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DO I REALLY NEED EXTRA INSURANCE FOR MY RENTAL CAR?
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Just booked a rental car for an upcoming trip and, man, the upselling on extra insurance is driving me nuts. Like, isn't my regular car insurance or credit card coverage enough? Feels like they're always trying to scare you into buying more coverage. Last time I caved and paid extra, but nothing happened (thankfully), so it felt like a waste of money. Curious if I'm just being paranoid or if others feel pressured into this too...
2 replies
You're definitely not paranoid - I swear rental companies make half their profits on those insurance upsells. Most credit cards and regular car insurance policies do cover rentals, but you gotta double-check the fine print. I always call my insurer before a trip to confirm what's covered, just for peace of mind. Last summer, the rental rep tried convincing me I'd be on the hook for thousands if anything happened...but turns out my credit card had me fully covered. Glad I didn't cave that time.
"I always call my insurer before a trip to confirm what's covered, just for peace of mind."
That's smart. I deal with claims all day, and you'd be surprised how often people assume they're covered when they're not. Last year, I rented a car in Florida and double-checked with my insurer beforehand - turns out my policy didn't cover loss-of-use fees. Ended up getting the rental company's coverage just to avoid any headaches. Felt like a bit of a sucker at the time, but honestly...better safe than sorry.
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