Man, I get the frustration with rental coverage. Last year, a guy got rear-ended and the rental they gave him was basically a roller skate with doors—nothing like his truck. Out of curiosity, have you ever tried negotiating directly with the rental company when insurance sticks you with the bare minimum? Sometimes they’ll cut a deal, but it’s hit or miss.
Honestly, I’ve tried pushing the rental company for an upgrade, but unless you’re willing to pay out of pocket, they usually just shrug. Insurance only covers the “comparable” class, which is laughable if you drive anything nicer than a Camry. I’ve found it’s sometimes worth it to pay the difference if you care about comfort or need space, but yeah, it’s annoying. I wish insurers would just let you pick and pay the difference upfront instead of the rental roulette.
Insurance only covers the “comparable” class, which is laughable if you drive anything nicer than a Camry.
Man, I feel this so much. Last year, after my second not-so-great fender bender (yeah, I know...), my insurance stuck me with a rental that was basically a glorified go-kart. I drive a Charger, so “comparable” was just a joke. I tried to argue it, but like you said, unless you wanna cough up extra cash, they just shrug and hand you the keys to whatever’s left in the lot.
Honestly, I’ve started budgeting for the upgrade when I know I’ll need a rental. It stings, but after spending a week crammed into something tiny with zero pickup, it’s worth it for my sanity. Still bugs me that insurers can’t just let us pay the difference upfront—would save everyone time and headaches.
Delaware’s insurance market is already tough if your record isn’t spotless. The hoops they make you jump through for basic stuff like rentals just adds insult to injury.
Yeah, the “comparable” class thing is a running joke in the industry. I’ve seen folks with Audis or even just a decent SUV get handed the keys to a base Corolla and told it’s a fair swap. Drives me nuts too. The pay-the-difference option sounds so simple, but most carriers just won’t touch it—probably some weird liability thing, but still, it’s frustrating. Delaware’s market is brutal if you’ve got a couple dings on your record. I wish there was more transparency about what you’re actually getting for that rental coverage.
I’ve been burned by that “comparable” class nonsense too. Had a claim last year—my Outback was in the shop and they tried to stick me with a tiny sedan that couldn’t even fit my bike. When I pushed back, the adjuster acted like I was being picky. Honestly, if you pay for rental coverage, you should get something that at least matches your needs, not just the cheapest thing on the lot. Delaware’s rates are bad enough without this kind of nickel-and-diming.
