Renting a car for a week - wavers?

[Mitchell Andrus]

I'm a pretty smart guy but those wavers they hit you with at the terminal counter when picking up a car....

Anyone REALLY know what best practice is?
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[Mark Hix]

There are ususally several offers.

One will be a damage waiver for the car itself. When you rent a car, you become responsible for everything, even natural disasters. It is very restrictive on who is covered and what. Want some horror stories?

One will usually be supplemental liability coverage. It is usually over and above what you have on your own policy but sometimes can be primary.

The third is usually some kind of personal injury protection to pay medical bills.

This is a pretty basic explaination but it is difficult to get into detail w/o reading your contract. Whether or not you need to buy them depends on your own automobile insurance coverage on your own policy. Each state has different laws and companies have several contracts for each state.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Check with your personal insurance agent. My auto insurance covers me when I am renting.

[John Keeton]

I'm with Ken, I never buy the additional coverage. But, I ALWAYS inspect the vehicle, and make sure when I return it that I get an inspection checkoff that everything was OK.

[Jim Rimmer]

Check your personal policy and your credit card (especially AmEx). Lots of that stuff is covered. I know it's a little late if you're renting now but check it for the next time. All the extra coverage can end up being more than the rental.

[Lee Schierer]

As others have said check with your regular auto insurance carrier and your employer if you are renting for business reasons. Many will cover the rental car damage. However, make sure they also cover the "incidental damages" area for loss of use of the rental car by the rental agency if you wreck it. Some rental companies can charge you for loss of rental income from that car while it is being repaired in addition to the actual repair costs.

[Matt Meiser]

I'll add--have a discussion with your agent. Mine added a couple items to my policy, which I think cost us like $20/yr because I rent a lot. Most of my rentals are business use, and my company also has insurance that covers the rental. But for a few bucks I get a lot of extra piece of mind.

Stuff happens even if you are careful. Someone I was working with got the hood smashed in in a hotel parking lot. Someone else got backed into in a parking lot. I hit a bad pothole on a dark rainy night in Virginia Beach and lost a hubcap (though the rental agency never said anything about that one.) One of my wife's employees got a stone chip just last week and they hit her for the loss of use, which her insurance didn't cover.

[Eric Larsen]

Check with your personal insurance agent. My auto insurance covers me when I am renting.

I used to think that. Then one day I called my company to verify. Turns out my policy covered me up to the amount my personal car is worth. So if I am driving a rental that is worth less than a 2007 Nissan, no problems. However, if I splurge on vacation (and I often do, the difference between a Caddy and a Chrysler is often less than $20 per day)...well, that would be a problem.

Your policy will probably vary. They're all different.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Eric,

That is exactly why I stated "Check with yoru insurance agent"...My insurance agent says my policy covers me.

[Eric Larsen]

Eric,

That is exactly why I stated "Check with yoru insurance agent"...My insurance agent says my policy covers me.

I probably could have worded that better. I hear from too many people, "Nawwww, no insurance for me... my auto insurance/Amex card/guardian angel" covers that.

Despite the fact that most accidents happen within 100 miles from home (Duh, that's where we spend most of our time), I find driving on vacation to be 100% more stressful. I'm driving on unknown roads. I want to get to my destination. I'm in a rented car.

Makes we wish we had a decent rail system in this country.

[Mark Hix]

You have to ask some specific questions. Some policies say primary, some say excess over other coverages available for the vehicle. In a few cases, the rental car could be primary or prorata. You need to ask what part of your policy covers the rental car. In some states, it is mandated by law that it be a liability claim against your liability coverage, others have no law and the policy contract decides. Your contract most likely says it would have to be covered as a collision/comprehensive claim so you have to have that coverage to be protected. Some contracts stipulate coverage under the liability portion of your contract.

[Myk Rian]

I always tell them;
No insurance and I'll fill the tank.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Eric,

That is exactly why I stated "Check with yoru insurance agent"...My insurance agent says my policy covers me.

I checked. The coverage on my auto policy (YMMV) covers the out-of-pocket stuff above and beyond the rental agency's standard coverage.

They can continue to rent the car to you if it needs to spend time in the shop, for instance.
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