Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) in Ireland Explained

	CDW $10/Day CDW is not a requirement for car rentals in Ireland and purchasing the CDW here at home, in conjunction with a package, is now approximately $10 per day... quite the savings of the approximate cost of $18 per day when purchasing it abroad.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) If the vehicle or any of its parts or accessories are damaged other than by theft, attempted theft or vandalism, while on rental, CDW limits you liability to the amount of the non-waivable excess, if any, which applies in each country provided that you have complied with all the terms of the Rental Agreement. CDW does not cover any damage caused as a result of theft, attempted theft or vandalism.

If you choose to decline CDW while in Ireland, you will be responsible for the full replacement value of the car which means you're buying them a new car. This little bit of information, hidden in the fine print, has made me re-think my current coverage and purchase insurance every year I go back. I have a nice travel agent policy but the paperwork hassles and fear of missing my flight home are not worth the troubles for $10 per day.

$0 Deductible Super CDW is Back in Ireland!

Years ago you could purchase Super CDW with a $0 deductible ... rip the mirror off the car, back into a stone wall and just do whatever you wanted. Simply return the car and hop on your flight. That was a problem and people were doing just that so they instituted a €100 deductible to cut down on the recklessness.

I'm happy to announce you can prepay your Super CDW when you pay for the car and still get the €0 deductible! Look at your quote -- we price out Basic CDW but give the price and option for Super CDW at the same time.

But I Have Car Insurance!

Your car insurance here in the U.S. won't cover you while traveling abroad, with the exception of Canada and sometimes a portion of Mexico, therefore you must purchase insurance in Ireland to ensure you're covered. Remember Murphy's Law?

CDW is Non-Refunable in Ireland

This is a strange statement, right? Not if you have a rental car accident in Ireland where you must return the car and repurchase the CDW insurance.

MasterCard Drops CDW Coverage in Ireland Sept 2006

The rumor-mill has been that MasterCard was dropping their CDW coverage in Ireland and it turns out ... to be true! Here is the response from MasterCard...

Fast CDW Facts

Basic CDW

This is what you can purchase from us here at home. There is a €1000 deductible for this basic policy. CDW does not cover theft, attempted theft, vandalism, tires, windshields, lost keys or incorrect fuel.

Super CDW

Super CDW is available at check-in and provides the same basic coverage but reduces your deductible to €0.

Theft Protection

This policy is available upon check-in to protect against theft.

Additional Driver

You may add an additional driver to your rental when you check-in for the car. Rates are approximately €6-7 per additional driver, per day. If a non-authorized driver causes an accident, all CDW is null and void.

Windshield/Tire Protection

No, I'm not making this up and if you go off the beaten path you'll realize the need here. "Loose chippings" can spray up from the car in front of you and chip or crack a windshield while damaged roads can wreak havoc on tires. I usually purchase this knowing what it costs to replace a windshield.