check your auto insurance !!!

[bubbleprincessmom]

before renting a car. I went in today and paid my 6month auto insurance renewal and while I was waiting for the new cards asked if I could come in before my upcoming trip and lower my deductible temporarliy while I had my rental car. The lady at the counter (who had told me "use my phone and make your payment a check by phone" to save her having to fax a copy of the check I was going to write) looked at me and said...."this policy doesn't cover rental cars" I said yes it does its a full coverage policy. She then informed me that not all companys carry insurance over to a rental car that is not a "replacement car". I was mortified!! I have had either ALLSTATE or USAA for over 20 years but last spring had some issues with them when I tried to remove my son from a policy so I had to switch companys. I knew better than to renew with these people as I've had nothing but payment problems since day one, but I was quite honestly just to lazy the last couple of weeks to call and get a new quote. I had NO IDEA that this company would not cover my rental in a couple of weeks. Whats even scarier is I've rented a car since having this policy and I shudder to think what would have happened if I'd had an accident. Now I'm frantically trying to get a decent new quote from a company (and yes I've called my old Allstate agent) but I also have to get my money back from the folks I paid today. they said it could take THREE TO SIX weeks for a refund. I told them it only took them about thiry seconds to get the money from me!!!! Is this common knowledge out there and I'm the only one who didn't know this?? Or do I have alot of fellow DISers checking their policies right about now??? We leave in a little over two weeks and I have to have a policy that will carry over onto a rental because I CAN NOT pay what they want for Insurance at the rental agency!!! HELP

 

[DopeysGal]

I've worked for an insurance company for almost 20 years and have never heard of an auto policy NOT covering a rental car, as long as you have full coverage on your vehicle. With our policy, if you were involved in an accident that was your fault, you would have to pay the deductible, just as if it was your own car. BUT, a rental car company can (and do) charge you for "down time", which is the rate they are losing per day for not being able to rent the car while it is being repaired and your insurance does NOT pay for that. So if it takes 20 days to repair the car and they charge $20 per day to rent the car...that's what you would owe them. There are two things you can do to avoid this charge. Pay for the "walk away coverage" offered by the rental car company (while it's high, sometimes it's worth the piece of mind to know you can turn the car in totaled and not owe a penny) OR check the coverage provided by your credit card company. Most Gold or Platinum cards will pay your deductible and the down time fee if you use their card for the rental (I speak from personal experience on this).
PLEASE read all your insurance policies..all states are different and have different coverages and exclusions, based on state law.
If you can't find where it says it specifically excludes rental cars, I would try to contact the home office of your carrier and talk to a customer service rep or underwriter to verify the coverage available. Have them tell you what page in the policy relates to rental cars and then highlight that area so you can find it, if needed.
Personally, I would change just so I wouldn't have to deal with that rude person again. With the attitude she had, it wouldn't surprise me if she didn't know what she was talking about.
Hope this helps.

 

[Kermit]

If it covers replacement cars and no one is driving your regular car while you're on vacation, you shouldn't have a problem. If someone is at home driving your regular car as well, then there might be a reason to get different rental car insurance.

 

[cuterlt]

I have USAA and I know that it does cover rental cars. I had them send me an outline of their policy before our last vacation because I was concerned about the rental company trying to sell us insurance.
If you want me to email you what they sent me, I still have it (assuming you have USAA). It could be that the policy varies from state to state and depending on your coverage. But the letter I got from them really explained it well.

 

[nativetxn]

That's a good thing to think about. We have checked with our insurance company (Statefarm) and they assure us that rental cars are covered.

I wonder if the secretary at your insurance agency really knew what she was talking about? Perhaps a call to the home office is in order?

Hope you can get this figured out before your trip, sweetie.

Katholyn

 

[Fire14]

I was just thinking I need to check up on mine to before i rent a car in May. I know that Citezens insurance did when I had them.

 

[disneychrista]

Originally posted by Kermit
If it covers replacement cars and no one is driving your regular car while you're on vacation, you shouldn't have a problem.

I am not so sure about this. I am pretty sure a "replacement car" refers to those driven while your car is being repaired from another car accident. Not a car you rent while you are on vacation.

 

[bubbleprincessmom]

Well we DON"T have USAA anymore, we dropped them when we tried to remove my son from the policy when he turned 21, they said we had to "prove" he didn't live at home anymore. They needed me to send them proof of his new address. I tried telling them check his drivers license its NOT registered at my address, they wanted something like mail or rental agreement at his new home. I tried telling them he didn't exactly leave on the best of terms (I use that tough love policy and sorry you and your girlfriend can't have screaming matches and have me come home to her throwing my phone out the door whiile your suppose to be watching your little sister) USAA refused to take him off the policy and I refused to pay premiums for him when he was't living here so I dropped USAA. Allstates quote was abit higher than the company we ended up going with so I switched. BAD CHOICE!!!! I'm hoping on Monday places will be open so I can get some quotes making SURE that they cover the rental car. Like most of you I thought as long as I had full coverage I was covered no matter what I drove. (and the lady at the company did call the insurance carrier to verify no rental coverage under the terms of their agreement)