<p>I rarely rent a car but we are flying/driving to a family wedding this weekend. I have insurance through my credit card…but I know they will want me to buy insurance from them too. It seems to me that one kind of insurance is a good idea (expensive maybe but allows you to walk away in all event) …and another is redundant… can anyone explain to me how this works? (If I’ve managed to make any sense!) Thank you!</p>
<p>Usually your car insurance for your personal car will automatically cover you when you rent a car in the USA so assuming you currently have a car, check with your insurance company first. Outside of that, if you rent a car with certain credit cards the card company will provide insurance as well but you need to check for your particular card (i.e. - not just Visa or Amex but the particular card you have) and exactly what coverage they provide. </p>
<p>I never get the insurance coverage offered by the car rental companies - it’s ridiculously expensive and I’m sure it’s a big money-maker for them. OTOH, out of hundreds of rentals I’ve only ever had one issue where I’ve used the insurance on a rental car but that was in Australia when the car was vandalized. In that case I just took it back to the car rental company and swapped it for another car. Since it was in Oz I might have used their insurance - I don’t remember.</p>
<p>Typically, Visa Gold is what covers car rentals, but there may be others. But it is supplementary to your regular insurance, not primary. </p>
<p>There is a new plan out for Am Ex card holders. It arrived in the mail when I was trying to figure out car insurance for a trip to France, otherwise wouldn’t have checked it out. It gives primary coverage, and adds a $25 or so fee to your bill when a car is rented on the card, and the time limit is more than just a few weeks. Unlike home car insurance, it is good internationally, though not in every country. Oz is excluded, USC/UCLA D. So this plan saved me a bundle of Euros. </p>
<p>But for domestic rentals, the Visa gold is really all that is needed. </p>
<p>I’ve never needed the car insurance either for a rental. However, while on a visit to Kalamazoo college, we hit a bird on the highway, leaving a large dent between the windshield and passenger window. There was no agent when I dropped the car off at the ferry dock for the trip back to Wisconsin. I wrote a detailed note about the damage, lived in fear of protracted negotiations, started a claim with Visa. But never heard a word about the damage, so dropped the claim. And sighed in relief. </p>
<p>Other car rental advice-they will try to get you to take their offer of buying a tank of gas from them, so you can return the car empty. Don’t do it, even though the cost per gallon may be lower than market rate. You probably can’t figure out how to use just the right amount to leave the car empty at the end of the rental. Better to fill yourself just before returning the car.</p>
<p>You would need to check with your insurance agent, but in Texas your personal auto liability will cover the rented vehicle UP TO YOUR PROPERTY DAMAGE LIABILITY LIMIT. This coverage applies to the vehicle you are driving as well as damage to any vehicle or other property that you might hit (if you are at fault). If you carry the minimum liability limit, this may not be enough coverage. In that case, it is usually less expensive to increase your policy limit than to buy their coverage.</p>
<p>Just read your insurance policy. mine specifically states in it that I have the same coverage on a rental car as I do with my car.</p>
<p>Don’t get the rental agency coverage. OR the gas option.</p>
<p>Well, I just got zinged by a car rental company two days after I returned the car. They now CLAIM that it had a nail in it and a flat tire. The tires were fine when we were driving the car and we only had it for less than 12 hours! We stayed on the regular road, didn’t go off-road or to construction sites–SO disappointed.</p>
<p>Since I PURPOSELY charged it on my new United CC, it provides PRIMARY coverage and if I provide all the paperwork they are requesting, they will take care of the claim one way or another. It’s only $20, but all 4 of us who were in the car find it pretty surprising. The van was quite fine while we were driving and they didn’t even have the courtesy of telling us about this, just charged me an extra $20 without any notification!</p>
<p>This is the 1st time we’ve rented any car & had a problem where we were charged anything extra. I’m so disappointed as I was trying to give them business instead of going with Alamo (which we used in our prior trip). So much for trying to help local business!</p>
<p>I have had many issues with car rentals. My Am Ex will cover my deductible only if I decline all coverage from the rental agency. My regular auto policy will cover the rest. I had a rental agency claim damage months after the rental. Luckily I had the license # and the VID # because they were claiming damage on a car I did not rent! I submitted my paperwork to Am Ex and they dealt with the rental agency and no claim was ever completed. I always take tons of photos before and after and make sure the rental paperwork matches the vehicle (and write down the license plate).</p>
