Renting a car provides freedom and flexibility, especially when traveling. Companies like Sixt Rental Car offer a wide selection of vehicles to suit various needs. However, understanding the protection options available is crucial for a worry-free rental experience. This article will delve into the protection conditions offered by Sixt, ensuring you are well-informed before you pick up your keys.
Navigating Sixt’s Protection Packages
Sixt provides a range of protection packages designed to minimize your financial liability in case of unforeseen events. These typically include options like Third Party Insurance, Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), and Theft Protection (TP), with possibilities to reduce or even eliminate your excess. Let’s break down each option to clarify what they entail when renting a Sixt vehicle.
Third Party Insurance (TI) with Sixt
Third Party Insurance, often abbreviated as TI, is a fundamental protection included in most Sixt rental agreements. It covers your liability if you cause damage to another person’s vehicle or property, or if someone is injured in an accident where you are at fault while driving your Sixt rental.
Sixt’s Third Party Insurance typically includes:
- Material Damage Coverage: Up to €1,300,000.00 for damages to property.
- Personal Injury Coverage: Up to €5,560,000.00 per injured person.
- Geographical Limitation: Coverage is generally limited to Europe.
It’s important to note the exclusions. Sixt’s Third Party Insurance usually does not cover:
- Use of the vehicle for transporting dangerous goods.
- Driving by an unauthorized driver.
- Driving without a valid driver’s license at the time of the incident.
In any of these excluded situations, all protection under the rental agreement becomes void, and you would be fully liable.
Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) with Sixt: Limiting Your Liability
The Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) is designed to limit your financial responsibility for damage to the Sixt rental car itself. Without CDW, you could be liable for the full value of the vehicle if it’s damaged. By accepting CDW, Sixt significantly reduces this risk, limiting your responsibility to a pre-defined excess amount.
Sixt typically offers CDW with varying excess amounts, often depending on the vehicle category. Here’s an example of potential excess levels you might encounter with Sixt:
- Lower Excess (e.g., for vehicle groups MBMR, ECMR, EDMR, EDAR): €825.00
- Mid-Range Excess (e.g., for vehicle groups CDMR, CLMR, CFMR): €925.00
- Higher Excess (e.g., for vehicle groups SDAR, FDAR, FWAR): €1,450.00
- Premium/Luxury Excess (e.g., for vehicle groups FVMR, FFAR): €1,850.00
Important Considerations for Sixt’s CDW:
- Damage Catalogue: Sixt, like many rental companies, uses a damage catalogue to assess repair costs. Ensure you understand how damages are evaluated.
- Full Liability without CDW: If you decline CDW, you are responsible for the entire cost of damage to the vehicle.
Reducing Your Excess with Sixt: CDW with Reduced and Minimum Excess
Sixt often provides options to further reduce your financial exposure by offering CDW with reduced or minimum excess. These options are particularly attractive if you want greater peace of mind.
Collision Damage Waiver with Reduced Excess (G):
If CDW is already included in your Sixt rental rate, you can often opt for “Collision Damage Waiver with Reduced Excess.” This lowers the standard excess to a smaller amount. For instance, excess amounts could be reduced to:
- Reduced Excess (e.g., for vehicle groups MBMR, ECMR, EDMR): €200.00
- Reduced Excess (e.g., for vehicle groups CDMR, CLMR, EDAR, CFMR): €250.00
- Reduced Excess (e.g., for vehicle groups SDAR, FDAR, FWAR): €350.00
- Reduced Excess (e.g., for vehicle groups FVMR, FFAR): €450.00
Collision Damage Waiver with Minimum Excess (GF):
For maximum protection, Sixt may offer “Collision Damage Waiver with Minimum Excess.” This option typically eliminates the excess altogether, meaning you would pay €0.00 in excess for collision damage if you accept this coverage.
Driver Negligence: It’s vital to remember that regardless of the CDW level you choose, Sixt will charge you the full repair cost if damage is caused by driver negligence.
Theft Protection (TP) with Sixt: Safeguarding Against Vehicle Theft
Theft Protection (TP) mirrors CDW in structure, but specifically covers theft of the Sixt rental car. Without TP, you would be liable for the full value of the car if it were stolen. Accepting Sixt’s Theft Protection limits your responsibility to a specific excess amount in the event of theft.
Similar to CDW, Sixt’s TP usually comes with an excess, which can vary depending on the vehicle group. Example excess amounts for Theft Protection with Sixt might be:
- Theft Protection Excess (e.g., for vehicle groups MBMR, ECMR, EDMR, EDAR): €825.00
- Theft Protection Excess (e.g., for vehicle groups CDMR, CLMR, CFMR): €925.00
- Theft Protection Excess (e.g., for vehicle groups SDAR, FDAR, FWAR): €1,450.00
- Theft Protection Excess (e.g., for vehicle groups FVMR, FFAR): €1,850.00
Full Liability without TP: Declining Theft Protection means you are liable for the full value of the car if it is stolen.
Reducing Theft Protection Excess with Sixt: TP with Reduced Excess (H)
Just as with CDW, Sixt may offer a “Theft Protection with Reduced Excess” option (often designated as “H”). This reduces the standard Theft Protection excess to a lower amount. Example reduced excess amounts could be:
- Reduced Theft Protection Excess (e.g., for vehicle groups MBMR, ECMR, EDMR): €200.00
- Reduced Theft Protection Excess (e.g., for vehicle groups CDMR, CLMR, EDAR, CFMR): €250.00
- Reduced Theft Protection Excess (e.g., for vehicle groups SDAR, FDAR, FWAR): €350.00
- Reduced Theft Protection Excess (e.g., for vehicle groups FVMR, FFAR): €450.00
Additional Protection Options from Sixt
Beyond the core protections, Sixt typically offers further options to enhance your coverage:
- Interior Protection: This coverage minimizes or eliminates your liability for damage to the interior of the Sixt vehicle, such as stains or tears.
- Tyre and Windscreen Coverage (TG): This protects you against damage to tires, windscreen, side windows, and the rear window, often with a €0.00 excess. Without this, you are liable for the full cost of these damages.
- Personal Accident Protection (PAP): PAP extends protection to cover the consequences of an accident for you and potentially your passengers. Sixt’s PAP might include coverage like:
- €3,000.00 for invalidity
- €3,800,00 EUR for decease
- €1,800.00 for medical costs
- Roadside Assistance: Sixt’s Roadside Assistance covers assistance if you experience a breakdown or damage due to driver misuse (e.g., running out of fuel, locking keys inside). While it covers the assistance itself, additional damage costs are still calculated based on your chosen protection level. Negligence-related damage will still be charged in full.
Conclusion: Choosing the Right Sixt Rental Car Protection
Understanding the protection options available from Sixt rental car is essential for a confident and worry-free rental experience. By carefully considering each option, from Third Party Insurance to CDW, Theft Protection, and additional coverages, you can select the protection package that best suits your needs and risk tolerance, ensuring peace of mind on your journey. Remember to always clarify the specific terms and conditions with Sixt at the time of rental, as offerings can vary.
