Hertz forced us to buy car rental insurance

[kdorn75]

Hi

I am still in Orlando on my first trip to Disney World, my husband said that the car that I booked with Hotwire Hot rate and we got Hertz MCO. When my husband pick up the car at the counter, the lady said that he will have to buy insurance with them because Florida law won't allow us to use just Amex premium car rental coverage, so we ended up paying $68 for 5 days rental. The lady said that if my husband got pulled over and didn't have this liability insurance, it is illegal. I want to know if this is true.

We pick up the car 2 days ago. I should post early but I am so busy in the past 2 days. Please let me know if liability insurance is required in Orlando like what Hertz told my husband.

 

[Karlzmom]

I've never heard of such a thing! Not sure what you can do now...

 

[kdorn75]

It is LIS (Liability Insurance Supplementary), I am so pissed at my husband, he still didn't know that he got scammed from Hertz, he said the lady said that it is required, not optional. I was not at the counter with him so I didn't know until I saw the charge that night.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Car rental insurance is required.

1. Are you sure Amex will cover the Hotwire deal. Call and asknthem first.

2. The rest of this was bull but you need to fight right now. The 2 day delay may already be an issue. Call Hertz and get the phone number for the MCO location. First thing tomorrow call and ask for the manager. Go over with him what you were told and ask him to cancel the insurance

 

[kdorn75]

Car rental insurance is required.

1. Are you sure Amex will cover the Hotwire deal. Call and asknthem first.

2. The rest of this was bull but you need to fight right now. The 2 day delay may already be an issue. Call Hertz and get the phone number for the MCO location. First thing tomorrow call and ask for the manager. Go over with him what you were told and ask him to cancel the insurance

1. Yes, Amex cover Hotwire/priceline bidding, Amex told me that all I have to do is call them and they will manual enter the charge for Loss Damage Coverage.
2. I will tell him to call Hertz tomorrow, this is terrible. I won't use Hertz again.

 

[bumbershoot]

Car rental insurance is required.

Is this specifically for MCO and hotwire together? Because I've never had to buy the insurance anywhere.

We've used hotwire at LAX and didn't get insurance, and we booked direct through National at MCO without getting insurance.

 

[kdorn75]

My husband said the lady at the counter said that Amex only cover loss damage coverage, but it is not covered liability. So she said he will have to buy liability coverage since it is required by Florida law. I want to verify the information with people on the board first and will decide if we will call Hertz MCO tomorrow.

 

[brenda1966]

Do you have personal car insurance that covers liability? Like State Farm?

 

[seashoreCM]

It is not required unless stated in their written rules (policies).

Most likely the agent lied to you.

However if you don't have car liability insurance that extends to rental cars, eitehr on your own car or through a credit card, then buying the rental company liability insuracne is highly recommended.

 

[kdorn75]

Do you have personal car insurance that covers liability? Like State Farm?

I am not familiar with car insurance issue, but in CA, liability coverage is required for personal car. But I am not so sure if it will cover on the rental car.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

It is required but you don't have to buy any. The truth is that hertz is required to have insurance

However, the longer OP waits the harder this gets. While Hertz may have been wrong here DH needs to toughen up. He got off easy. I have seen a lot higher insurances from these tactic

And as for verification with the board.... Ummm. Not sure what good that does?

 

[kdorn75]

It is required but you don't have to buy any. The truth is that hertz is required to have insurance

However, the longer OP waits the harder this gets. While Hertz may have been wrong here DH needs to toughen up. He got off easy. I have seen a lot higher insurances from these tactic

And as for verification with the board.... Ummm. Not sure what good that does?

This is my first trip to Florida, so I am still a newbie. I am not familar with the law in FL so I want to know if other travellers have to buy liability insurance when they rent a car in FL. I think I better let it go, we are on vacation right now.

 

[dudspizza]

This is my first trip to Florida, so I am still a newbie. I am not familar with the law in FL so I want to know if other travellers have to buy liability insurance when they rent a car in FL. I think I better let it go, we are on vacation right now.

If you have car insurance at home and the AMEX, you should have coverage, though checking with both would be needed to confirm it.

Sounds like your husband got a "hard sell" of the insurance and bought it. I fell for the same hard sell on my first trip to Orlando..... never again on ANY trip, not just Orlando.

One great thing is to sign up for Emerald club or another rental agencies frequent renter club. I bypass the counter with National and don't get any of the hard sell that so many people see...

Duds

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

One great thing is to sign up for Emerald club or another rental agencies frequent renter club. I bypass the counter with National and don't get any of the hard sell that so many people see...

Duds

However, if you the Hotwire or Priceline blind rentals you are going to the counter no matter what

 

[formill]

My sister had this exact same thing happen at Dollar MCO a year ago. She and her husband insisted to me there was no way Dollar would rent to them without buying the insurance.....so they bought it.....once I told her it was a scam they contacted their own car insurance to double check that they were covered and went back to the airport and got their money back. It was about 5-6 days after they first rented when they went back.

 

[luvtheworld16]

A car rental place charged me for insurance once without telling me, or at least I do not remember them mentioning it. When the charge card bill came, I called and complained. The company took the charge off. Perhaps you could ask for a supervisor when you return the car or try to call their headquarters. If you have your own vehicle insurance they may not charge you the additional amount. It's worth a try.

 

[kdorn75]

My husband just called Hertz Customer Service, they refused a refund.

 

[dudspizza]

My husband just called Hertz Customer Service, they refused a refund.

Was this at the MCO location. I suggest demanding to talk to a supervisor when you return the car. Ask that supervisor to provide proof that insurance is required on a Hotwire rental......

Duds

 

[seashoreCM]

I think you should try going back to the airport to file a refund request and/or complaint and call Hertz corporate headquarters from there.

 

[LoveToDisney]

IMO $60 is not a lot of money considering all you spend to go to WDW. I don't think I would let it ruin your vacation and just drop it. Think of all the pain and lost time you could spend running this down. Not to mention missing the magic in the air because of only $60. Just consider it a lesson and next time you will know better. Our "price per hour" of fun while we are in Orlando is way too important to let a $60 error mess that up. If you are there for a week, that's less than $10 a day. Have fun and forget about this problem. Forgive your husband and move on. (I mention this last line because I know how easily we wives can let our husbands know the ENTIRE trip how they screwed up--and that kinda ruins it for everyone big time.)