First Time Renting A Car in Disney

[chicaholic4ever]

We are going to Disney and it's my first time to rent a car. We need a minivan coming from Fort Lauderdale to Disneyworld. I read a lot about insurnce being required. When I look online there ae a lot of promos like $9.99 a day?? Can you help me..like what are the other costs? What type of insurance do I need to bring? Do I pay additional for insurance? Help please. Is there a difference being Canadian? I have CAA..does that help?

 

[MikeyNS]

We are going to Disney and it's my first time to rent a car. We need a minivan coming from Fort Lauderdale to Disneyworld. I read a lot about insurnce being required. When I look online there ae a lot of promos like $9.99 a day?? Can you help me..like what are the other costs? What type of insurance do I need to bring? Do I pay additional for insurance? Help please. Is there a difference being Canadian? I have CAA..does that help?

First thing you want to do is figure out who you should rent from. Are you doing a one way or returning it to Fort Lauderdale? If it's a one way, you might want to check out National/Alamo so you can drop off the car onsite at Disney. You can do an online quote and reservation for either company and it will tell you exactly what your charges are.

If you have a gold visa/mastercard/amex (or higher!) and you pay for the car with that card they usually include all the insurance you need. Call your credit card company and ask. My personal car insurance also has a rental car clause, so even if I happen to pay cash my personal insurance would also cover me.

I'm not sure who CAA deals with, but you might be able to get a better rate with them, but I would try doing a quote online.

 

[CanadianGuy]

My personal car insurance has the correct rider for insuring rented vehicles.

Total cost per YEAR for that coverage is : $25

An accident does count against you same as an accident in your own family car would.

I pair that with credit card coverage and figure between the two of them -- I'm covered.

The insurance at the rental counter is a HUGE profit maker for the car rental places because they WAY overcharge vs. their actual costs.

 

[BitsnBearsMom]

Last time we rented in Florida, State Law would not accept our Insurance "slip", we needed a copy of the policy faxed from our agent to the rental in order to "waive" the required insurance.

 

[Sue M]

I am covered by my Visa, plus I too have rental insurance attached to my Car insurance thru ICBC.
I've never had any car rental agency question it before.
I find good prices thru Costco.com- click on their travel tab. You can also find good discount codes on Mousesavers.com

I often fly into Ft. Lauderdale (have family there) and drive car rental to WDW, then fly home from Orlando.

If you are doing a one way rental, returning car after you arrive at WDW, look into Alamo and National. They have rental sites on property at Disney Car Care Centre, and at the Swan/Dolphin hotels.
Downtown Disney area also has several car rental desks at those hotels:
Budget (Doubletree), Avis (Hilton) Dollar (Regal Sun).
We prefer to use WDW transportation once we're there and return the car rental.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Last time we rented in Florida, State Law would not accept our Insurance "slip", we needed a copy of the policy faxed from our agent to the rental in order to "waive" the required insurance.

I have never once been asked to prove I have insurance when I decline to take it from the rental company. However, this is correct. The slip you carry in your personal vehicle does not prove any particular type of coverage. You do need the insurance documents.

I have a platinum Amex which cover me as well as coverage from my own policy at home.

If buy coverage from the rental compnay your will pay around $30-$30 per day over and above the cost of the rental. This can be VERY expensive as there are no discounts on the insurance portion. Carefully check what you already have and look into adding something onto your own policy, if needed, before you leave home.

 

[connorsmom911]

Last time we rented in Florida, State Law would not accept our Insurance "slip", we needed a copy of the policy faxed from our agent to the rental in order to "waive" the required insurance.

Which company did you rent from?

 

[SwooshICE]

Last time we rented in Florida, State Law would not accept our Insurance "slip", we needed a copy of the policy faxed from our agent to the rental in order to "waive" the required insurance.

and what was the required insurance? liability or collison?

 

[BitsnBearsMom]

It was several years ago but I'm pretty sure it was either budget/Dollar or Alamo. They said they needed to ensure our coverage was good for US rentals. We ended up just paying the insurance rates but perhaps that was their plan!! We've never been asked for it since and usually rent from Alamo.