Rental car insurance???

[Momma Mojito]

I called my insurance agent to ask if he thought we should buy insurancef or the car we plan on renting in Alaska and he said tha even though I am covered he would advise purchasing it He told me that he always buys it just to play it safe with the way some rentals are

 

WAs wondering how many of you buy the insurance or just use your own?

[BIG_Steve]

I called my insurance agent to ask if he thought we should buy insurancef or the car we plan on renting in Alaska and he said tha even though I am covered he would advise purchasing it He told me that he always buys it just to play it safe with the way some rentals are

 

WAs wondering how many of you buy the insurance or just use your own?

 

Many credit cards will cover the insurance aspect if you use them to rent the car. Call yours and ask. One day's worth isn't a killer, but still, if they cover it, why should you pay it?

 

As far as your own auto insurance covering you, I haven't a clue.

[matj2000]

I really don't need it, I am a guy so I am a good driver. But if I were a girl, I would definitaly buy it..

[Andee]

We never buy the additional insurance--our regular car insurance offers very good coverage.

[greatam]

One thing to take into consideration-Alaska is notorious for broken windshields and rock chips. Unless you have specific glass coverage (and a low deductible), you may want to look at credit card coverage, travel insurance coverage and any other coverage to make sure you are covered. You don't want to get a cracked/broken windshield or a few too many rock chips and end up paying out of your pocket due to your deductible.

[smeyer418]

I called my insurance agent to ask if he thought we should buy insurancef or the car we plan on renting in Alaska and he said tha even though I am covered he would advise purchasing it He told me that he always buys it just to play it safe with the way some rentals are

 

WAs wondering how many of you buy the insurance or just use your own?

 

 

for one day you might but at 13-20per day it gets expensive. Check with your credit card company and see if collision damage waiver is included. If it is your insurance agent is an idiot-wasting your money twice-once by saying you are covered and to buy the insurance and not suggesting the credit card. In fact if you have insurance and buy the waiver sometimes the car rental company will still make you submit it to your own carrier first. We provided to our employees a credit card that had the waiver. If they used their own credit card for miles and bought the waiver it was NEVER reimbursed. We had one employee who used his own card which didn't have the coverage and of course he had an accident. We did NOT reimburse him for the cost of the accident.

[jagoffee]

Never. IMO it is just a profit center for the rental company, but I can certainly understand why your regular car insurance company would want to buy a different policy for a rental car. They would not need to pay you. Therefore their recommendation would be suspect. Almost all independent consumer reviews do not recommend the insurance unless under special circumstances.

[Langley Cruisers]

I worked in a rental car agency for five years. While the optional coverage is a source of revenue, it's certainly not a scam, and it can be considered peace of mind to have it. Check with your credit card company and your own auto insurance; no one here can say yes or no - it's a personal decision and based on your own coverage.

 

One thing I do know for sure is that if anything does happen, regardless of fault, you will be expected to pay the bill in full up front, and then claim for reimbursement. Rental car companies do not get involved in third-party situations or claims. If you think they will simply bill your credit card card company or your car insurer for the damages and have to wait for their money, think again. It might make you reconsider your decision.

[tiyana4]

We typically use AMEX's premium car rental insurance for $19/rental. This price is good for up to 2 months on a single rental. Not all credit cards carry the same protection, in fact very few include primary insurance coverage. For example, we recently rented a car from Hertz in CA and were told that if we declined the insurance (which we did) and something happened, they would go after our own insurance company as the primary, and the credit card company as a secondary. Remember that not all rental companies follow the same procedure when it comes to collecting for damages. Keep this in mind when using your credit cards.

[smeyer418]

I worked in a rental car agency for five years. While the optional coverage is a source of revenue, it's certainly not a scam, and it can be considered peace of mind to have it. Check with your credit card company and your own auto insurance; no one here can say yes or no - it's a personal decision and based on your own coverage.

 

One thing I do know for sure is that if anything does happen, regardless of fault, you will be expected to pay the bill in full up front, and then claim for reimbursement. Rental car companies do not get involved in third-party situations or claims. If you think they will simply bill your credit card card company or your car insurer for the damages and have to wait for their money, think again. It might make you reconsider your decision.

 

 

as you can see I have had this happen numerous times to employees- the rental agency almost never knows when you return the car the cost. They get an estimate. You get a bill with the estimate. You submit that to the cc company or the insurance carrier and normally in as little as a week you get a check for the amount or its sent to the auto rental place. yes they reserve the right to charge you credit card but most wait the week or two.

