I totally get that feeling at the counter—those folks are pros at making you second-guess. I usually stick with my own insurance too, unless I’m traveling out of the country or somewhere really off the grid.
Same here. Just make sure you know what your deductible is and if roadside stuff is covered. Once I had a cracked windshield in a rental and GEICO handled it, but there was a bit of paperwork. Still way cheaper than paying for their daily coverage, at least for me.“Unless I was driving somewhere wild or super unfamiliar, I think I’d risk it and stick with my own policy.”
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually started leaning toward the rental company’s insurance after a close call last year. My own policy covered most stuff, but when someone sideswiped my rental in a parking lot, the rental company tacked on “loss of use” fees that my insurance wouldn’t touch. Ended up paying out of pocket for days the car was in the shop. Not cheap. Now if it’s a short trip or somewhere busy, I’ll sometimes just pay extra for peace of mind... even if it stings a bit.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually started leaning toward the rental company’s insurance after a close call last year. My own policy covered most stuff, but when someone sidesw...
I get why you’d want that extra peace of mind, but I’m still kind of on the fence. The “loss of use” thing is annoying, but it feels like a rare scenario? I’ve rented a few times and never had an issue (knock on wood). My main worry is paying for insurance I don’t really need. The rental companies always push it so hard, it makes me wonder if it’s more about their bottom line than my protection.
I looked into my own policy, and it seems to cover most stuff except that weird “loss of use” fee. Still, I’d rather risk that than shell out double what the rental costs for coverage I might never use. Maybe I’ll regret it if something happens, but for now, I’m just not convinced the extra cost is worth it, especially for short trips.
Honestly, I hear you. The rental desk always feels like a hard sell—like you’re buying popcorn at the movies and suddenly it costs more than your ticket. Most folks don’t run into “loss of use,” and if your own policy covers everything else, I get not wanting to double up.
I’ve seen both sides, though. Had a client who skipped the extra coverage for years, then got dinged with a loss of use charge after a fender bender. He was fuming, but it was a rare situation. Most of the time, you’re right—it’s just money out the window. For short trips, I’d probably roll the dice too, unless it’s somewhere I don’t know the roads or weather’s dicey.
Bottom line: you’re not crazy for weighing the odds and keeping your wallet shut. It’s not one-size-fits-all. Sometimes peace of mind is worth it, sometimes it’s just padding their profits.
Honestly, the “loss of use” thing trips up a lot of people. I’ve been burned by it once—thought my regular policy had me covered, but apparently not for every scenario. It’s wild how fast those fees add up. Still, I agree, most of the time it’s just a scare tactic to get you to fork over more cash. Unless I’m driving somewhere totally unfamiliar or risky, I usually skip the extra coverage. That said, I always double-check the fine print now... just in case.
