Renting a car: stick with GEICO or pay for the rental company’s insurance?

Never seen an insurer just cough up for “loss of use” without a hassle. It’s like they pretend it doesn’t exist until you nag them for weeks. Honestly, I just pay the rental company’s insurance now - peace of mind is worth the extra bucks, especially if you’re risk-averse like me.

Honestly, I just pay the rental company’s insurance now - peace of mind is worth the extra bucks, especially if you’re risk-averse like me.

Yeah, I get that. I’ve had a couple of “incidents” (not proud), and dealing with my regular insurer was a nightmare. They acted like “loss of use” was some made-up thing. Still, sometimes I wonder if I’m just paying double for nothing... but after getting dinged once for a cracked windshield and the back-and-forth that followed, I kinda lean toward just paying up front too. Less stress, even if it stings the wallet.

Here’s how I look at it:

- If it’s a short trip and the rental insurance isn’t crazy expensive, I’ll just pay for it. Like you said, less hassle if something goes sideways.
- For longer rentals, I usually roll the dice with my regular insurance and maybe a credit card that covers rentals. Those daily fees add up fast.
- Had a buddy get charged for “loss of use” too - he thought it was a scam until he saw the fine print. Not fun.

Honestly, I hate paying extra, but sometimes peace of mind is worth a few bucks... especially if you’re not in the mood to argue with three different companies over a scratch.

- Had a buddy get charged for “loss of use” too - he thought it was a scam until he saw the fine print.

I get where you’re coming from about peace of mind, but I’ve always felt like the rental company insurance is a bit of a money grab, especially for short trips. My GEICO policy covers rentals, and my credit card adds another layer, so I’d rather save the cash unless I’m traveling internationally or somewhere with weird rules. That “loss of use” thing is annoying, but I checked with my insurer and they said they’d handle it if it ever came up. Maybe it’s worth double-checking your own policy before shelling out extra every time.

That “loss of use” thing is annoying, but I checked with my insurer and they said they’d handle it if it ever came up.

I thought the same until my cousin had a fender bender in a rental - his insurance covered the damage, but the rental company still tried to bill him for “loss of use.” It took weeks to sort out. I’m with you though, for most trips I skip the extra insurance and trust my policy/credit card. Just gotta read the fine print, because those rental folks love their loopholes.