Rental car insurance-Am I understanding this correctly?
#1
Rental car insurance-Am I understanding this correctly?
That when you rent a car you have to supply a credit card for any damage done to the car? and basically the insurance is third party and theft? What if I (god forbid) was the cause of an accident- would I have to pay for the repairs to the car?
Ash
Ash
#2
Homebody
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: HOME
Posts: 23,174
Re: Rental car insurance-Am I understanding this correctly?
NB: Inspect the car very carefully when you collect it, and make sure they note any existing damage on the paperwork. If possible, get it inspected and signed off when you drop it off, rather than just dropping the key in the drop-box.
#4
Re: Rental car insurance-Am I understanding this correctly?
I'll keep that one in mind
Ash
#5
Re: Rental car insurance-Am I understanding this correctly?
Technically the things the rental car company offers are not 'insurance' (that would violated the licensing laws for insurance sales in most states). They are waivers in which certain things are waived.
The main one you get quoted is CDW--Collision Damage Waiver. There are also 3rd Party Liability Waivers (in case you get sued by someone you hit) and Theft of Property Waivers (covering your suitcases) and a few other waivers that I forget.
As Elvira mentioned, your credit card often will pay CDW if you use it--check that out. But if you are going to be in the habit of renting cars, call your own auto insurance agency and ask them if you can get 'rental car insurance' added to your primary car insurance. I have it an it costs < $5 a month (or $5 a quarter--it's something trivial). I was renting cars about 6-8 times a year it paid for itself in one day of rentals.
The main one you get quoted is CDW--Collision Damage Waiver. There are also 3rd Party Liability Waivers (in case you get sued by someone you hit) and Theft of Property Waivers (covering your suitcases) and a few other waivers that I forget.
As Elvira mentioned, your credit card often will pay CDW if you use it--check that out. But if you are going to be in the habit of renting cars, call your own auto insurance agency and ask them if you can get 'rental car insurance' added to your primary car insurance. I have it an it costs < $5 a month (or $5 a quarter--it's something trivial). I was renting cars about 6-8 times a year it paid for itself in one day of rentals.
#6
Homebody
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: HOME
Posts: 23,174
Re: Rental car insurance-Am I understanding this correctly?
........if you are going to be in the habit of renting cars, call your own auto insurance agency and ask them if you can get 'rental car insurance' added to your primary car insurance. I have it an it costs < $5 a month (or $5 a quarter--it's something trivial). I was renting cars about 6-8 times a year it paid for itself in one day of rentals.
#9
Re: Rental car insurance-Am I understanding this correctly?
http://usa.visa.com/personal/cards/c...to_rental.html
This seems to be general to most visa cards - I called and confirmed my coverage before I left, and had a copy of the policy sebnt to me that I took with me - when I turned up at Heathrow I could then demonstrate I didn't need the rental company's LDW.
Hope that helps....of course, if you don't want to use a credit card, then this won't help...
#10
Re: Rental car insurance-Am I understanding this correctly?
One other anecdote. I rented a car in the West Counties of Ireland about 10 years ago. If you've ever driven out in County Clare you know what an adventure that can be. I was driving and hit a random rock which dented two rims and flattened both tires on one side. Boy, that sucked.
I called the rental place and they were like 'since you didn't take our waiver and instead went with the waiver on the credit card, we cannot help you.' I ended up chatting with a local farmer who pulled the car into his garage, pulled out a large sledge hammer, and slammed both rims back into place, and then refilled the tires with air. I gave him 20 punts for beer but he was like 'ah, don't worry, this happens everyday'. When I got back to Shannon and returned the car, the guy told me about 40% of the cars came back with some damage because of the roads.
Anyway--maybe an example of one time when the CDW might be better than the coverage of the card...
I called the rental place and they were like 'since you didn't take our waiver and instead went with the waiver on the credit card, we cannot help you.' I ended up chatting with a local farmer who pulled the car into his garage, pulled out a large sledge hammer, and slammed both rims back into place, and then refilled the tires with air. I gave him 20 punts for beer but he was like 'ah, don't worry, this happens everyday'. When I got back to Shannon and returned the car, the guy told me about 40% of the cars came back with some damage because of the roads.
Anyway--maybe an example of one time when the CDW might be better than the coverage of the card...
#11
Re: Rental car insurance-Am I understanding this correctly?
I then found that my Visa card had a free LDW:
http://usa.visa.com/personal/cards/c...to_rental.html
This seems to be general to most visa cards - I called and confirmed my coverage before I left, and had a copy of the policy sebnt to me that I took with me - when I turned up at Heathrow I could then demonstrate I didn't need the rental company's LDW.
Hope that helps....of course, if you don't want to use a credit card, then this won't help...
http://usa.visa.com/personal/cards/c...to_rental.html
This seems to be general to most visa cards - I called and confirmed my coverage before I left, and had a copy of the policy sebnt to me that I took with me - when I turned up at Heathrow I could then demonstrate I didn't need the rental company's LDW.
Hope that helps....of course, if you don't want to use a credit card, then this won't help...
Ash
#12
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2006
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 387
Re: Rental car insurance-Am I understanding this correctly?
The last few cars I've rented were through travelsupermarket.com. Somehow they must have a deal of sorts with the other websites, since I was able to rent cars through Hertz and Airline-Network.co.uk (the car came from Dollar) and pay a fixed price (upfront) which included all taxes, loss damage waivers, and a full tank of fuel and still came out a few $ cheaper than the basic (i.e. without waivers) rate booking directly with the rental company. The only snag is you have to have a non-US licence (when renting in the US). Otherwise, no problems.
#13
Re: Rental car insurance-Am I understanding this correctly?
Linda
Last edited by LindaBB; Jun 20th 2007 at 5:51 am.
#14
Re: Rental car insurance-Am I understanding this correctly?
We go back at least once a year - use our visa or amex - and we have had damage and it was Ok with the rental company - they just gave us another car - the visa or amex covered all of it. One time my husband bashed in a wheel going too fast down to the seaside in Wales and ended up with the chassis sitting on a rock instead of the wheels. He was collecting the replacement car 2 hours later, when he didn't look where he was backing and backed into the petrol pump at the car hire place. Fortunately he just dented the exterior cover. They wet themselves laughing and gave him another car and said a prayer for me. it didn't cost us a penny. BUT one of the accidents WAS paid by our own comp and collision from here US as we had it. Otherwise the visa or amex would have paid it all. I actually filmed the car and dent I was so worried at what they might report to the Ins. They did not charge us for the petrol pump - said banging out the dent in the cover was worth the good laugh he gave them! I wasn't laughing - I about had kittens!! We always book with Kemwell and then pick up and drop off to National. They have never done us wrong and their rates are always the lowest.
Linda
Linda
Ash
#15
Re: Rental car insurance-Am I understanding this correctly?
MI is a no fault state - I was injured while parked, by someone backing out of their space too fast and running into me and had to claim my hospital expenses and car damage on my own insurance as it happened in your state!!! i decided there and then never to move to Michigan and certainly to avoid visiting it unless it couldn't be avoided.
Best thing to do is to call your credit card customer ervice and ask them - s'not rocket science.
Linda