- I hear you on the Montana roads—gravel, random potholes, and the occasional deer that thinks it owns the highway.
- Personally, I never take the rental insurance. My regular car insurance covers rentals, and my credit card backs me up too. Why pay double?
- Those daily fees are sneaky. They look small until you see your total at the end... then you’re like, “Did I just buy the car?”
- Only time I’d even consider it is if I was heading way off-grid or planning to drive through a hailstorm (which, knowing Montana, could happen in July).
- Photos at pick-up and drop-off are a must. I even snap a pic of the odometer and gas gauge—learned that one after a “missing fuel” argument in Boise.
- If you’re super worried about rocks or wildlife, maybe it’s worth it for peace of mind. Otherwise, feels like a money grab most of the time.
- Just my two cents... but hey, if you’re the type who loses sleep over scratches, maybe spring for it.
Those daily fees are sneaky. They look small until you see your total at the end... then you’re like, “Did I just buy the car?”
I get the frustration with the fees, but I’ve seen folks get burned thinking their regular insurance or credit card would cover everything—then find out about exclusions or high deductibles after a fender bender. Had a client once who hit a deer outside Missoula, and his personal policy didn’t cover “loss of use” charges from the rental company. That bill was a nasty surprise. Sometimes the peace of mind is worth it, especially in places where wildlife and weather are wildcards.
I hear you on the “loss of use” thing—had a buddy who thought his premium credit card had him covered, but when his rental got a cracked windshield near Glacier, the card only paid for the repairs, not the days the car was out of commission. He was pretty steamed about that extra charge. Has anyone actually read through their credit card rental coverage? I tried once and gave up halfway through all the fine print...
Has anyone actually read through their credit card rental coverage? I tried once and gave up halfway through all the fine print...
Yeah, I’ve slogged through it. Here’s the deal:
- Most cards only cover damage/theft, not “loss of use” or admin fees.
- You’re on the hook for downtime charges unless you get lucky with a card that covers it (rare).
- Don’t trust the “premium” label—read the exclusions, they’re brutal.
- If you’re renting in Montana, rocks and cracked windshields are common. That’s usually covered, but not the days the car sits in the shop.
I just bite the bullet and get the extra insurance if I’m somewhere remote. Not worth the headache.
Honestly, I tried to decipher my card’s rental coverage once and it felt like reading ancient scrolls—except less fun. I’ve rented in Montana a couple of times and yeah, those gravel roads are windshield magnets. My card covered the glass, but when the rental company wanted “loss of use” fees, it was a circus. I’d rather pay a bit extra up front than argue with a rental desk in the middle of nowhere. Peace of mind is worth a few bucks, especially when the nearest town is 100 miles away...
