Car insurance extras?

[howlongtillsummer?]

So I have paid in full for my car hire insurance (Alamo). But I know at dollar they always try to push extras (roadside assistance - bigger car - sat nav etc)

What do you think about any extras on offer? Worth it or not? Why?

I just want to make my mind up in advance so that I can answer with confidence and show no sign of weakness at the hire desk.

Thanks.

 

[wayneg]

I never take anything they offer.
Roadside assist is something some take, at $5 a day it would have cost me about $2,000 over the years. You are covered for breakdowns but supposedly not accidental issues, ie leaving your lights on, locking your keys inside etc.
I book the car I want, Full size. Unless they are giving me a free upgrade I am not interested at all.
Sat nav, I take my own but it costs less than 2 week rental to buy it, Walmart sell from around $78 for a TomTom http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_constraint=0&ic=48_0&search_query=tomtom or look on Ebay http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_nkw=...tom+usa&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313 rental from car hire company didn't use to incl any insurance, not sure if that has changed, if stolen you could be liable.

 

[Type A Tim]

Check your travel insurance - ours covers all and I mean *ALL* insurances required. So can confidently say "No thank you" to care hire company.

It's cheaper to get travel insurance that covers this. When I consider how much the car insurances were going to cost us from Alamo for 2 weeks and I take away the cost of our family annual travel insurance.... I'm £200 better off!

Tim

 

[wayneg]

How did you book you car Tim? what sort of price without insurance?

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

Many thanks.

We have already prepaid our fully inclusive insurance.

Regarding roadside assistance - I took it the last time but probably didn't need to - is it mainly for breakdowns or mistakes?

 

[wayneg]

You are covered for breakdowns without it. Its for anything thats your own fault but people have posted even if they didn't take out the extra insurance they have still come out to repair at no cost, although you wouldn't find out until you needed it. Personally I wouldn't pay it and never have.

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

Yes it would be a personal choice - just looking for info and appreciate your answer. I really think I will just grit my teeth and say no to everything!! Help!

 

[Type A Tim]

How did you book you car Tim? what sort of price without insurance?

Booked 2 weeks through VH. First week 'free'. Second week £190 (SUV). The insurance through VH (with Alamo) would have cost us £500 for the fortnight. Very happy not to have to pay that

Tim

 

[paulfoel]

Not a chance.

Dont buy anything extra. Car rental agents are parasites.

In the past, I've said No thanks and they've kept on and I've just said NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO about ten times but he still kept going.

 

[catherine]

Our last trip the sales guy at Dollar tried to tell us that the car we had booked would definitely not be big enough for us and we needed to upgrade. When we said that we didn't need a bigger car as that was the size of car that we always got, he starting making a big deal about how this was a one time offer and when we came back to him after finding the car was too small for us, he would have to charge us twice as much as he was quoting!

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

Sneaky!