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Rental Guide

for residents of
Portugal

Car rental insurance in
Portugal

So you’re renting a car in Portugal. Of course, no one wants to think about rental car insurance when taking in the Eiffel elevator, but buying rental car insurance before you go could save you thousands in repair costs. We’ve built a global business around saving customers 50% versus equivalent coverage at the rental desk†. We aim to pay 98% of claims within 3 business days, so you can save your EUR for extra pastel de nata.
I'm renting a:
Car
At the rental counter...
Coverage available from rental companies
Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)/Loss Damage Waiver (LDW)
In Portugal, CDW (also called Loss Damage Waiver or ”LDW” if it includes theft protection) is usually included when you rent cars online (it can also be offered at the rental desk). For international rentals it’s important to check if your car booking has CDW as our policies require that you have it. CDW covers damages but there’s a high excess to pay in the event of any damages (EUR 1000 - EUR 4000). There’s also multiple exclusions and additional fees charged by rental companies.
  • Excess payable for any damage is very high (up to EUR 4000 for cars to EUR 8000 for motorhomes). RentalCover Full Protection has a high limit that is designed to cover that payable excess.
  • Some types of damage are excluded in the rental company’s CDW. For instance, some rental companies do not cover windscreens, cracks and chips, tyre punctures & replacements, and damages to headlights and underbody.
  • Expensive accident-related charges are added to your bill, including administration, towing and loss of use fees
Super Collision Damage Waiver (SCDW) / Excess Waiver
Super Collision Damage Waivers are sold at the counter by rental companies to reduce your standard deductible/excess towards EUR0.00, however it is expensive and the same exclusions apply.
  • Super Collision Damage Waivers cost EUR 25.00 - EUR 30.50 per day. RentalCover Full protection is 50% cheaper, guaranteed.†
  • They do not usually cover tyres, windscreens, roadside assistance costs & key loss. RentalCover’s Full Protection covers these
  • There’s usually a more expensive option that reduces your excess to EUR 0.00. RentalCover’s Full Protection is always EUR 0.00
  • Rental Companies charge you even if you were not “at fault” in a collision with another vehicle. In Portugal, when an accident occurs, the “not at fault” driver does not pay anything for damages. However rental companies deduct your full excess and often do not refund the money at the end of the investigation (which can take several months). With RentalCover Full Protection, we step in on your behalf where possible to ensure you're not out of pocket. We also help ensure that the rental companies treat you fairly if you weren’t “at fault”.
Roadside Assistance Cover
“RAC” is sold at the counter, it covers roadside costs such as towing, fuel and key lockout.
  • Rental companies sell RAC at the counter for EUR 7.50 - EUR 13.50 per day. RentalCover Full Protection has the same coverage and is 50% cheaper, guaranteed.†
  • Does not cover key replacement and towing is capped (it can be expensive in Portugal).
Personal Accident Insurance (PAI)
PAI is sold at the counter by rental companies. It compensates you for personal injuries (including passengers).
  • Rental companies sell PAI at the counter for EUR 7.50 - EUR 13.50
  • The same coverage is often available via your credit card or other travel insurance policies.
RentalCover.com logoRentalCover
Equivalent coverage from RentalCover.com
Full Protection
RentalCover Full Protection has the same benefits as the rental company’s Excess Waiver and Roadside Assistance Cover products and it’s at least 50% cheaper. There’s EUR 0.00 to pay in the event of an accident or damage, it can be cancelled up until pickup and all drivers on the rental agreement are covered. Full Protection requires that you have at least the most basic collision damage waiver (‘CDW’, ‘LDW’ or similar basic protection package) offered by the car rental company or your booking agent. In Portugal, CDW is usually included with the rental vehicle.
  • Our Guarantee: We'll beat any price.
  • We pay 98% of claims within 3 business days.
  • Includes free cover for roadside assistance, towing (saves you EUR 5.50 - EUR 12.50 per day).
  • Covers accident-related fees.
  • Covered up to the policy limit for each individual incident.
  • Additional drivers on the rental agreement are automatically covered.
  • Damage related charges and administration costs are reimbursed once the claim is approved.
  • Cancel anytime.
  • Covers types of damage that the rental companies exclude, especially climate-related damage such as ice, hail, water/floods, snow, sand, wind, and more.
  • Covers damages caused by road conditions including ice, ash, sand and gravel damage.
  • Covers damages caused by collisions with animals.
  • With RentalCover you are also subject to the terms of your rental agreement
Products Offered
At the rental counter...Coverage available from rental companies
Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)/Loss Damage Waiver (LDW)
In Portugal, CDW (also called Loss Damage Waiver or ”LDW” if it includes theft protection) is usually included when you rent cars online (it can also be offered at the rental desk). For international rentals it’s important to check if your car booking has CDW as our policies require that you have it. CDW covers damages but there’s a high excess to pay in the event of any damages (EUR 1000 - EUR 4000). There’s also multiple exclusions and additional fees charged by rental companies.
