Collision damage insurance with auto rental

Do many of you buy that? Normally, I decline it. Most of the time I see
asian looking tourists buying it; it is around $30 per day on top of
rental charges. For work related travel, my employer recommends it. But
I never do, as my credit card has some coverage. The funny thing is,
twice I had minor damages to autos. Once, I was asked to fill out an
accident report, but I did not have to pay anything in both occasions.
Perhaps, that is how rental companies make money.

In article f5Nwi.62336$fJ5.32096@pd7urf1no, Rowen
wrote:

Do many of you buy that? Normally, I decline it. Most of the time I see
asian looking tourists buying it; it is around $30 per day on top of
rental charges. For work related travel, my employer recommends it. But
I never do, as my credit card has some coverage. The funny thing is,
twice I had minor damages to autos. Once, I was asked to fill out an
accident report, but I did not have to pay anything in both occasions.
Perhaps, that is how rental companies make money.

Each person's situation is different. For work-related travel, my
employer requires we decline that coverage because my employer is
self-insured. For personal travel, I also decline that coverage because
I get it through my credit card. Many foreigners cannot always get a
credit card that offers free rental car insurance.

For Australians - credit card insurance covers only the deductible, (called
the 'excess' in Australia); and then only for Gold cards and above.
Australian comprehensive motor vehicle insurance never covers rental cars -
even within Australia.
If we organise foreign car rental through Australian travel agents, the
rates usually cover all insurance - and are cheaper than if organised
directly.



"Shawn Hirn" wrote in message
...
In article f5Nwi.62336$fJ5.32096@pd7urf1no, Rowen
wrote:

Do many of you buy that? Normally, I decline it. Most of the time I see
asian looking tourists buying it; it is around $30 per day on top of
rental charges. For work related travel, my employer recommends it. But
I never do, as my credit card has some coverage. The funny thing is,
twice I had minor damages to autos. Once, I was asked to fill out an
accident report, but I did not have to pay anything in both occasions.
Perhaps, that is how rental companies make money.

Each person's situation is different. For work-related travel, my
employer requires we decline that coverage because my employer is
self-insured. For personal travel, I also decline that coverage because
I get it through my credit card. Many foreigners cannot always get a
credit card that offers free rental car insurance.

Rowen wrote:
Do many of you buy that? Normally, I decline it. Most of the time I see
asian looking tourists buying it; it is around $30 per day on top of
rental charges. For work related travel, my employer recommends it. But
I never do, as my credit card has some coverage. The funny thing is,
twice I had minor damages to autos. Once, I was asked to fill out an
accident report, but I did not have to pay anything in both occasions.
Perhaps, that is how rental companies make money.


I have a rider on my personal car insurance (cost about $40/year) that
will cover collision damage on rental cars. Since we travel three-four
weeks per year it is a lot cheaper than paying the rental company their
outrageous price. I usually bring a photocopy of the policy since some
states (at least California, I think) require, by law, that renters have
the insurance.





--
Seinfeld Lists http://tinyurl.com/f7k9d
Sawyer's Nicknames http://tinyurl.com/gowma

"TheNewsGuy(Mike)" wrote in message
...
Rowen wrote:
Do many of you buy that? Normally, I decline it. Most of the time I see
asian looking tourists buying it; it is around $30 per day on top of
rental charges. For work related travel, my employer recommends it. But I
never do, as my credit card has some coverage. The funny thing is, twice
I had minor damages to autos. Once, I was asked to fill out an accident
report, but I did not have to pay anything in both occasions.
Perhaps, that is how rental companies make money.


I have a rider on my personal car insurance (cost about $40/year) that
will cover collision damage on rental cars. Since we travel three-four
weeks per year it is a lot cheaper than paying the rental company their
outrageous price. I usually bring a photocopy of the policy since some
states (at least California, I think) require, by law, that renters have
the insurance.


The fine print in the rider on my policy for rental vehicles states that
collision and comprehensive insurance WITH A $250 deductible per claim is
covered. So I decline the rental agency's CDW.. as the most I would have to
swallow is $250....along with possible premium increases if more than 1 at
fault claim in 5 years occurs. Auto insurance, in Canada, is pretty much
regulated at the provincial level. Auto Liability insurance is HEAVILY
regulated in Alberta. Comprehensive and collision, to a much lesser degree.











--
Seinfeld Lists http://tinyurl.com/f7k9d
Sawyer's Nicknames http://tinyurl.com/gowma

On Thu, 16 Aug 2007 21:10:27 +1000, "A Mate"
wrote:

For Australians - credit card insurance covers only the deductible, (called
the 'excess' in Australia); and then only for Gold cards and above.
Australian comprehensive motor vehicle insurance never covers rental cars -
even within Australia.
If we organise foreign car rental through Australian travel agents, the
rates usually cover all insurance - and are cheaper than if organised
directly.

I have a gold card, but there are limitations on the cover
that provides and when it is active. My travel insurance
covered excess, but I still had to take out basic cdw. In
some countries, such as Eire, that was twice the price of
the rental.



Cheers, Alan, Australia
--
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com/
latest: Slovenia
http://loraltraveloz.blogspot.com/
latest: Mossman Gorge in the Daintree Rainforest

Shawn Hirn wrote:

Each person's situation is different. For work-related travel, my
employer requires we decline that coverage because my employer is
self-insured. For personal travel, I also decline that coverage because
I get it through my credit card. Many foreigners cannot always get a
credit card that offers free rental car insurance.

It's interesting to see the different rental rates based on the
nationality of the renter.

BTW, if you want a credit card where the rental insurance is primary
rather than secondary, I think Diner's Club is the only card that still
offers this (the old Discover Private Issue offered it, but that card is
gone).

"Primary Collision Damage Waiver Coverage
Your Diners Club Charge Card protects you with automatic primary rental
car insurance coverage (when the entire cost of a car rental is charged
to your Card). Most credit cards and charge cards offer you secondary
insurance."

Of course this doesn't come free, Diner's Club has a $95 annual fee.

Steven Scharf:
BTW, if you want a credit card where the rental insurance is primary
rather than secondary, I think Diner's Club is the only card that still
offers this...

What practical advantage does this offer? Is it just so that if you have
an incident, and you have another car insurance policy, you can keep that
policy claim-free?
--
Mark Brader ...the scariest words of the afternoon:
Toronto "Hey, don't worry, I've read all about
doing this sort of thing!" -- Vernor Vinge

Mark Brader wrote:
Steven Scharf:
BTW, if you want a credit card where the rental insurance is primary
rather than secondary, I think Diner's Club is the only card that
still offers this...

What practical advantage does this offer? Is it just so that if you
have an incident, and you have another car insurance policy, you can
keep that policy claim-free?

How about if you don't have a car and so don't have "another car
insurance policy"?

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

Steven Scharf:
BTW, if you want a credit card where the rental insurance is primary
rather than secondary, I think Diner's Club is the only card that
still offers this...

Mark Brader:
What practical advantage does this offer? Is it just so that if you
have an incident, and you have another car insurance policy, you can
keep that policy claim-free?

J. Clarke:
How about if you don't have a car and so don't have "another car
insurance policy"?

Then the credit-card policy is the only one you have, and in that case
it makes no difference whether it's primary or secondary.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto "Not looking like Pascal is not
a language deficiency!" -- Doug Gwyn