Yeah, those “loss of use” fees are sneaky. I used to think my credit card had me totally covered, but after reading the fine print, turns out it’s not as bulletproof as I hoped. Montana’s a wild card—literally, with all the wildlife and random weather. I’ve had friends get stuck paying for days the car was in the shop, even though the actual repair was covered.
Honestly, if you’re on a tight budget, it feels like a ripoff to pay extra at the counter, but sometimes it’s cheaper than rolling the dice and getting hit with a surprise bill later. I usually take a ton of photos when I pick up and drop off, just in case, but that only goes so far if something actually happens. Guess it comes down to how much risk you’re willing to take. For me, in places like Montana, I’d rather pay a bit more upfront and not stress about it the whole trip.
I get the worry, but honestly, I think the rental companies bank on us being scared into buying their overpriced coverage. I just checked what my own car insurance covers and called my credit card company—turns out, together they cover more than I thought (even some loss of use). Instead of paying extra, I’d rather double-check what I already have and save that cash for gas or snacks. Worst case, yeah, maybe you pay a bit if something happens, but for most trips? I’ll risk it.
I get the worry, but honestly, I think the rental companies bank on us being scared into buying their overpriced coverage.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’d just be careful assuming your personal policy and credit card will cover everything. Sometimes there are exclusions, like certain types of vehicles or driving on unpaved roads—which can be pretty common in Montana. Have you checked if your coverage would apply if, say, you hit wildlife or got stuck on a back road? Just curious, since those scenarios come up more often than people think out here.
Honestly, I’ve wondered about that too. My credit card says it covers collision damage, but when I dug into the fine print there were all these random exceptions—like, “no off-road driving,” and even a weird clause about “animals” (which I’m guessing means deer, elk, etc.). Out here, hitting a deer isn’t exactly rare. I don’t want to end up in a situation where I thought I was covered and then get stuck with a massive bill because of some technicality.
Has anyone ever actually had to file a claim with their credit card or personal insurance after something like that? Curious if it was a nightmare or if they actually paid out. Sometimes I feel like the rental companies just scare people, but then again, those exclusions are real. Just hard to know where to draw the line between being careful and getting ripped off.
Never had to file a claim myself, but I’ve heard stories where credit cards found any excuse not to pay out—especially with stuff like animal collisions. It’s wild how they’ll cover you for a fender bender in a parking lot but not if a deer jumps out at you on a backroad. Honestly, sometimes it feels like you’re just rolling the dice either way. Has anyone actually read through all those exclusions and felt confident they’d be covered? Or is it just a gamble no matter what?