Archive for the ‘Renting’ Category
Do I Need Rental Car Insurance
Monday, September 6th, 2010
If you’re traveling on vacation, for business or really anywhere by plane, you’re going to need to rent a car. Every time you rent a car, even if it’s from a Mora dealership, you’re asked the question “do you want rental car insurance?” and every time I bet you don’t know whether you need it or not. If you do go ahead and get the insurance, it will add an extra couple hundred dollars to the bill. Do you really need it or does your regular car insurance cover you when you drive a rental car?
The best way to know for sure what your insurance policy covers is to call up your insurance agent and ask. Or better yet, dig out your policy and read the fine print. Some insurance policies only cover a rental car if your car is in for repairs at an Iowa City dealership and that rental car is a substitute car. Other insurance policies may cover the rental car under an ‘other cars covered’ section of the policy.
There is confusion even among agents as to whether a rental is covered under a regular insurance policy. I contacted one agent that said insurance will not cover a driver in every Mandan car unless you have a non owner’s policy. I contacted another insurance that said insurance only covers the car, not the driver and the insurance will extend to the rental car only if you have comprehensive and collision coverage. But if you only carry liability insurance then the coverage will not extend and you need to get additional coverage from the rental agency.
A third insurance agent told me that you should always get insurance from the rental agency unless you know without a doubt that your car insurance policy has a loss of use clause. This means that if you do wreck the rental and it cannot be rented while it is being repaired, the rental company will charge you for those days. However, if you buy their insurance they won’t charge you. Few car insurance companies offer the loss of use coverage though.
A final answer from a fourth insurance agent says that car insurance will follow the driver if there is no other insurance on the Sioux City car and it’s technically called ‘excess’. Your current car insurance will cover the parts that the car’s insurance doesn’t cover up to your policy limits. You have to have collision and comprehensive coverage to have comp/coll on the rental. Your deductible will apply if you get in a wreck.
Tips On How To Avoid Extra-Costs When Renting a Car
Tuesday, May 25th, 2010Even if you’ve rented a car many times in the past, it’s still possible to experience that deer-in-the-headlights feeling as you stand at the counter and talk to the rental agent. After all, there are so many little details to remember, questions to answer and decisions to make and Doug Henry Chevy dealers can tell you all of that. Should you just say no to everything? Or yes to a few things?
The following tips can help you navigate the often-confusing world of car rentals.
1. Shop around online first. Check multiple travel Web sites — such as Travelocity.com or Expedia.com — and get a sense of what’s available. Then check the rental car companies’ Web sites directly to see whether you can snag an even cheaper rate there.
4. Opt for a smaller car. Do you really need a larger car? If not, go compact. Here’s a little secret: Rental car companies often run out of economy models because they’re the most popular, so you’ll often be steered toward an upgrade in the hopes that you’ll cave in and pay for it. Just say no. You stand to get the upgrade anyway for the economy price.
5. Check for restrictions on where you can take the car. Planning to drive across state lines? Make sure that’s going to be OK before you lock in your rental deal. Some rental car companies’ “unlimited mileage” rates don’t include certain states, and you could get walloped with an unexpectedly high bill unless you’re aware of the restrictions ahead of time.
6. Cincinnati Ford dealers will also tell you that you rarely need that extra insurance. Rental agencies often urge renters to spend additional money per day on collision damage waivers and other insurance coverage. Review your auto insurance policy and credit-card agreements; you’re almost certainly covered already. The one exception you might want to consider is “loss of use” coverage, which covers the time the rental agency may need to spend having the car repaired if you get into an accident. Your auto insurance plan may not include that coverage, so check first.
7. Gas up. Don’t prepay for gasoline – (it’s rarely the best deal for you) – and then don’t forget to fill the tank back up before you return the car. If you fail to do so, expect to pay much more than the market price for the gasoline you owe.
10. Supply your own car seat. If you’ll be traveling with children, you can save up to $10 a day by providing your own child safety seat rather than renting one from the car company. You may not need to worry about this if you’re renting a minivan that has built-in safety seats.