Renting a car in the US - should I decline insurance?

[iso3200]

Hi,
The family and I are headed to Honolulu for a couple of days. We're planning to rent a car during our trip.

I'll be charging the rental to my Citi Enrich Platinum card that offers Car Rental Collision/Loss Damage Waiver (http://www.citibank.com/canada/cards/english/pdf/plat_ic_eng.pdf).

I'm also covered by ICBC's Roadside Plus (http://www.icbc.com/insurance/insura_savemo_rsplus.asp).

I've never rented a car before so I'm not really sure what to expect when signing the agreement when I pick up the car. If you've rented a car in the US before, did you decline the insurance?

[Acrossenger]

Hi,
The family and I are headed to Honolulu for a couple of days. We're planning to rent a car during our trip.

I'll be charging the rental to my Citi Enrich Platinum card that offers Car Rental Collision/Loss Damage Waiver (http://www.citibank.com/canada/cards/english/pdf/plat_ic_eng.pdf).

I'm also covered by ICBC's Roadside Plus (http://www.icbc.com/insurance/insura_savemo_rsplus.asp).

I've never rented a car before so I'm not really sure what to expect when signing the agreement when I pick up the car. If you've rented a car in the US before, did you decline the insurance?

Personally I never buy car rental place's insurance. If you want some basic insurance included, see:

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=308199

[fireguy9]

car rental insur through the rental company is a ripoff. If you have the platinum card or rental coverage through your own coverage which costs like $10 a yr, do that.

[gilboman]

you will need liability coverage. the credit card only provides CDW/LDW not liability. you can choose to use your own liabilty coverage (assuming you added the rental option) or choose to use the rental place' liability if you buy it.

[Pete_Coach]

Personally I never buy car rental place's insurance. If you want some basic insurance included, see:

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=308199
Well, I have had the priveledge of not having sufficient insurance on a rental vehicle and I can assure you that I always have that coverage now. (I had credit card coverage and my own car insurance that would cover me and I did not take the CDW or LDW)
Yes, your personal car insurance covers a portion, yes the credit card you use covers a certain portion but, if you have a fender bender, have the vehicle stolen or, some other mishap and do not have the rental company insurance, you had better have sufficient funds to cover the damage or loss. You will (may) get it back from your sources, but much later. You will have to pay the rental car agency right now in the event of a problem. They will not negotiate with your insurance. Remember that when you give the car rental agency your credit card imprint you authorize them to withdraw 5000 dollars or more. (and they will).
Also, as I found out, the rental car agency has up to one year to come back to you for any damages they supposedly find on the car. It is in the fine print of the contract you sign. On one occasion, 4 months after I rented the car, I got a charge on my credit card bill from the rental outfit for damages totalling 400 dollars. Fortunately my credit card company investigated and the charges were withdrawn.

[HighFlyer]

The one to really worry about is liability coverage. If you happen to decline the CDW/LDW without other coverage and get into an at-fault accident, yes, it will hurt financially for awhile. But the maximum that you're on the hook for is the replacement cost of the car and some loss of use charges. Now if you declined 3rd party liability insurance without similar coverage and get into an at fault accident, you can be financially ruined.

[MJB]

Check with you car insurance to see if you have liability coverage for a rental car. I checked and to my surprise found out that I do have coverage for my rental.

The one to really worry about is liability coverage. If you happen to decline the CDW/LDW without other coverage and get into an at-fault accident, yes, it will hurt financially for awhile. But the maximum that you're on the hook for is the replacement cost of the car and some loss of use charges. Now if you declined 3rd party liability insurance without similar coverage and get into an at fault accident, you can be financially ruined.

[HighFlyer]

Check with you car insurance to see if you have liability coverage for a rental car. I checked and to my surprise found out that I do have coverage for my rental.
Also check the fine print. My auto policy covers rental cars, but only if they are rented for personal use. I buy the coverage if I'm renting while on business.

[fireguy9]

Well, I have had the priveledge of not having sufficient insurance on a rental vehicle and I can assure you that I always have that coverage now. (I had credit card coverage and my own car insurance that would cover me and I did not take the CDW or LDW)
Yes, your personal car insurance covers a portion, yes the credit card you use covers a certain portion but, if you have a fender bender, have the vehicle stolen or, some other mishap and do not have the rental company insurance, you had better have sufficient funds to cover the damage or loss. You will (may) get it back from your sources, but much later. You will have to pay the rental car agency right now in the event of a problem. They will not negotiate with your insurance. Remember that when you give the car rental agency your credit card imprint you authorize them to withdraw 5000 dollars or more. (and they will).
Also, as I found out, the rental car agency has up to one year to come back to you for any damages they supposedly find on the car. It is in the fine print of the contract you sign. On one occasion, 4 months after I rented the car, I got a charge on my credit card bill from the rental outfit for damages totalling 400 dollars. Fortunately my credit card company investigated and the charges were withdrawn.


