Sad to say, I had the exact same experience with Hertz in the UK. We reserved a compact car well in advance and ended up with this monstrous station wagon. (And initially, the agent asked us if we wanted to PAY for the "upgrade".) We must have spent 30 minutes hearing about how we would be liable for any damage that occurred to the car, and that the car was worth 40,000 pounds, and "can you really afford that?" We were two grad students who had just come off a jam-packed plane on an overnight flight, and I guess in this case our fatigue worked to our advantage, because I'd about had enough of her and told her that our insurance would cover us. I swore I would never rent from Hertz again, and I haven't.

Does anyone understand the complexities of the insurance situation when renting a car in the UK? We are about to do it again, and I sure would like to know what we need and what reputable companies are recommended!

Thanks, Caroline in California