Question about insurance for car rental....

[tmills]

I read on the dis (can't remember where) that you don't have to purchase the additional insurance when renting a car if you have full coverage insurance & have proof at the time of pick up. Is that true & if so does anyone know where I can find a statement with this info on it? We've never had an issue with this until last year when we rented a car for our Disney trip. We had a budget & was unexpectedly hit with nearly $200.00 more for insurance on the rental car. If anyone can help or point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it!

 

[bdcp]

You don't have to prove you have insurance, you just have to say you do and by declining their insurance, you are liable for damage. We always decline and it's never been an issue. Also, a lot of credit cards (Visa, MC) have insurance if you use it to rent the vehicle with.

 

[kathie859]

Never EVER pay for rental car coverage!! Check with your insurance carrier--you are probably covered thru your current policy. If not, check with the customer service folks for your credit card--many cards offer coverage when used for payment for car rental.

A side note: the coverage that rental car companies sell is actually a collision damage waiver (CDW). Most companies are self insured and use that money to defray repair expenses. The PAI- personal accident insurance is a very expensive, short term policy and not a good deal at all!!

 

[corster]

The only rental car insurance I suggest getting is SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance), but ONLY if your own insurance policy doesn't cover it.

It's very easy to find a credit card which includes free CDW coverage.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

There is rarely ever a reason to buy insurance through a car rental company if you are properly insured at home on your own vehicles (including liability coverage).

There are some car rental agencies that do require proof of insurance as per the contract conditions of renting a car from them. However, they are not the big names you here often (ie. Hertz, National, Alamo, Enterprise, Avis, Budget, Dollar or Thrifty), they are smaller, more localized companies.

 

[seashoreCM]

You need to be sure that your credit card or your own car insurance covers this rental.

Then look over the paperwork before going to the car. Make sure that you initial all of the spaces for declining the various kinds of coverage you do not want.

Then make sure that the dollar amount shown on your receipt is correct before going out to the car.

Common comments made by rental car agents (words may vary):

"Would you like basic or "maxi" coverage?"
Acceptable answer: "No coverage."

"Florida law requires insurance on rental cars."
Acceptable answer: "I am declining all of the coverage."

* Note: If you don't have collision coverage on your credit card or on your own car with extended coverage to cars you rent, then you should accept that kind of coverage on the rental car.