Maruchino

Hi all

First meaningful post and I hope you friendly people can help me out...

I have done some searching on this board and others but can't find options to help with the following conundrum;

I was looking to rent a car in the US for my first month of being there and want to avoid the crazy high prices the hire firms would slap me with for insurance.

I wanted to use a specialist company like https://www.icarhireinsurance.com to get an annual policy, but the problem is they have a restriction that permanent residents of the USA cannot use this policy in the USA for renting cars

Has anyone else found any other way to avoid the ridiculous hire car insurance that hertz and co pump out?

Any advice much appreciated.

Martin

Hotscot

Which State will you be renting in?

1. A rental may come with some minimal insurance. It may be enough.
2. If you pay with a credit card often the credit card provides some form of auto insurance. Read the small print.

Sally Redux

I don't think the insurance will be that crazy. Sometimes you can take off what you don't need, like medical cover.

lansbury

If you have a Visa card go to Visa's own web site and look up their car rental insurance and see if your particular Visa card is included.

notonuksoil

We rented a car for 30 days in NY using the Avis UK website to book, it cost about £450 all in with insurance in 2007

Booked the smallest car something like a Nissan Micra knowing there wouldn't be a local equivalent and got a suzuki suv as that was the cheapest car on the lot.

Booked it to pick up at a small local location not near the airport. I seem to recall we paid with our amex card and that covered us for the insurance so that was deducted from the £450. We then claimed airmiles from BA as avis used to be an airline partner and also got amex points as we paid using the amex card.

Maruchino

Georgia

1. Rental doesn't come with any insurance unfortunately
2. My credit cards do not offer auto insurance unfortunately


Slightly different take on the question then... am I technically a permanent resident if I do not yet have a rental agreement on a property (i.e. living out of hotels)?

Noorah101

What visa will you be arriving on? If you're arriving on an Immigrant Visa, you're a permanent resident from Day 1 in the USA.

If a work-type visa, you might be considered a permanent resident for some purposes (although not by USCIS), but living out of a hotel, you wouldn't be able to prove it. You'd need a State ID, State Drivers License, Rental Agreement, or Utility Bills (or some such paperwork).

Rene

Maruchino

I'm moving on an L1B - so your second scenario applies

Noorah101

In that case, try the link you posted in your original post here, since you won't be considered a "permanent resident" (as in, you won't have a green card).

Rene

Sally Redux

Are you sure? That's usually the main thing they're trying to sell you.

seawaternow

Try USAA - it's normally for military personnel and their family members but you should be able to buy membership. We have their rental car insurance for when we're in the US - never had a problem and it's reasonably priced.

Noorah101

According to the OP, the rental car doesn't "come with" insurance (but you can probably add it on for a price), and he's trying to "avoid the crazy high prices the hire firms would slap me with for insurance".

Rene

Maruchino

Apologies for the time wasting, but I've found a better rental deal that includes applicable insurances. Panic over!

sanfranjones

If you are employed, you might want to check with your company as they may have a blanket policy you can use.

Sally Redux

Ah, right.

Probably the easiest way though.