I rented a car for just a weekend recently and debated this exact thing. At first, temporary coverage seemed unnecessary—just two days, right? But then I remembered a friend's story about a minor scrape that ended up costing him hundreds. Decided to get the coverage anyway for peace of mind. Didn't end up using it, thankfully, but honestly, knowing I wouldn't be stuck with an unexpected bill made the trip a lot more relaxing... I'd say it's worth considering even for short trips.
I get your point about peace of mind, but honestly, doesn't your regular car insurance or even your credit card already cover rental cars? I've done tons of weekend trips without extra coverage and never had an issue... might be worth double-checking before paying extra next time.
You're right to a point, but I'd be careful assuming your credit card or regular insurance always covers rentals. I've looked into this pretty thoroughly (I commute and rent cars often), and coverage can vary a lot depending on your card issuer, rental location, or even the type of car you're renting. Some cards exclude certain vehicles or have limits on coverage duration. Definitely worth a quick call or checking the fine print—better safe than sorry, especially if you're renting frequently or for longer trips.
I've owned cars forever and rented plenty too—trust me, don't just wing it. Step one: call your card issuer. Step two: grill them on exclusions (luxury cars, SUVs, etc.). Step three: double-check rental location rules. Sounds tedious, but beats nasty surprises later...
"Sounds tedious, but beats nasty surprises later..."
Yeah, I totally get why people skip these steps sometimes, but you're right—better safe than sorry. I rented a crossover for a road trip last summer and assumed my card covered it. Turns out, crossovers were in a weird gray area and weren't covered as standard cars. Luckily nothing happened, but lesson learned. Checking details might feel like a chore, but it sure beats sweating bullets at the rental counter later...
