enterprise - insurance question

[EeyoreME]

First time renting a car in a long time.... we have USAA and I called USAA and they said our insurance carries over to the rental. Does one normally STILL get the added insurance through the rental company?

 

[omniscientmommy]

We don't but that's a personal decision.

 

[starry_solo]

First time renting a car in a long time.... we have USAA and I called USAA and they said our insurance carries over to the rental. Does one normally STILL get the added insurance through the rental company?

No, because in the fine print, it says that insurance is secondary...

 

[JoshF]

One benefit of getting the added insurance from the rental company is that you usually don't have any deductible if there's damage to the rented vehicle. But I don't get it!

 

[EeyoreME]

thank you all!

 

[starry_solo]

Your best bet is to look at your own car insurance and then make the rental using a credit card that provides additional insurance (also secondary to your primary insurance)

 

[sponica]

I never do....and I did actually crash my mechanic's loaner car.

 

[EACarlson]

Your best bet is to look at your own car insurance and then make the rental using a credit card that provides additional insurance (also secondary to your primary insurance)

Best bet is to make the rental with a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve card. Their insurance is Primary. As is the rental coverage you can get from American Express.

 

[starry_solo]

Best bet is to make the rental with a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve card. Their insurance is Primary. As is the rental coverage you can get from American Express.

Yeah, but most people aren't going to open up a credit card with a $550 annual fee for that.

 

[DVC-Don]

I don't get the extra from the car agencies. Plus they have so many loopholes in the small print they rarely pay anything. Example: If you get a traffic violation from the accident, voids the agencies insurance = no payout. Or if you are lost and make an illegal U turn that causes an accident even if the officer does not issue a ticket, voids the insurance = no payout.

 

[EACarlson]

Yeah, but most people aren't going to open up a credit card with a $550 annual fee for that.

Sapphire Preferred AF is $95/year. American Express lets members purchase the primary insurance on cards without an AF.

 

[JM23457]

Sapphire Preferred AF is $95/year. American Express lets members purchase the primary insurance on cards without an AF.

What is AF?

 

[EACarlson]

What is AF?

Annual Fee

 

[Capt_BJ]

for OP ...

been with USAA for over 40 years

they cover you on a rental with same limits as your own car ... AND don't pay for second driver fee as this is covered too so long as second driver is on same USAA policy as the 'contract person' of the rental ..... in other words your SPOUSE is covered .....

and I never buy extra from the company .... if they press I say "USAA" and that shuts down the conversation ....

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

We don't. We have car insurance that will cover it plus our credit card offers primary coverage if we were to get into an accident so that we don't even have to claim it on our car insurance. So check with your CC and see if you have coverage. Rental car companies will pressure you into buying because they get a commision for everyone they get to sign up

 

[EACarlson]

AND don't pay for second driver fee as this is covered too so long as second driver is on same USAA policy as the 'contract person' of the rental ..... in other words your SPOUSE is covered .....

Just to clarify, this is only for specific companies and not any rental. Avis, Budget, Enterprise and Hertz.

 

[_19disnA]

Major credit cards also include the car 'insurance' if you read their fine print. Check the statement from your credit card to be sure. Most rental car companies try to upsell you their 'insurance' (regardless of what they call it) as a money maker for them and usually costs more per day then the actual car rental. I always decline. Might also check your auto insurance policy to see what it covers.

 

[spiders]

The secondary insurance language does not refer to the waiver. It's been a few years so I may not be exactly up-to-date on everything but by law, rental car companies have to make sure you are legal. That's why, the legitimate companies, do not ask your for proof of insurance. So let's say you carry minimum coverage in Alabama and get in wreck in Florida which has higher requirements. The rental car company will cover the difference between your Alabama policy and the Florida minimums. The insurance that they typically want to sell you is the "damage waiver" which isn't really insurance it's just them waiving their ability to hold you responsible for damage to the vehicle unless you violate the terms (e.g. You're drunk, you tow something, etc...). The benefit is that there is no deductible and it doesn't go against your own policy. The cons are that it is extremely expensive and still only covers the car. If you need liability then you'll need to buy the liability portion.

Since you have already verified through your insurer that your policy covers rental cars then the decision is entirely up to you and what you want to do. The one exception is when people travel with friends and they want their friends to drive the car. People get in a lot of trouble doing this when they don't buy insurance through the rental company. Let's say you & I go on a trip together and you rent the car but I'm driving and get in an accident. Typically what happens is that your insurance company says they have no idea who I am and are not going to cover it. My insurance company will say that my name isn't on the rental agreement (even if I'm an additional driver) and therefore I'm not responsible for the damage. You are then up the creek.

 

[buckeyeguy1]

Another thing to ask your insurance company is if your policy covers loss of use on a rental vehicle.

If you are at fault of an accident and it will require the rental vehicle to be in the shop for 2 weeks to get repaired, the rental company can charge you for the time that they don't have that vehicle in their fleet to be rented. If your insurance covers that you are fine. If not, its on you.

My previous insurance policy did cover loss of use. We changed companies several years ago when building a new home and our current company does not include loss of use in our rental car coverage.

I have only rented vehicles a few times, but I've never purchased their insurance.