 

BTW its true that most credit card rental waiver is secondary coverage in the US for a US rental but most are primary for overseas rentals. Its not always true that it is secondary. It depends on the coverage.

[greatam]

I'm still trying to figure out why some think paying the rental car insurance is such a bad deal? Don't most of you have a deductible on collision on your own auto policies? Do most of you have separate glass coverage (which is a REAL rip in the scheme of auto insurance)?

 

Just curious, because the economics of buying a windshield or fixing a few rock chips (OP's post about an Alaska rental) will generally be about the same as the deductible.

[smeyer418]

I'm still trying to figure out why some think paying the rental car insurance is such a bad deal? Don't most of you have a deductible on collision on your own auto policies? Do most of you have separate glass coverage (which is a REAL rip in the scheme of auto insurance)?

 

Just curious, because the economics of buying a windshield or fixing a few rock chips (OP's post about an Alaska rental) will generally be about the same as the deductible.

 

 

my own personal insurance has 100% glass coverage. Also its under the comp coverage not collision. let us say in a collision you have a $500 deductible and rent a car 20 days a year and have one accident every ten years. using $15 as the cost of daily coverage you spent $3000 to cover the 500 deductible. If you use a credit card that covers, it cost you nothing except the paper work. the added cost of 100 percent glass coverage cost me $20 per year. In NY at least a rental car claim isn't counted against your insurance.

So if I have a credit card coverage that cost nothing extra why should I pay the $15 a day or more?

 

The waiver by the auto companies is outrageously high. They also don't pay the actual cost in the estimate for the repair and pad it with a lot of extras...In the scheme of things the extra cost of 100% glass is one heck of a lot less than the CDW

 

there is one exception- if you rent an exotic car(like a convertible or a Hummer, or a Ferrari) buy the extra coverage- most credit cards and even your own insurance have exclusions that might catch you holding the bag...so know your coverage

[cruiseco]

I rented a car for a trip to vegas just last year and took a rock through the windshield. I had declined the rental agency CDW but I had insured the trip with a travel insurance plan that included CDW in the base premium. Turns out the Enterprise had a flat-rate deal with a local glass company so the bill was only $125 which seemed very reasonable and I didn't have to fuss around with estimates. Paid it right then, sent the bill to CSA and got a check in about two weeks.

 

The most important part for me is that as far as my regular auto insurance is concerned I'm still claim-free. Yes, they would have covered it with no deductible but might have also jacked up my rates next year. Because of that, if I didn't have the travel insurance I probably would have just eaten the $125.

[greatam]

my own personal insurance has 100% glass coverage. Also its under the comp coverage not collision. let us say in a collision you have a $500 deductible and rent a car 20 days a year and have one accident every ten years. using $15 as the cost of daily coverage you spent $3000 to cover the 500 deductible. If you use a credit card that covers, it cost you nothing except the paper work. the added cost of 100 percent glass coverage cost me $20 per year. In NY at least a rental car claim isn't counted against your insurance.

So if I have a credit card coverage that cost nothing extra why should I pay the $15 a day or more?

 

The waiver by the auto companies is outrageously high. They also don't pay the actual cost in the estimate for the repair and pad it with a lot of extras...In the scheme of things the extra cost of 100% glass is one heck of a lot less than the CDW

 

there is one exception- if you rent an exotic car(like a convertible or a Hummer, or a Ferrari) buy the extra coverage- most credit cards and even your own insurance have exclusions that might catch you holding the bag...so know your coverage

 

Your glass coverage is cheap, cheap, cheap. In Arizona-glass is NOT included in comp. Glass coverage is totally separate (broken windshields, burglarized windows, not accident related glass). 2006 Suburban, 2008 Chevy pickup-$400 PER YEAR for glass.

 

The auto insurers have tied in heavily with the glass companies. You go into a large gas station and there are ALWAYS those guys with the gel to fix window rock chips. $250 billed to your insurance company-$49.00 if you pay cash.

 

Take a look at some of the ads for windshield replacement-steaks, cash back, everything you can think of to get you to replace your windshield and bill it to the insurance company. The price to replace our Suburban windshield was quoted at over $900. DH and one of our shop guys did it for $$237.87 (windshield from Chevy dealer plus epoxy to put it in). We gave our shop guy an extra $25.00. Took about 1.5 hours.

 

http://www.thedifferenceisclear.com/

 

http://www.glassconnectionaz.com/?gclid=CJ75kLfhi6ECFQyPgwodQA6BOA

 

In Northern Missouri, because of the high chance of colliding with a flying bird (like a Canadian goose), glass coverage IS included in Comp but it again is expensive. Adds over $280 per year for a 1996 Chrysler, a 2001 3/4 ton Chevy work truck and a 2003 work van (with hardly any windows-just the front).

