I hear you on the “loss of use” thing—it’s one of those sneaky details that bit me once in Colorado. My insurance covered the repairs, but the rental company still billed me for the days the car was out of commission. That was a surprise. In Montana, with all the deer and random gravel roads, I usually spring for the extra coverage. It’s not cheap, but after dealing with a cracked windshield and a lot of back-and-forth, I’d rather just pay a bit more upfront and not stress about it. Sometimes peace of mind is worth it, especially in places where the unexpected is kind of... expected.
Sometimes peace of mind is worth it, especially in places where the unexpected is kind of... expected.
Couldn’t agree more with that. I learned the hard way after a run-in with a rogue tumbleweed (yes, really) outside Bozeman. My own policy covered most things, but the “loss of use” fee was a curveball. The rental company charged me for five days while their precious sedan sat in the shop—felt like I was paying for a car I never even got to drive.
I usually rent higher-end vehicles when I travel, and let’s just say Montana’s gravel roads aren’t exactly friendly to low-profile tires or fancy paint jobs. The extra coverage isn’t cheap, but after one too many windshield chips and mysterious door dings, I just factor it into the cost of doing business. There’s something oddly comforting about knowing you won’t have to haggle over every scratch.
That said, sometimes I wonder if the rental companies are just inventing new fees for sport. “Loss of use,” “administrative processing,” “inconvenience surcharge”—what’s next, a “breathing in the car” fee? Still, in places like Montana, I’d rather laugh about it than stress over another deer-shaped dent.
I hear you on those “loss of use” fees—they really do feel like something dreamed up in a boardroom just to see if anyone’s paying attention. I once got dinged for “excessive dust” after a week in a Mustang convertible around Glacier. Like, what did they expect? Montana isn’t exactly known for its paved boulevards.
Honestly, I’m with you on factoring the extra insurance into the trip budget, especially if you’re driving anything remotely nice. I’ve seen what a stray pebble can do to a classic paint job (don’t get me started on rock chips), and rental companies don’t exactly have a sense of humor about it. Still, part of me resents paying for coverage that feels like it should be included in the first place. But then again, peace of mind is hard to put a price on—especially when you’re dodging wildlife and rogue tumbleweeds.
If I had my way, I’d just rent something older and not worry about every scratch... but try finding a rental agency with a ‘72 Chevelle in their fleet.