Ask ten people about their worst campervan rental experience and nine will tell you about money, not the van: a deposit they did not expect, an excess that turned a small scratch into a big bill, or an extra fee on the last day. This guide to campervan rental insurance, deposits and excess is our attempt to explain the system in plain language, using what the CampervanPlanet pages say as of 31 October 2026.

We are not insurance advisers and every rental company writes its own terms, so use this as a checklist of questions to ask rather than a legal guide. Always read the conditions of the specific offer you choose.

The five money terms you need to know

Rental agreements use a handful of words that sound similar but mean different things. Understanding them is the best protection against surprises.

Booking deposit

The part of the price you pay when you book. On CampervanPlanet’s pages, many offers take a deposit online, often 10 to 20% of the price, with the rest due at pick-up. Others are paid in full online.

Security deposit

A refundable amount that the rental company holds on the main driver’s card at pick-up. It is not a fee, but it does reduce your available credit, so make sure the card limit is high enough.

Excess (or deductible)

The most you pay towards damage if something goes wrong. A low excess means less risk but usually a higher daily price.

Extra cover

An optional upgrade that reduces the excess. For example, one Crete offer on CampervanPlanet includes standard cover with a €1,500 excess and lets you upgrade to a premium cover with a €500 excess for a daily fee.

Extras and fees

Bedding, kitchen kits, extra drivers, child seats, one-way fees, cleaning fees and out-of-hours returns. These are rarely in the headline price.

What the daily price actually includes

CampervanPlanet’s worldwide price index is open about this: its prices include the rental and the basic cover the company includes, while optional insurance and extras are not included. The index is based on 7-night searches and, in October 2026, spanned from about €16 a day for a New Zealand winter rental to about €157 a day in Croatia, built from 2,587 live offers in 22 countries.

Those numbers are useful for comparison, but they are not the final price of your trip. A €60-a-day campervan with a high excess and expensive extras can easily cost more than a €75-a-day van with a low excess and everything included. When you compare, write down the total for the whole rental and compare totals, not daily rates.

How deposits work in practice

At booking, you usually pay a deposit or the full amount online. At pick-up, the company will normally hold the security deposit on a credit card in the main driver’s name. Several companies refuse debit cards for this, and a few accept only certain card types, so check before you travel. In the Crete example we looked at, the deposit is held on a credit card and cash is not accepted.

The deposit is released after the vehicle is returned and checked. This can take days or even a couple of weeks to reach your account, depending on the bank, so do not plan to use that credit immediately after you return home. If your card is declined at the depot, you can lose your booking, so tell your bank about the trip and check the limit beforehand.

Understanding excess and extra insurance

The excess is the single most important number on the offer. A standard cover with an excess of €1,500 means that in a small accident you may be liable for the first €1,500 of the damage. Premium cover can bring that down to a few hundred euros, often for a daily fee. On a long trip the fee can add up, but the peace of mind may be worth it, especially on narrow roads or unsealed tracks.

Also check what the insurance excludes. Typical exclusions include tyres, glass, the underside of the vehicle, the roof and awning, interior damage, and driving on forbidden roads. Some rental companies restrict gravel roads, ferries or border crossings, and breaking those rules can void your cover. For countries with big distances such as Australia, the Australia campervan rental prices page shows what a trip typically costs in each season, so you can judge whether extra cover fits your budget.

Hidden costs: a checklist before you book

• Mileage: Is it unlimited or capped per day (for example 350 km)? Excess kilometres can be expensive.
• One-way fees: Returning the vehicle in a different city usually adds a fee, which can range from tens to hundreds of euros.
• Fuel policy: Most are full-to-full. Refuelling charges at the depot are usually higher than at the pump.
• Cleaning and pet fees: Pet travel may carry a flat fee.
• Extra drivers and young drivers: Check the age rules and charges.
• Kitchen kit and bedding: Sometimes included, sometimes a paid pack.
• Out-of-hours pick-up or return: Can be refused or charged.

For the United States in particular, generator hours, mileage packages and mobility kits are common add-ons, and the USA RV rental prices page gives typical seasonal prices that help you judge whether an offer is fair.

How to compare offers without getting lost

Our method is simple. Pick your dates and pick-up location, then compare at least three offers on the same page. For each, note the total price, the excess, the mileage allowance, the one-way fee (if any), and what is included. Then decide how much risk you want to carry. If you are not sure, take the lower excess; if you are a careful driver on sealed roads, the standard cover may be enough.

It also helps to compare vehicle types, because a compact campervan often has lower rates and a smaller excess than a large motorhome. Our campervan vs motorhome vs RV guide explains which type fits which trip. If you book through our links, code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY20 takes €20 off at checkout.

Pick-up day: protect yourself

Photograph and video the van inside and out before you leave the depot, including the roof, tyres and any existing marks, and make sure the staff note them on the check-out sheet. Test the heater, fridge, lights and water system, and ask how to empty the toilet tank and use the gas safely. On return, take another set of photos and, if possible, get a signed confirmation that the vehicle came back in good condition.

Keep copies of all paperwork and your booking confirmation. If there is a dispute later, photos with timestamps are your best evidence. When you are ready to compare real offers, start at the CampervanPlanet price page, and see our campervan rental guide for the wider checklist.