Coverage & liability · Travelers + trade
Super CDW / excess reduction
Also called SCDW, Super Collision Damage Waiver, excess reduction
What it means
Super CDW (also sold as excess reduction) is an upgrade to the basic Collision Damage Waiver. It lowers the amount you'd pay for damage, often to zero, and sometimes adds items the basic waiver excludes, such as tires or glass. It's sold by the rental company, at booking or at the counter.
Why it matters
It changes two things at once: what a damage bill costs you and, often, how large a deposit is held on your card. Compare its daily price with a policy from a third-party insurer, which works differently: the rental company still holds the full deposit, and if there's damage you pay the excess first and claim it back.
Wording by region
Mainly sold outside the US. North American renters usually meet the same idea as a zero-deductible option.
Related terms
- Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)An agreement where the rental company waives some or all of its right to charge you for damage to the car, usually above an excess. It's not insurance.
- Zero excess / zero deductibleCover where you pay nothing toward covered damage or theft of the rental car. Exclusions still apply.
- Excess reimbursementA separate insurance policy that pays you back the excess the rental company charged you after damage or theft.
- Security depositAn amount the rental company holds on your card at pickup and releases after the car comes back without new charges.
- Tire and Glass Protection (TGP)Optional cover for damage to tires, windows and the windshield, which basic damage waivers often exclude.