If you have car insurance....

I think it depends on the type of coverage you have with your insurance company. Just call them and ask.

exactly...check your policy to see if it covers rental cars.

Also, many credit cards cover the CDW/LDW when you reserve and pay for the rental using them. Some are better than others.

If you have an accident with their coverage, you walk away.

The paperwork and hassles the other way can be large. (they can even bill you the lost income of the car during the time while it is being repaired.)

RH

It's still a scam. The CDW/LDW is often as much as the daily rental fee.

Check with your insurance agent. Also find out how much your personal insurance will cover...if you're driving a $10K car and rent a $30K car, are you covered?

Credit card insurance is secondary insurance. You still have to pay out of pocket first, then they reimburse you.

My car insurance pays up to 500 dollars deductible...whatever that means.

BTW...I didn't pay for their coverage.

And when the rental guy asked me to look over the car before I can drive it and see if there are any scratches or dents. He says any scraches or dents that are 5 inches or longer should be marked up on the paper before I signed the contract. I didn't see any so I drove off. The next day I noticed a tiny dent the size of a pea but I'm sure I didn't do that. All I did was go straight home to my garage. What happens if I return their car in a few days and notices that tiny dent?

No, you pay up to $500 deductible, your ins co pays whatever else you are insured up to.

I wouldn't worry about the tiny dent though. These are rental cars after all. A lot of folks that travel on expense accounts just buy all the coverage and drive the car like it's a Humvee.

I have never bought the "rental insurance" offered. The last time I rented a car, this is how I returned it:


I called the rental company from the hotel and told them I was bringing their car back. Just a slight problem though. It had some extra color to it. The rental company didn't even send me a bill.

Going through this exact same thing RIGHT NOW ( as in the rental car is downstairs..)

You should not have to purchase extra coverage.
If you have ( Hear the word IF ) full coverage on your current vehicle, you also have insurance on any vehicle YOU drive ( so long as it falls into what ever guide lines your insurance company gives)

In the case of a rental car paid for by the insurance company, YES you are insured and so is the vehicle.

I just had this argument with this scum bag-ish guy from Enterprise not even a week ago.
He was trying to INSIST that my husband purchase the extra rental coverage from them . I told him that our insurance already covered him and the vehicle. He said that insurance companies dont cover rentals unless you purchase the extra insurance. I called him a lair. He insisted he was not lying and started saying we may not be able to rent with out it....So, we called Geico on the spot and asked them what we should do.

Geico informed us that as an insurance customer ( WITH full coverage) who will be driving a rental vehicle paid for by them, the insurance coverage was not only un-necessary from Enterprise because they will insure the driver AND the vehicle.., but he was appalled to hear about how this guy was insisting that we purchase it. Geico later called Enterprise and Enterprise waived our 50.00 deposit as an apology.

If you do not have full coverage on your vehicle, do purchase the extra coverage ( which should NOT be payed in full up front at all..) because it wont cover an accident if you cause it. Your partial insurance only covers if someone else hits you, or other wise causes damage that you can not avoid. (again.. that is subject to your insurance policy outlines..) And I am only speaking from my experience with my insurance company and filing under uninsured motorists and not the full coverage basic .

Shewolf, are they building you a new car by hand, what is the delay, girl...

When I leave the United States and rent a car in another country, like Mexico for example, I will pay for the extra insurance.

I have NO clue... But geico covers up to 750.00 in rental fees so I dont care..

shewolfnm
If you are in a state that requires insurance, don't forget to have the insurance company provide the appropriate paperwork showing proof of insurance. Some people forget to do this.