The damage your rental cover still doesn't pay for
Every operator sells a zero-excess product, and every one of them keeps a list of damage it does not apply to. These are the lists.
The phrase "zero excess" is doing a lot of work in rental car marketing. It means your liability for covered damage drops to nothing. It does not mean you cannot be charged, because every operator also publishes a set of damage types that sit outside the product entirely. Unhelpfully, those are the most common ways a rental car actually gets damaged in New Zealand.
Three categories matter more than the rest here. Windscreen and glass damage, because the country's gravel and chip-seal roads throw stones constantly. Tyres, for the same reason. And underbody damage, which is what you get from a rut, a ford or a kerb, and which Apex, GO, Avis, Budget, Hertz and Snap all publish as excluded no matter which tier you bought.
GO Rentals is the exception on the first two: it publishes that windscreens and tyres are not excluded from its damage protection at any tier. Most others treat glass and tyres as a separate product. Apex, Avis and Budget sell Windscreen and Tyre Protection on the side, JUCY sells a Windscreen and Tyre Cover add-on, Snap includes it only in its Simply Better and Restricted tiers, Ezi includes glass only in Ezi Ultra, and Hertz includes it only inside SuperCover.
One caution about reading the table. It has two states: the operator publishes this as excluded, or it does not appear in their published exclusions. "Not listed" is not a promise of cover. It means we found no published exclusion, and some operators simply publish less than others. Ezi publishes two exclusions and Snap publishes seven; that is a difference in disclosure, not necessarily in what you would be charged.
Published damage exclusions by operator
| Operator | Windscreen / glass | Tyres | Underbody | Roof / overhead | Water / immersion | Lost keys | Towing / recovery | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Car Rentals | Not listed | Not listed | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Source · apexrentals.co.nzVerified 2026-09-03 |
| Avis New Zealand | Not listed | Not listed | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Source · avis.co.nzVerified 2026-09-03 |
| Budget New Zealand | Not listed | Not listed | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Source · budget.co.nzVerified 2026-09-03 |
| Ezi Car Rental | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Excluded | Not listed | Source · ezicarrental.co.nzVerified 2026-09-03 |
| GO Rentals | Not listed | Not listed | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Source · gorentals.co.nzVerified 2026-09-03 |
| Hertz New Zealand | Not listed | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Not listed | Source · images.hertz.comVerified 2026-09-03 |
| JUCY | Not listed | Excluded | Not listed | Not listed | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Source · jucy.comVerified 2026-09-03 |
| Omega Rental Cars | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Excluded | Excluded | Source · omegarentalcars.comVerified 2026-09-03 |
| Snap Rentals | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded | Not listed | Excluded | Excluded | Source · snaprentals.co.nzVerified 2026-09-03 |
Exclusions are read from each operator's own published terms, insurance pages and rental agreements on the verification date shown. Coverage of windscreens and tyres is frequently tier-dependent or sold as a separate product, so check which tier you are buying. "Not listed" reflects the absence of a published exclusion, not a guarantee of cover. New Zealand's Insurance Law Reform Act 1977 also limits an insurer's ability to rely on an exclusion that did not cause the loss. Confirm your own agreement before relying on any of this.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays for a chipped windscreen on a New Zealand rental car?+
It depends entirely on the operator and tier. GO Rentals publishes that windscreens are not excluded from its damage protection at any tier. Ezi includes glass damage including stone chips in Ezi Ultra only. Snap covers it only in Simply Better or Restricted cover. Apex, Avis and Budget sell a separate Windscreen and Tyre Protection product, and without it you pay up to your excess. Hertz covers glass only through SuperCover.
Is underbody damage ever covered?+
Rarely. Apex, GO, Avis, Budget, Hertz and Snap all publish underbody or undercarriage damage as excluded regardless of the cover you bought. Apex, Avis and Budget word it as damage to exhaust, suspension and chassis caused by driving over kerbs or 'along poor quality roads at excessive speeds'. GO states plainly that underbody damage 'isn't covered by insurance and you're liable for all costs'. This is the main reason gravel driving is financially risky even where it is permitted.
What about lost keys?+
Usually your cost, and it is not small. JUCY publishes that a replacement key can be up to $1,000 and is 'excluded for all Excess Options'. Ezi charges $1,000 for unreturned keys, refunded when they come back. Apex charges the replacement cost plus a roadside callout fee of $255.62 if you lock them in. Hertz goes the other way: its MDW and SuperCover products remove key liability, though a key not returned within 24 hours becomes a prohibited use.
Does water or flood damage get covered?+
No, and this is one of the most consistent exclusions in the country. Apex, GO, Avis, Budget, Hertz and JUCY all publish water immersion as excluded, typically covering river and stream crossings, flooded fords, driving on beaches and saltwater exposure. GO notes the usual minimum repair cost starts at $2,000 and can be a write-off. There is no product sold in New Zealand that covers it.
Why do some operators list far fewer exclusions than others?+
Because publishing practices differ, not necessarily because their cover is broader. Ezi's published agreement names two exclusions we could record, while Snap's names seven. But Ezi's agreement also voids cover entirely and makes you liable up to $50,000 where you breach its use clauses. A short published list can reflect less disclosure rather than more generous terms, which is why the table is alphabetical rather than ranked.
Can a rental company enforce every exclusion in its contract?+
Not automatically. Section 11 of New Zealand's Insurance Law Reform Act 1977 prevents a claim being declined on an exclusion where the circumstances falling within that exclusion did not cause or contribute to the loss. GO Rentals and Omega both reference it directly in their terms. It is a meaningful protection, but it is not a general escape from exclusions. If gravel caused your underbody damage, the underbody exclusion applies.
Compare operators on cover, not just price
The exclusions above often matter more than the daily rate. Compare live prices, then check what each operator's cover actually leaves you carrying.
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