When renting a car on a vacation should one buy a collision damage waiver?
I plan on taking a week long vacation soon (in Arizona) and plan to rent a car. Is it a good idea to buy the collision damage waivers (adding about $20-$25) per day the cost of a car rental. I do have auto insurance that could cover me if there was damage, but that of course involves a claim against my insurance potentially increasing my rates. Any suggestions or advice?
Tags: insurance, rent a car, Rent Car
December 4th, 2010 at 3:05 am
You prolly should but its expensive. Dont think I ever have.
But to be safe since you are on vacation it might be best to.
December 4th, 2010 at 6:53 am
Yes, that insurance is very expensive and there is a good chance your credit card company covers it free if you use the card to rent the car.
Call your credit card company and check.
It can save you a lot of money.
December 6th, 2010 at 3:21 am
If you have full coverage on your own personal insurance policy, don’t bother. Unless you’re a wreckless driver and have had a few claims already, I wouldn’t worry about it.
December 6th, 2010 at 5:03 pm
Go with a cheaper rental company, like Enterprise.
December 9th, 2010 at 1:02 am
definitely go for the extra coverage, even though your personal policy covers you, it is much less of a hassle if you let the rental; policy take care of things.
December 11th, 2010 at 8:24 am
Most insurance will cover you. But the car rental place is probable going to want some type of payment upfront if there is a problem. Where are you going to be driving? City or country. Unless I am going to be doing a lot of city driving I usually decline it.
December 14th, 2010 at 1:17 am
It always better to take rental companies insurance they offer. If you do have a fender bender you don’t have to report it to your insurance company. If they offer coverage for yourself as well even better in case someone gets hurt. I realize it cost more but honestly its worth if something happens
December 15th, 2010 at 2:53 am
If you can, you should. You never know what could happen out there and you want all the legal protection you can get. Good luck and enjoy your trip.>>>
December 17th, 2010 at 11:16 am
When I take long trips ( in Arizona too) I found that it is wise to pay for the extra coverage. You never know what is going to happen. There are a lot of careless drivers out there and you want to be safe. Hmm, have you tried enterprise car rentals? They may be a little cheaper. I believe I paid 15 for the same. But it has been two years. But yes, it sounds like a good idea to insure a car you are renting.
December 19th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
If your insurance covers you, I would let it. Either way you are playing the odds.
December 22nd, 2010 at 10:27 am
You’re weighing a potential increase in your insurance rates (they don’t always increase after a claim) against a definite fee. Would your rates increase more than the $200 you would pay? It’s a gamble, but one I would be willing to take.
Keep your $200 and have a nice dinner in Sedona.
I’m shocked at the number of respondents who suggest purchasing the extra insurance. It’s a well-known rental car racket!! Don’t be naive.
December 24th, 2010 at 9:38 am
You have lots of different options. The rental car companies price will vary, but can run about $30 a day. You can also do the insurance from AMEX.
Call your insurance agent for your car. Most insurances will cover your rental cars as well. However, if you were to get an accident, just like with your own car, it is likely your rates will go up, as you already said. But it is a good idea to confirm this info with your insurance provider.
My suggestion would be to get a vacation insurance. They can cover how much of your trip you like, so you could buy the lowest coverage, which may even cover more than your car. Then, if you were to have an accident or something, it would not make your regular insurance go up. I always use travel protection for my trips, so this also covers the cars. But it usually is pretty inexpensive to just cover the car rental as well.
Vacation really is something to consider, especially if you are flying. It will cover a lot of different things other than just the rental car. Lost bags, delays, etc. Also, if you were to need medical attention, they can also cover that. It is just like regular insurance, you don’t want to buy it, but if you need it while on vacation, you sure are glad you did have it. One time using it can really pay for itself. Plus, if something were to happen that wasn’t even your vault, you don’t have to worry about your insurance going up or getting a bad record.
Car insurance, especially for your length of stay, will be pretty costly through the car company. You could easily get vacation protection for this price, or less, and it will cover a lot more. Just be aware, the car company representative will tell you that vacation protection won’t cover the car like their insurnace will. They are just trying to make the sale on the insurance, as long as you go with a good company, you will be fine.
Hope this helps!
December 25th, 2010 at 10:01 am
If you get a ticket when the damage occurs your rates go up anyway. I never buy the insurance because I have my own car insurance which is a lot less per day and I use a gold credit card that covers the deductible on my car. I am a careful driver and knock on wood have never done damage to a rental car in the thirty years I have been renting. Tech fanatic is right. American express offers additional vacation coverage you can buy from them for less