Rental car coverage--should I upgrade?

[havaneselover]

I need to rent a car for three days. I can pay Amex $20 and upgrade my coverage to primary. I also have a Visa Signature card, but that's also secondary. Any thoughts? Just want to make sure I'm properly covered.

 

[tvguy]

I never get the insurance since I am already paying for it with my personal auto policy. I have never had a claim in a rental car, so I can't speak to the process if there is an issue.
I did go round and round with a Hertz agent in HOuston about what would happen if there was an incident. He saying I could be required to come up with thousands at the end of the rental while the claim is settled. Me pointing out the Visa Signature Rules say you can't do that. Him saying they don't adhere to those rules. Me pointing out that Visa says....if you accept Visa Credit cards, you have already have agreed to that, and it includes a toll free number to call if a Visa merchant does not comply.

 

[havaneselover]

I never get the insurance since I am already paying for it with my personal auto policy. I have never had a claim in a rental car, so I can't speak to the process if there is an issue.
I did go round and round with a Hertz agent in HOuston about what would happen if there was an incident. He saying I could be required to come up with thousands at the end of the rental while the claim is settled. Me pointing out the Visa Signature Rules say you can't do that. Him saying they don't adhere to those rules. Me pointing out that Visa says....if you accept Visa Credit cards, you have already have agreed to that, and it includes a toll free number to call if a Visa merchant does not comply.

Thanks! The primary/secondary thing confuses me. But the Visa Signature coverage seems pretty good so maybe I'll just go with that.

 

[jedijill]

I've had to file a claim once. I blew a tire at WDW. I filed with my credit card and they paid the full amount. The total repair was less than my auto insurance deductible so I didn't need to file with my auto insurance. Make sure you track your records. The rental car company never documented my payment and tried to send me to collections. I was able to show that they had been paid from my credit card coverage and the matter was cleared up.

HTH

Jill in CO

 

[scrapquitler]

I never add all the optional coverages. I pay for my auto insurance, and that covers me in a rental. I also pay with a Mastercard that offers some kind of extra protection (I'm not even really sure what, but I know it's something, I should inform myself better). In all the years that I've rented cars, I've never had a problem, but if I did, I'm not that worried.

 

[Hisgirl]

We do use the AMX thing but have never had to use it. I do it for the deductible we have with our insurance. Once, I was in a wreck in my rental. A car hit us from behind. They had no insurance and got all sorts of tickets. I filled out all the forms and stayed in touch with AMX but the rental company never contacted us and it has been 17 months. I guess the dent was too small.

 

[CalDisneyMomof2]

I would just make sure your coverage includes "loss of use" because not all insurance policies include it. Your insurance may cover the damage but they may not cover the loss of use of the rental car for the rental company (i.e. $30 a day for 20 days of work). Depending on the type of car and work involved it could get up into the thousands.

 

[supersnoop]

The primary/secondary thing confuses me

Primary means they cover everything. Secondary means they cover what your normal auto insurance doesn't cover. With secondary coverage, expect them to cover your deductible.

 

[havaneselover]

Primary means they cover everything. Secondary means they cover what your normal auto insurance doesn't cover. With secondary coverage, expect them to cover your deductible.

So if I were to get in an accident and did $1,000 of damage, visa would cover my $500 deductible and the claim would be filed with my car insurance company?

 

[supersnoop]

So if I were to get in an accident and did $1,000 of damage, visa would cover my $500 deductible and the claim would be filed with my car insurance company?

With "secondary coverage," yes. Primary coverage would avoid a claim from being filed against your policy.

 

[tvguy]

I would just make sure your coverage includes "loss of use" because not all insurance policies include it. Your insurance may cover the damage but they may not cover the loss of use of the rental car for the rental company (i.e. $30 a day for 20 days of work). Depending on the type of car and work involved it could get up into the thousands.

That is where having the credit coverage is helpful. I have seen several articles on the credit card companies asking for an audit from the rental car company showing that the car actually would have been rented for those lost days. They want a list of all inventory showing that every available car was out on rental, and a customer would have rented the damaged car. The result usually is the rental car company dropping the loss of use claim, because it either would cost them more to prove the loss than the claim would bring in, or they just don't have proof .

 

[supersnoop]

That is where having the credit coverage is helpful. I have seen several articles on the credit card companies asking for an audit from the rental car company showing that the car actually would have been rented for those lost days. They want a list of all inventory showing that every available car was out on rental, and a customer would have rented the damaged car. The result usually is the rental car company dropping the loss of use claim, because it either would cost them more to prove the loss than the claim would bring in, or they just don't have proof .

It's called a "fleet utilization report." Recent court cases seem to overturn the idea that the rental car company has to prove the loss of use in some jurisdictions.

 

[TxWriterMama]

You need to read the full policy/coverage and terms for your specific CC. Some of them won't cover an SUV rental, for example. We just rented a Suburban when we were in Orlando, and I checked my AMEX terms. AMEX doesn't cover Tahoes, Suburbans, Yukons, Expeditions, Navigator and Land Cruiser. Smaller SUVs are covered but only if you're on a paved road. My Visa had the same exemption.

 

[starry_solo]

Primary means you go to that insurance first. If they don't cover everything, then you go to secondary insurance

 

[jmv223]

My rental car was broken into last summer and all of our luggage was stolen. My personal car insurance would not have covered the "administrative fees" or loss of use. Fortunately my credit card filled the gap. When I returned my car the agent at Budget said they get about 10 cars a day with the same scenario.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I need to rent a car for three days. I can pay Amex $20 and upgrade my coverage to primary. I also have a Visa Signature card, but that's also secondary. Any thoughts? Just want to make sure I'm properly covered.

I don't usually get insurance. But the last rental I did. I did because they didn't have what I planned to rent and upgrade me to an SUV that would have been $$$$ to replace if I wrecked it. So I went ahead and got the insurance.

Apparently, if you wreck a rental and don't have coverage for replacement value, you can enjoy a car loan for a totaled vehicle to pay the rental company back.

So we usually don't get it--because odds are nothing will happen. But that was a time that I did.

 

[My3Princez]

I would just make sure your coverage includes "loss of use" because not all insurance policies include it. Your insurance may cover the damage but they may not cover the loss of use of the rental car for the rental company (i.e. $30 a day for 20 days of work). Depending on the type of car and work involved it could get up into the thousands.

We added this to our car insurance a couple years ago - it costs us about $4 per year. Since we rent a couple times per year, it was worth it to us!

 

[seashoreCM]

But who is responsible for doing the legwork to obtain the fleet utilization report?

Does the credit card company that offers rental car loss of use coverage refuse to credit the rental company and charge the renter's account while waiting for the report?

 

[supersnoop]

But who is responsible for doing the legwork to obtain the fleet utilization report?

The rental company would need to provide is as evidence for their claim.

 

[havaneselover]

I ended up just using my Visa signature.

But I learned enterprise calls a Hyundai Accent an intermediate car. Was so happy to be back in my Odyssey