Rental Car Excess Insurance

The Vito has a minor scratch and has gone in for repairs.  The Vito is insured with RACQ and the policy comes with a rental car. So nice you say but when I rock on up to the Hertz counter, to pick up the car kindly organised by RACQ, they (Hertz) want $29 a day to reduce the excess from $3k to $300.

Type "Rental Car Excess Insurance" into google and get lots of hits.  Problem is when you talk to them, the basic issue is that you have to be "TRAVELLING".  Some define that as going more than 200km from home.  Others say you have to show evidence of travelling such as showing that you had hotel booking indicating a trip of some kind.  So any rental car excess insurance that comes under a travel insurance contract is not suitable for what I am doing.

RACQ advise that they pay $40 per day and that I can go and find an alternate rental car company and pay up front and claim $40 per day back.
If I was to go down that route (which I don't plan to because I have already wasted too much time on this) then it seems that  europcar is doing deals at the moment that bundle the excess insurance or something (who knows).



RACQ (who kindly presented me with this dilemah) - Nope.
RACV (Who promenantly advertise rental car excess insurance) - No
1COVER.com.au 1300 192 021 - No

COLUMBUSDIRECT.com.au  1300 669 999 - No.

VROOMVROOM 1300 722 920 - No answer.  After ringing out and pausing and clicking, it was answered by someone who sounded like they were overseas (and asleep ) "Life Tracker"

http://www.vroomvroomvroom.com.au/insurance/
Hello there! I'm here to help if you need me.

→Hi, I am renting a car but not travelling as such. just driving it around for a week. home - work etc. does your rental car excess cover this situation?

Chris: hi

→hi

Chris: Basic insurance is included in the supplier rates, however, in the event of damage to the rental car – each supplier has a damage excess fee. The damage excess fee varies for each supplier, and is around $3000 (higher for specialty/luxury fleet). This is the amount the supplier will charge (up to), if there is damage to their vehicle. Costs are covered after that excess damage fee amount.

→do you sell rental car excess insurance?

Chris: You can check our page explaining options here: http://www.vroomvroomvroom.com.au/insurance/

→does your rental car excess insurance cover the excess on a rental car that is simply rented and driven locally?

Chris: Yes.

→So I do not have to be travelling as such

Chris: Yes. Since you rental one of our suppliers car, it comes with basic insurance. Even if you drive it locally, you will be insured as long as you stay on sealed roads and follow the supplier's Terms & Conditions.

Chris: *rented

→I already have the car. It was rented from Hertz.

Chris: You can review Hertz T&C here: http://www.vroomvroomvroom.com.au/terms-and-conditions/australia/hertz/

→I will go read that and get back to you if I have more questions.

Chris: Ok. :)

→The reason I am asking is that I enquired with several other insuramce providers - QBE, RACV, RACQ, driveaway.com.au and they all say that their "travel insurance" only covers rental car excess if I am travelling. For example I would have to show that I had hotel bookings away from my home town.

No answer but I think not.