 

I'll keep my money in my pocket, thank you. I wouldn't pay extra for rental car coverage in NYC/Jersey or a large city. But I would sure think about it in Alaska where broken/cracked windshields and a lot of rock chips are a fact of life.

[cruiseco]

 

The waiver by the auto companies is outrageously high. They also don't pay the actual cost in the estimate for the repair and pad it with a lot of extras...In the scheme of things the extra cost of 100% glass is one heck of a lot less than the CDW

 

I think in many cases they can also charge you for "loss of rental income" while the car is out of service being repaired. And it won't be at their deeply-discounted internet rate either -- it will be at their absolutely highest daily rate. They can make more money having the car sitting in the body shop than rented out so they have no incentive to push the shop for a speedy repair.

[Fattony]

Did you ask your insurance agent WHY they recommended buying the insurance through the rental car company? Just saying it's better to be safe than sorry seems pretty vague and not helpful. Credit card companies often have coverage, though sometimes that only comes with a certain level of card (e.g., gold), and usually has time limits (e.g., 2 weeks). Verify the deductible beforehand. You don't say the length of time you'd be renting and where you'd be going. I have rental car insurance through USAA.

[smeyer418]

I think in many cases they can also charge you for "loss of rental income" while the car is out of service being repaired. And it won't be at their deeply-discounted internet rate either -- it will be at their absolutely highest daily rate. They can make more money having the car sitting in the body shop than rented out so they have no incentive to push the shop for a speedy repair.

the courts won't upheld such nonsense and neither will the insurance companies. They are entitled to a reasonable charge for loss of income for a reasonable period of time. Normally that time is the time it takes to make the repair in a book that calculates time. the charges besides this are "administrative" charges they add for the paperwork. As I have said I have seen these charges and most of the rental companies are pretty reasonable about the time and loss income charges.

[smeyer418]

I rented a car for a trip to vegas just last year and took a rock through the windshield. I had declined the rental agency CDW but I had insured the trip with a travel insurance plan that included CDW in the base premium. Turns out the Enterprise had a flat-rate deal with a local glass company so the bill was only $125 which seemed very reasonable and I didn't have to fuss around with estimates. Paid it right then, sent the bill to CSA and got a check in about two weeks.

 

The most important part for me is that as far as my regular auto insurance is concerned I'm still claim-free. Yes, they would have covered it with no deductible but might have also jacked up my rates next year. Because of that, if I didn't have the travel insurance I probably would have just eaten the $125.

call your car insurance company and ask if this would have been counted against you...While insurance companies and states vary, my bet is it wouldn't....

[Momma Mojito]

I really don't need it, I am a guy so I am a good driver. But if I were a girl, I would definitaly buy it..

 

And you had better pray that you are always in control of your car. What about the other driver? Be male or female drunk or sober?? Shopping carts in parking lots??? animals running out from the side of the road.... Inconsiderate people flinging doors??? rocks jumping up??? I could go on and on!!! But I'll just leave it at that!!!! By the way I am a GOOD driver!!!!

[Momma Mojito]

I can see that I have opened up a good debate and really want to thank all of you for your suggestions. One thing I do want to reply to is that my insurance agent is not an idiot!!! If we didn't buy the rental insurance and have to submit a claim, we would have to pay the deductable plus it would be a claim against us. I will check with my credit card to see if I have coverage before I buy it from the rental. For my own piece of mind, being we are only renting the car for a couple of days I will probably get the insurance.

 

Thanks again

[imsulin]

In Colorado, our glass premiums were higher because of gravel sanding during winter months. In Alabama, I'm fully covered for glass replacement with a $100 deductible. (Probably because road-kill doesn't tend to leap off the pavement and crash through the windshield)

 

Don't even think of renting a car in Mexico without buying Mexican rental car insurance!!

[navybankerteacher]

Insurance only makes sense to cover you against risks you cannot afford. That is why most people have reasonable deductibles - you want to cover yourself against the big loss, not the $1,000 or $2,000 you can afford. Unless you have a lot of claims, you will spend a lot more in a lifetime of full coverage premiums than an occasional deductible. Think how many times you will pay that extra $10 per day in the course of a lifetime -- and apply the same rationale to your own auto insurance, your decisions whether to buy an extended warranty on every appliance you purchase, etc.

 

You can keep yourself insurance-poor by over-covering yourself.