Doesn’t hurt to be a little paranoid, especially on those Montana backroads.
I get being cautious, but honestly, I think the extra insurance is overkill most of the time. I’ve rented cars for years—Montana, Arizona, you name it—and never had an issue that my regular auto policy didn’t cover. Snapping pics is smart, but unless you’re planning to go off-roading or something wild, those rental companies are just trying to upsell. Most dings are just part of the game, and they know it.
Honestly, I get where you’re coming from—those “do you want extra coverage?” pitches at the counter always feel like a trap. But have you ever actually read your personal auto policy’s fine print? I found out mine doesn’t cover “loss of use” fees, which rental companies love to tack on if the car’s out of commission. Ever had to deal with that? I haven’t, but the idea makes me nervous enough to at least double-check before every trip. Maybe I’m just risk-averse, but I’d rather not find out the hard way...
Extra Insurance Feels Like Overkill Sometimes
I found out mine doesn’t cover “loss of use” fees, which rental companies love to tack on if the car’s out of commission.
That’s a fair point, but honestly, I’ve rented cars all over the place and never once had a rental company actually charge me for “loss of use.” Maybe I’ve just been lucky, but it feels like one of those things they mention to scare you into buying more coverage. I always check my credit card benefits too—some of them quietly cover that stuff. It’s worth digging into before shelling out extra cash at the counter.
I’ve rented cars all over the place and never once had a rental company actually charge me for “loss of use.”
That’s lucky, but I wouldn’t bank on it every time. I know someone who got hit with a hefty bill after a fender bender—turns out their card didn’t cover “loss of use” or admin fees. Montana’s pretty rural, so if you’re far from a big city, would it be harder to sort things out if something did happen? Just seems like one of those risks that’s easy to overlook until it bites you.
Honestly, I wouldn’t count on getting off easy every time either. Out in Montana, if you ding up a rental, you’re at the mercy of whatever rules they’ve got—especially with those “loss of use” charges. Saw a buddy get stuck with one after a deer ran out in front of him. If you’re hours from a city, dealing with paperwork and phone calls gets old fast. I’d rather pay a bit more upfront than gamble on it.