Honestly, I get where you’re coming from, but I wouldn’t write off “loss of use” as just some theoretical risk. Had a coworker get dinged for it after a fender bender—rental company charged for a few days the car was in the shop. GEICO covered the damage but not the loss of use fees, so he ended up out a couple hundred bucks. Not saying it’s super common, but it does happen. Sometimes the peace of mind from the rental company’s coverage is worth the extra cost, depending on your risk tolerance.
GEICO covered the damage but not the loss of use fees, so he ended up out a couple hundred bucks.
That’s a tough break, and it’s true—loss of use isn’t always covered by standard policies. Have you checked if your credit card offers any rental coverage? Some do, and they’ll pick up loss of use, but it really depends on the card. I get wanting to save money, but if you’re renting for more than a few days or in an unfamiliar area, sometimes that extra $10-20 a day is worth it just for peace of mind. How long are you planning to rent? That might tip the scales one way or the other.
sometimes that extra $10-20 a day is worth it just for peace of mind
Honestly, I used to skip the rental company’s insurance every time, but after one trip where my card didn’t cover “loss of use” either, I started rethinking it. It’s annoying how those little fees add up, but being stuck with a surprise bill is worse. If you’re only renting for a day or two, maybe it’s not a big risk... but for longer trips, I’d probably lean toward the extra coverage too.
being stuck with a surprise bill is worse
Totally get that. I used to gamble on my regular insurance covering everything, but after reading the fine print, I realized there are so many weird exclusions. Still, for a quick weekend trip, I usually skip it and just cross my fingers. For longer rentals, though, that extra peace of mind is tempting... even if it stings the wallet a bit.
I hear you—last summer, I thought my regular insurance had me covered, but when a rock cracked the windshield on a rental, it turned into a paperwork nightmare. Ever since, I just pay for the rental company’s coverage if I’m going more than a day or two. It’s annoying, but honestly, less stress in the end.
