Unexpectedly I need to fly back to the UK tomorrow as it looks like, tragically, my Father’s on his last legs. I’ll be hiring a car from the airport, which I haven’t done in the UK for years, but I seem to remember that last time I did I had to get a code or something from the dvla site to hand over to the hire car company. Does anyone know if that’s still the case and if so, what I need to do as will be leaving early tomorrow morning and want to make sure I’ve got it sorted. Thanks
Yes it’s still necessary. The DVLA site can generate it immediately though, so you have time to do it.
Sorry to hear about your father’s poor health 
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Thanks alot @Gareth , very much appreciated. Preparing for the worst and trying to keep a brave face on right now.
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I think all of us who have been through similar times… are sending supportive hugs
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I’m sorry to hear about this, @letsmile . I hope the car hire is easy and that you can concentrate your energies on providing support where needed. Your strength will give strength to others…
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Just managed to get the code successfully, so now as armed as I’m going to be for tomorrow. Certainly not relishing the next days, but hope I can bring some happiness to my Father.
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Bon courage 
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From me too. Keep on with the avatar. 
Bon courage from me too - the toughest of times and that bit harder when international travel also involved.
And from me, having been through it a few months ago. Be prepared for a longish visit
Thanks everyone for the kind messages. Managed to cheer him up and he was delighted to see me, and likewise me seeing him.
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Very pleased for you and thanks for the reminder too. Not long before my Dad died at 94, with dementia and in a care home, I went to see him on a rare visit to England. As I walked down the room I spotted him on his own in a chair and, on seeing me, I was so moved to see his face, which had had a vacant expression, light up in a big wide smile of recognition. 
Later, after a short period of apparently deep thought, he looked up and said ‘are we the only 2 left of our family?’ He was right, both Mum and my younger Brother, John, had died within 6 months of each other in 1995. Now, it is just me, with mixed memories, mostly good ones. You are right to make the most of the time you have left @letsmile
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@letsmile I’m glad you’ve visited your Dad… you’ve made some happy memories… 
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Good luck with that. Friend just returned. He says it now costs 500 squid for a week! Is he exaggerating?
It sounds like he’s booked at short notice or rented a Bentley. I just had a quick look and it starts at about £80 for a week.
I guess the other possibility is that he took the rip-off insurance excess cover, that can add a couple of hundred quid over a week.
Well, back safe and sound after quite an exhausting few weeks, and quite a disappointing insight into the NHS………….but the hire car went smoothly, and the kind person in the airport even upgraded my car. When I arrived at the hospital to see my Father I really thought he was on his last legs, but as the days went on I started to see improvement, but having said that, he remains very frail but at least has now stabilised.
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I’m preparing for an unexpected trip to the UK.
Hiring a car will help me to keep my stay to a minimum 
Is it still possible to take a temp excess insurance, I did this many years ago, but so much has changed in recent years
Any help, please?
I used to have temp excess insurance as a stand alone policy rather than pay the hire companies total rip off premium. This company offers what you are looking for (there are many others out there, this is just the first i found).
https://cover4rentals.com/en-fr/
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Insurance4carhire, is one I have used and family very sucecssfully over the years. Damaged a tire in France, policy refunded the addition cost follwing day. Other family had a tiny single stone chip the hire co said was not there before despite them being able to locate the tiny dink immediately 
Again payout made quickly.
Was a while back so cant say if its changed
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I have used them before but I think as a French resident we can no longer use them.
Of late I have used RentalCover - they were very good when I made a claim.
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