Saw this news story earlier today about someone renting a car in Kansas, got into a minor fender bender, and now they're stuck in this huge mess with insurance. Apparently, they thought their personal auto insurance covered rentals, but turns out it didn't fully cover everything. Now they're facing some hefty charges. Made me realize I never really checked my own policy closely... anyone else seen this or had a similar experience? Seems kinda sketchy how unclear these things can be sometimes.
Had something similar happen a couple years back—thought my regular insurance covered rentals, but turns out it didn't cover "loss of use" fees. Ended up paying way more than expected. Seems like rental companies and insurance providers could be clearer about this stuff... Anyone know if credit card rental coverage is any better or just as murky?
Credit card coverage can be decent, but honestly, it's still pretty hit-or-miss. I've used my Visa's rental coverage a couple times, and while it did cover collision damage, there were still some annoying gaps. For instance, most credit cards won't cover liability insurance at all, so you're still on the hook for that unless your regular policy covers it. And the "loss of use" fees you mentioned? Yeah, those can be tricky too—some cards explicitly exclude them, others are vague about it.
The key is to actually read the fine print (I know, who does that?), or better yet, call your credit card company and ask directly. I did that once before a trip to Colorado, and the rep was surprisingly helpful—she emailed me a PDF outlining exactly what was covered and what wasn't. Saved me from buying unnecessary coverage at the rental counter.
Also worth noting: some premium travel cards (think Chase Sapphire or Amex Platinum) have more comprehensive rental coverage built in. But if you're budget-minded like me and don't want to pay hefty annual fees just for occasional rentals, your best bet might be to look into standalone rental car insurance policies online. They're usually pretty affordable and transparent about what's included.
Bottom line: credit card coverage can help, but don't assume it'll cover everything. Always double-check beforehand...otherwise you might end up with another unpleasant surprise bill.
I've generally found credit card coverage pretty reliable, but here's a thought—are standalone rental policies really that much better? I've looked into them before, and yeah, they're clear about what's covered, but aren't there usually deductibles or exclusions too? Plus, if you're renting infrequently, is it worth the hassle of managing another policy? Curious if anyone's actually had to file a claim on one of these standalone options...
Credit card coverage is decent, but I've had issues with it before. Got into a minor scrape in a rental last year—totally my fault, I'll admit—and thought my card would handle it. Turns out they only covered collision damage, not the rental company's "loss of use" fees. Ended up paying out-of-pocket for days the car was supposedly off the road. Standalone policies might have their own headaches, but at least they're upfront about what's excluded. Learned that lesson the hard way...
