Rental Cars: Do You Make This Costly Car Rental Mistake?
Doesn't it seem confusing sometimes
just to get a rental car? There seems to be so much paperwork and so many
decisions to make.
For example, should you get the
collision damage waiver or not? Should you buy additional insurance coverage
from the car rental company?
If you've ever watched people at the
rental car counter, you know these are questions that most people struggle
with. Sometimes you can decline additional insurance on car rentals, but there
are specific instances that you should always buy the insurance. But how do you
know?
One of the biggest areas of
confusion is the Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) offered by the car rental
company at the time of rental. It covers damage to the rental car if you are
involved in an accident.
The CDW isn't exactly insurance, and
it only covers only damage to the rental car. It doesn't cover property damage
or personal injury. If CDW is purchased, the car
rental company waives some or all of its right to gain from you for
physical damages to the car.
So should you purchase the CDW the
car rental agency pushes at you? Experts say that most people don't need it but
purchase it anyway. This is a very costly mistake!
You can save yourself a lot of
hassle and unnecessary cost by doing three things. First, check your own car
insurance policy to see what coverage carries over to rental cars. Second, see
if the credit card you are using offers any coverage for renting. And finally,
check the options the car rental agency offers in its own policies.
Many car insurance policies include
all-inclusive and collision coverage to damages to rental cars. There is no
sense paying for more if your policy includes this coverage, right? Just verify
the details with your insurance agent before you decline the car rental
company's additional insurance options.
Typical car insurance policies
provide liability coverage that extends to car rentals. If you injure someone
in an accident while driving a rental car, your policy will often cover you. If
your car insurance policy does not provide these coverages when you are driving
car rentals, be sure to purchase additional insurance from the car rental
company to protect yourself.
In addition, many credit cards offer
coverage for rental
cars. If your credit card includes coverage for car rentals that have been
damaged in an accident, you don't need to buy any other additional insurance
coverage the car rental company offers you.
Finally, read the car rental policy
carefully and decide whether or not your car insurance or credit card covers
you. Then discuss the car rental's coverage with the agent. Always make an
informed decision. Don't give into pressure by the car rental agent.
Deciding whether or not to pay for
additional insurance coverage the car rental companies offer can be a tough
decision. Check with your credit cards and existing car insurance policy to see
if they provide rental car provisions, and if they don't, you'd better consider
spending the extra money for additional insurance for your own protection.
You shouldn't pay for anything that
you really don't need! On the other hand, you don't want to have inadequate
coverage in the event of an accident with rental cars.
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