire company and ask if there's any chance of paying for insurance.

I don't think I would want to cancel a holiday so last minute.

ShyTown · 02/08/2020 17:09

It sounds like you’re looking for an excuse not to go tbh. Call the car hire company, worst case scenario is that they will ask you to pop back to the rental location so they can look over the car before adding the extra cover.

amatsip · 02/08/2020 17:10

Is it with enterprise?

Onekidnoclue · 02/08/2020 17:13

Honestly OP I’m starting to think the insurance is a cover for other anxiety issues. I’m not judging but I think you’re fixated on a non issue, it’s easy to sort tomorrow morning with a quick phone call.
If you’re uncomfortable driving your baby perhaps look at ways to diminish that anxiety. Could you go over the route a few times to look for junctions that might worry you? Plan some stops along the way? Put together a plan for you and DH in terms of what happens if she starts crying. Perhaps he could sit in the back with her.
Good luck! X

TiddleTaddleTat · 02/08/2020 17:14

Try not to worry, it isn't a catastrophic situation at all and totally sortable.
I can understand your anxiety about driving all that way with a small baby and not having a driving partner to share it with. That's pretty annoying. However in your shoes I'd sort the additional insurance by talking to the rental company, go on the trip and try and enjoy it, and book something closer for next time!
I hate renting cars for this reason !

Flynn999 · 02/08/2020 17:15

Phone them up in the morning tell them you want the insurance and they will ask you to come into the branch so they can check you haven’t damaged it etc.

They will be more than happy to add insurance on. Tbf just go first thing and they can add it on straight away. I used to work in car hire and we had this all the time.

Hoppinggreen · 02/08/2020 17:16

How about insurance4hire annual cover for hire cars?
Around £40 I think

Original poster
anxious88 · 02/08/2020 17:18

@Hoppinggreen the problem is it’s too late - I would have needed to take out the policy before collecting the vehicle.

OP posts:
lifesalongsong · 02/08/2020 17:18

@anxious88

I could do that, but surely they will refuse to insure me now as I might have damaged the car since collecting it (I haven’t, but obviously they’re not to know that).
That's crazy, you willing to give up a holiday for the sake of asking a question? Most things are resolvable in some way, just ask them.
ihearttc · 02/08/2020 17:21

How would the online insurance people know that you have already collected the car?

Michaelbaubles · 02/08/2020 17:22

The hire company make LOADS of money from selling insurance - the salespeople probably get commission - do you really think they’ll pass up the chance to make extra cash from you? They’ll be delighted to sell you insurance now! Don’t go in all apologetic and crawly, just pretend you’re one of those people who do this sort of thing all the time. “Hi, I’ve decided I do want the insurance now, can I just pay over the phone?”.

ladygracie · 02/08/2020 17:23

Why do you need to have the insurance before collecting the car? I mean it is obvious that that is what should have happened. But how would the insurance company know that you have already got the car? Unless I’m being really stupid and have missed something. Surely you just ask for it to start from now?
Also maybe you need to drive the car a bit today (once you sort insurance) so that you are more used to it before you do a very long drive with your baby for the first time.

thevassal · 02/08/2020 17:23

I don't understand why you won't even try contacting the car rental place for their insurance and have convinced yourself there will be all these issues Confused

Even if absolute worse case scenario and something did happen to the car, the max max they could charge you would be £1000 - forget this 'per incident thing,' you're hardly going to go 'well this scratch was done on tuesday and the one right next to it on friday....' And they also have to justify the charges so one scrape would not be £1000. Wouldn't the cost of scrapping your whole holiday rental plus the early £130 rental payment be a good proportion of this anyway? So you might lose £xxx if you are unlucky enough to damage the car but you will definitely lose £xxx if you don't go on holiday because you're too worried about damaging the car....

Frazzled2207 · 02/08/2020 17:26

This is def not a cancel the holiday scenario!
Either a. go anyway (i've done this but remember no matter how good driving you are you can't legislate against some idiot crashing into you, which is more likely in tourist hot spots IME) or b. call the car insurance people, as long as they can check it out I can't see why they wouldn't be more than happy to sell you insurance as long as nothing has happened since you picked it up.

There may even be a cool off period for the other policy you got too late - worth checking.

KrisAkabusi · 02/08/2020 17:29

Because you might have damaged the car before you get the insurance! And they will know if you make a claim because they will ask for a copy of the rental agreement

KrisAkabusi · 02/08/2020 17:29

Editing fail. That was supposed to be in response to:
Why do you need to have the insurance before collecting the car? I mean it is obvious that that is what should have happened. But how would the insurance company know that you have already got the car?

SockYarn · 02/08/2020 17:31

This is nuts. Cancelling an entire holiday because of extra insurance for something which will probably not happen.

Nicknacky · 02/08/2020 17:32

Are you going to phone them?

peachypetite · 02/08/2020 17:33

Why wouldn’t you just call them? What is the point of this thread if you’re ignoring everyone’s suggestions Confused

SlightlyJaded · 02/08/2020 17:33

@Cheetahfajita

DB works for a car hire place. He said if you take the car along tomorrow so they can check it's ok, they'll add the insurance for you.

No big deal.

OP - Are you sure this is just about the insurance?

You can easily fix this as per @Cheetahfajita message

Or

By phoning ANY insurance company in the UK who will cover you immediately.

It's a non issue, honestly.

daisychain01 · 02/08/2020 17:33

I collected a rental car earlier today and declined to take out the car hire company’s insurance, because I was planning to buy third party insurance with one of those online companies that are much more affordable.

So, just to clarify, you booked a rental vehicle which you collected, but failed to produce evidence that you had valid insurance?

I don't know a car hire company that would let you drive away in their vehicle without obtaining proof of valid insurance and valid current driving license.

I’m now feeling incredibly anxious about driving without additional insurance, because if I do have an accident or even just a scrape then I’ll be liable for up to £1,000 per incident in damages

So you're contemplating driving in the vehicle knowing you are not covered with any insurance? You do realise just that act alone, driving with no insurance, irrespective of whether or not you have an accident is breaking the law. I'm speechless!

eurochick · 02/08/2020 17:35

@daisychain01 I assume the OP means the extra insurance that hire companies offer, not the basic insurance to be legally on the roads!

VinylDetective · 02/08/2020 17:38

@ihearttc

How would the online insurance people know that you have already collected the car?
I was just thinking exactly the same thing.
Hoppinggreen · 02/08/2020 17:39

anxious how would they know that? And if it’s an annual policy would they care?

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