Rental car insurance?

[cuestic66]

We have a rental car through dollar for May 23rd-30th. If your not getting their ins. do you need to bring proof of your own ins.? We dont have full coverage on ours, so it wouldnt cover their car with just liability. Help please, what do we have to do?

 

[Mikailova]

If your personal car insurance won't cover the rental car, then there isn't much use in bringing proof of it, but you could always carry it just in case to be safe. Why not get the rental car insurance? It's usually only about $10 a day and even if you total the rental car in an accident, they'll just bring you a new one. Plus if you use the rental car insurance, any accidents don't go on your personal driving record or insurance so your rates don't go up. You can probably add it even if you have already rented the car, just call the company. I know I've added it separately on my own personal card after the fact when the car was rented for me by my company for a business trip.

 

[dioxide45]

You will need your own insurance information in the event of an accident to cover you for liability. The collision damage waiver (CDW) offered and sold by the rental companies only covers collision damage to the rental car. You must carry proof of liability insurance, they may not ask to see it but you will need to have it.

Call your insurance company to see if it covers you for collision damage on the rental. It may or may not, though it is very unlikely that it will not cover loss of use charges imposed by the rental company for each day the car is in the shop for repairs.

Also call your credit card issuer that you will be using to book and pay for the rental. In many cases you will have a CDW coverage with your credit card. These in most cases cover loss of use charges but are supplemental to your own auto insurance.

CDW offered by the rental car companies are usually a rip off. In the event of an accident that is your fault you won't be able to avoid not filing with your own insurance as the previous poster indicated, so the marks will still go on your record.

 

[seashoreCM]

Some rental companies reserve the right not to rent to you if you can't show proof of one or more of the kinds of insurances and also decline their coverages.

If the rental company does not have the above in its written policies, then you can decline the coverages advertised as optional and the company must still honor your reservation.

If neither your credit card nor your own insurance company will cover, then you ought to buy the rental company coverage despite its high cost.

Disney hints: http://www.cockam.com/disney.htm

It is not necessary to know what insurance laws Florida has; you can still decline any coverages advertised as optional.

 

[Lewisc]

PP isn't correct. A rental agency can require, and a few of the smaller agencies do, a customer either prove they have insurance coverage or purchase the optional insurance. I guess a customer could provide a deposit, or credit card hold, equal to the price of the car as an alternative. Residents of some foreign countries have to purchase the insurance.

First check with your personal auto policy. Some policies cover a rental car even if you don't have collision coverage on your personal policy.

 

[seashoreCM]

PP isn't correct. A rental agency can require, ...

Are you sure? Optional means optional, unless there is an asterisk and fine print. I would contend that the latter has to be ferret-out-able at the time and place of booking.

I do know that Payless, L&M, and EZ are among the companies stating in their policies that they reserve the right not to rent to you ... (see further above).

 

[Lewisc]

In this context optional means the customer has the option of purchasing the coverage from the rental agency or providing their own coverage. I did say a customer who pushes the issue may be allowed to give a substantial cash deposit, or being willing to have an equivalent amount of credit "reserved"

 

[mmmgood]

If you have an AMEX you can get primary coverage for $24.95 for your entire rental.

https://www152.americanexpress.com/fsea/travel/car_rental/product.do

 

[seashoreCM]

I did say a customer who pushes the issue may be allowed to give a substantial cash deposit, or being willing to have an equivalent amount of credit "reserved"

I doubt that the rental agency can demand this or deny the rental without having a policy to this effect in place.

I for one do not carry around a wad of cash let alone for this purpose.

 

[Disney_Freak56]

Not to add to the debate, but how difficult is it to carry one more card with you? The one more card being your proof of insurance card?

Personally, I carry mine with me everywhere I go. I want to know that I'm insured no matter whose vehicle I'm driving -- be it my own -- one of my relative's if need be -- and certainly when I'm renting vehicles.

The Rental Agent may not ask for proof of your own insurance, but then again they may -- so why not be prepared just in case they do? In all my rentals, I've only been asked twice and was sure glad I had that car with me.

And as others have stated, do call your Insurance Agent and make sure you're covered for car rentals. I know I am, but you may not be. It never hurts to be be prepared.

Have a great Trip!

 

[Disney_Freak56]

I just re-read your post. If you do not have full coverage on your personal vehicles, then more than likely, you do not have coverage for car rentals.

If you do not have full coverage on your own vehicles, you may not be able to pick up your rental without the purchase of insurance. I know my Dad used to keep full coverage on his vehicles (no matter how old or how little they were worth), just for this very reason -- without full coverage on your personal vehicle, they may not allow you to rent a vehicle without purchasing their insurance.

I know time is short before you leave -- but you might call your Insurance Agent, see what it would cost to add full coverage to your policy for ONE month -- get a temp card with full coverage on it -- and then you should be good to go at the car rental counter. Be sure to bring that temp card with you!

 

[Lewisc]

This varies by State and maybe by insurance company. Some companies cover rental cars under the property damage part of your policy. Nothing to do with collision coverage.

I don't think I'd keep collision coverage on a car just for rental coverage. It would be cheaper to just get a rider on your policy.

I just re-read your post. If you do not have full coverage on your personal vehicles, then more than likely, you do not have coverage for car rentals.

If you do not have full coverage on your own vehicles, you may not be able to pick up your rental without the purchase of insurance. I know my Dad used to keep full coverage on his vehicles (no matter how old or how little they were worth), just for this very reason -- without full coverage on your personal vehicle, they may not allow you to rent a vehicle without purchasing their insurance.

I know time is short before you leave -- but you might call your Insurance Agent, see what it would cost to add full coverage to your policy for ONE month -- get a temp card with full coverage on it -- and then you should be good to go at the car rental counter. Be sure to bring that temp card with you!

 

[Disney_Freak56]

This varies by State and maybe by insurance company. Some companies cover rental cars under the property damage part of your policy. Nothing to do with collision coverage.

I don't think I'd keep collision coverage on a car just for rental coverage. It would be cheaper to just get a rider on your policy.

You may be right. That's why I suggested the addition for only One month. Of course, if the OP is a frequent car renter, than a rider would be the way to go, but it sounds like they are not.

 

[cuestic66]

Thanks for all the help. Turns out in a hurry to get on the shuttle to the airport I forgot to grab my insurance card and had to get their liabilty insurance anyway. It was just $90 for the week. It would have been alittle less, but we upgraded to an 08 Mustang.

 

[dioxide45]

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[Uncleromulus]

Just to chime in and say that we rent from Alamo (on line) all the time and have never needed to provide them any proof of insurance.

I DO carry the card however, in case of any accident.