  • Excess payable for any damage is very high (up to EUR 4000 for cars to EUR 8000 for motorhomes). RentalCover Full Protection has a high limit that is designed to cover that payable excess.
  • Some types of damage are excluded in the rental company’s CDW. For instance, some rental companies do not cover windscreens, cracks and chips, tyre punctures & replacements, and damages to headlights and underbody.
  • Expensive accident-related charges are added to your bill, including administration, towing and loss of use fees
Super Collision Damage Waiver (SCDW) / Excess Waiver
Super Collision Damage Waivers are sold at the counter by rental companies to reduce your standard deductible/excess towards EUR0.00, however it is expensive and the same exclusions apply.
  • Super Collision Damage Waivers cost EUR 25.00 - EUR 30.50 per day. RentalCover Full protection is 50% cheaper, guaranteed.†
  • They do not usually cover tyres, windscreens, roadside assistance costs & key loss. RentalCover’s Full Protection covers these
  • There’s usually a more expensive option that reduces your excess to EUR 0.00. RentalCover’s Full Protection is always EUR 0.00
  • Rental Companies charge you even if you were not “at fault” in a collision with another vehicle. In Portugal, when an accident occurs, the “not at fault” driver does not pay anything for damages. However rental companies deduct your full excess and often do not refund the money at the end of the investigation (which can take several months). With RentalCover Full Protection, we step in on your behalf where possible to ensure you're not out of pocket. We also help ensure that the rental companies treat you fairly if you weren’t “at fault”.
Roadside Assistance Cover
“RAC” is sold at the counter, it covers roadside costs such as towing, fuel and key lockout.
  • Rental companies sell RAC at the counter for EUR 7.50 - EUR 13.50 per day. RentalCover Full Protection has the same coverage and is 50% cheaper, guaranteed.†
  • Does not cover key replacement and towing is capped (it can be expensive in Portugal).
Personal Accident Insurance (PAI)
PAI is sold at the counter by rental companies. It compensates you for personal injuries (including passengers).
  • Rental companies sell PAI at the counter for EUR 7.50 - EUR 13.50
  • The same coverage is often available via your credit card or other travel insurance policies.
RentalCover.com logoRentalCover
Equivalent coverage from RentalCover.com
Full Protection
RentalCover Full Protection has the same benefits as the rental company’s Excess Waiver and Roadside Assistance Cover products and it’s at least 50% cheaper. There’s EUR 0.00 to pay in the event of an accident or damage, it can be cancelled up until pickup and all drivers on the rental agreement are covered. Full Protection requires that you have at least the most basic collision damage waiver (‘CDW’, ‘LDW’ or similar basic protection package) offered by the car rental company or your booking agent. In Portugal, CDW is usually included with the rental vehicle.
  • Our Guarantee: We'll beat any price.
  • We pay 98% of claims within 3 business days.
  • Includes free cover for roadside assistance, towing (saves you EUR 5.50 - EUR 12.50 per day).
  • Covers accident-related fees.
  • Covered up to the policy limit for each individual incident.
  • Additional drivers on the rental agreement are automatically covered.
  • Damage related charges and administration costs are reimbursed once the claim is approved.
  • Cancel anytime.
  • Covers types of damage that the rental companies exclude, especially climate-related damage such as ice, hail, water/floods, snow, sand, wind, and more.
  • Covers damages caused by road conditions including ice, ash, sand and gravel damage.
  • Covers damages caused by collisions with animals.
  • With RentalCover you are also subject to the terms of your rental agreement
What to do at the rental counter

These are our top tips to save money and hassle on your rental.

Pre-pay and save

RentalCover.com is sold by the largest online travel agencies globally and you can buy directly on RentalCover.com, saving you 50% compared to the rental companies.

Take photos before and after

Take photos & videos of the vehicle at both pickup and dropoff. We’ll ask you during the claim to provide these and to provide details of any unfair charges from your rental company. Take the time to capture any pre-existing damage and nominate those in your rental agreement to avoid excessive charges.

Just say 'no'

If you've bought Full Protection with us, you can say 'no' to the hard sell for roadside assistance from the rental company.

What to do in the event of an accident?
With Full Protection...

  1. Notify your rental car company of the damage immediately. They will advise next steps. If the costs are likely to exceed $3,000, please notify us via our claim form before paying any money to the rental company. Make sure you check your wording.

  2. When your rental is finished, submit your claim at rentalcover.com/claim. You will need these documents.

  3. We pay 98% of claims within 3 business days, but do keep in mind that settlement times may differ.

  4. If your rental company provides you with a new vehicle, your RentalCover Protection will also cover the new vehicle for the duration of your protection provided it’s a like-for-like exchange. You do not need to notify us of the vehicle change.