<p>I think the money I’ve saved declining extra insurance would be enough by now to buy a whole new car.</p>
<p>“to buy a whole new car.”</p>
<p>In my case a good used one anyway. I second suggestions to read your policy carefully, as well as the coverage language for your credit card. Rental companies/agents may go to extraordinary lengths to sell you coverage. ***** in Orlando used to line up wrecks along the fence where they could be seen by arriving customers. But most people don’t need more coverage than they already have. Also, if you do have a mishap with a rental car, don’t expect Customer Support representatives from either the rental company or the credit card company to give you reliable guidance. One credit card representative told me that they would cover anything above my maximum auto coverage. I responded that my maximum would replace the whole car many times over. “Well, we’ll cover any damage to the car over that amount.” Whoa. A customer who didn’t know the credit card coverage might believe this malarky.</p>
<p>Well, I’m happy my United CC will deal with them and sort out what needs to be paid. I a sad that I got this surprise. I guess we’ll count our blessings that it has never happened in the dozens of times we’ve rented before. Best of all, the insurance is PRIMARY so my insurer doesn’t even get notified or have to be involved and possibly raise our rates!</p>
<p>Read the fine print when you sign up for coverage offered by the rental place. Some of it is SECONDARY, which means they will go after whatever insurance you have first, and then that coverage will kick in.</p>
<p>Yes, that’s why I like the United Signature CC. Their coverage is FREE if I charge it on their CC & it’s PRIMARY so there’s no point in buying anything extra. Will see how well/poorly it works with this $20 flat tire charge.</p>
<p>I never take the insurance and have never had a problem. The only two times recently was when were in Naples, Italy and because of what we had heard we bought full coverage for any reason for 10 days for $80. Didn’t need it. I also did the same this summer in Quebec for the same reason (and that work was paying for it). The only time I’ve ever had an incident was years ago in Quebec where I scraped the front fender getting out of a tight parking garage space. The repair cost was about $600 Can. at the time. I’m sure with what I’ve saved over the years I could buy a new car.</p>
<p>We’ve NEVER taken collision damage insurance either but over the decades of renting cars, have saved enough to pay for a lot more car rentals. Not sure if it would have been enough to buy a car–maybe a used one? Have NEVER had an issue other than this recent one with the tire in the nail for $20. I guess I’ll count our blessings.</p>
<p>S has been rear-ended while in a rental car for work. Don’t believe he had any problems.</p>
<p>A nail is wear and tear - routine maintenance. And that would not be covered by insurance if you had it.
I believe this should be the renting companies problem.
It’s a wear and tear item.<br>
They cannot prove the nail wasn’t there from the previous renter and this was a slow leak.</p>
<p>I’d dispute the charge on your credit card.</p>
<p>I always decline the insurance. I think if you own an auto you insure it usually covers any damamge to a rental (mine does) and there is coverage from your credit card.</p>
<p>HIMom, I would dispute the nail charge. It sounds like the agent checked the car upon return and did not find any problems. You were given the final receipt. From that moment, the car was not in your possession, and you no longer were responsible for anyhing that happened to it.</p>
<p>Fwiw, some people might find out that the coverage offered by their own insurance will NOT cover all possible damages. Their policy might not be as comprehensive as they thought. </p>
<p>Also the coverage offered by credit cards may not be as comprehensive as some would like you to believe. It might be wise to call your credit card company before renting a car to find out what your specific card provides. You should also contact your own auto insurance company to ascertain the coverage for a car rental on your policy and supplement that, if need be, with what is offered by the credit card company. </p>
<p>You might be surprised by the possible charges that appear on a rental company repair bill after an accident. As an example, a loss of rental use might not be covered, and the rental company will make you feel some pain in the wallet! </p>
<p>Add that to a possible deductible and other uncovered fees and some might rue the day they believe the “advice” to simply decline the coverage and trust that the credit card company will pick up the FULL tab for any accident. </p>
<p>If it sounds too good, it usually is. Check the American Express Premium Car Rental Protection plan. I would not rent a car without it. Ever!</p>
<p>AmEx car rental insurance doesn´t cover liability, right? If we damage another car or if someone gets hurt, is it covered?</p>
<p>We currently do not have a car insurance because we don´t own a car. Is there an insurance we could take out when we rent a car? What do most people do?</p>