If you rent from a reputable rental agency they won't be coming back to you with charges up to a yr later,,,, the once over is done upon returning the car,and your credit card security deposit ($500) is voided and returned to you. That is something you the renter should make sure they give back to you. I know when I have rented in florida the walk around they do is pretty quick and the car is cleaned and rented again by someone else,,, the cars do not sit long.

[TrevorK]

Also, as I found out, the rental car agency has up to one year to come back to you for any damages they supposedly find on the car. It is in the fine print of the contract you sign. On one occasion, 4 months after I rented the car, I got a charge on my credit card bill from the rental outfit for damages totalling 400 dollars. Fortunately my credit card company investigated and the charges were withdrawn.

I'll read over my enterprise contract again, but I've never heard of this.

4 months after the fact they have no way to prove the damage was done while the car was in your posession. As the contract states you are responsible for anything that happens while it's in your posession, they'd have a tough time coming back to you after you've given back the keys.

[Gundam]

The one to really worry about is liability coverage. If you happen to decline the CDW/LDW without other coverage and get into an at-fault accident, yes, it will hurt financially for awhile. But the maximum that you're on the hook for is the replacement cost of the car and some loss of use charges. Now if you declined 3rd party liability insurance without similar coverage and get into an at fault accident, you can be financially ruined.

if you rent your car from Canada. 3rd party liability is covered from the car rental company and your credit card will cover for the rental, yourself and secondary drivers. since you are renting from US. they might have different policy, it will be better if you get the coverage from them.

[gilboman]

if you rent your car from Canada. 3rd party liability is covered from the car rental company and your credit card will cover for the rental, yourself and secondary drivers. since you are renting from US. they might have different policy, it will be better if you get the coverage from them.

since the TITLE of the thread says US, we are talking about US here. there is NO/very little minimum liability coverage required and varies from state to state (e.g. 5k is min in cali for liability), you will need liability insurance from rental car company or if you want and if you have it, use your own auto policy.

[Phils]

As others have said, you'll need liability insurance for car rentals in the US. Mine cost about $20 a year when I added to my own car insurance policy at home.

There is a code that the rental agencies look for on the insurance documents you provide as proof of coverage. When you speak to your insurance agent ask them about the code they'd be looking for in the US.

[Pete_Coach]

If you rent from a reputable rental agency they won't be coming back to you with charges up to a yr later,,,, the once over is done upon returning the car,and your credit card security deposit ($500) is voided and returned to you. That is something you the renter should make sure they give back to you. I know when I have rented in florida the walk around they do is pretty quick and the car is cleaned and rented again by someone else,,, the cars do not sit long.
I rented from National and from Hertz, albeit it was in Italy.
Do not believe that they cannot come back on you, they can, and when you return the car it is not the end of their access to your credit card.
It happened to me and some collegues on corporate cards and if it was not for a rather unusual circumstance, it would have been a fight to the finish between National and American Express and I think I would have been the loser. Amex fraud squad got involved and the exta charges were dropped. The circumstances were that we were there and had 5 rental cars rented by different individuals and each one of them had additional charges on them several months later. We were all rectifying the problem on our own and if it were not for some office talk, we would never had made the connection and the bills would have been paid.

[del sol]

Also keep in mind the type of vehicle you are renting. Most insurance from credit cards will only cover passenger cars and not light trucks (SUVs, pickups)

[Phils]

As others have said, you'll need liability insurance for car rentals in the US. Mine cost about $20 a year when I added to my own car insurance policy at home.

There is a code that the rental agencies look for on the insurance documents you provide as proof of coverage. When you speak to your insurance agent ask them about the code they'd be looking for in the US.


The codes are Q.E.F.2 and Q.E.F.27E

[gilboman]

The codes are Q.E.F.2 and Q.E.F.27E

but actually, US car rental agencies wont care since liability its not mandatory, and their cars do have minimum state law requirements for liability (although they are stupid low).