Basic cover and the excess
Standard collision cover does not mean you pay nothing after damage. It means the supplier's liability starts above a fixed amount, and everything below that is yours.
The excess is the number that matters. It is also usually the amount blocked as a deposit, so reducing one normally reduces the other.
What full cover changes
A full-cover or zero-excess package lowers the excess, often to nil. On a week of town parking and narrow lanes, that converts a plausible large charge into a predictable small daily cost.
It does not make the car uninsurable-proof. It changes the amount you are liable for, not the list of situations where you are liable at all.
What stays excluded
Almost every package, including the most expensive, keeps a list of exclusions. The common ones are consistent across markets:
- Tyres, wheels and hubcaps.
- Glass, mirrors and lights.
- The underbody and anything struck from below.
- Damage sustained on unsurfaced roads.
- Interior damage, and the roof mechanism on convertibles.
- Anything caused while a driver was not named on the contract.
Buying at the desk versus in advance
Supplier package
Bought at handover, applied directly to the contract, so the deposit drops immediately. Usually the more expensive option per day.
Third-party excess policy
Cheaper, but works by reimbursement: the supplier still blocks the full deposit and charges you for damage, and you claim it back afterwards with evidence.