Do You Really Need to Buy Rental Car Insurance?

If you have ever rented a car, you know their spiel. Once you get to the counter, the rental car reps can be fairly persuasive as they try to get you to buy their insurance. The question is, do you buy their insurance, or do you not? There are some people who are acquiescent to purchasing insurance. Some others are skeptical.

Tampa injury attorney Betsey Herd in Tampa FL, conjectures that at least 9 times out of 10, the impetus is peer profit. She goes on to recommend that you “…do your homework before you get to the rental car company.”

Before you pay for a collision damage waiver, first check your own car insurance to see what’s covered and your deductible. It is also important to note that most credit card companies offer free insurance, and will typically even pay that deductible for you. Some that don’t, like American Express, offer it for an additional charge.

However, rental car companies charge customers what they call administrative fees. These may not be covered by credit card companies. Rental car companies also demand compensation from their customers if a car is unavailable while it is being repaired. Some companies say they cover loss of use, others do not. It is important to always ask about all of these additional fees and costs, and understand them.