Rental car insurance question.

[TheCowsCameHome]

Briefly, I'm planning a trip that will require renting a car for a few weeks and racking up a few thousand miles.

All the car rental sites push the add-on insurance that allows a renter to walk away scott free if a car is damaged or totaled while under contract. I've always thought this was a sales pitch.

Today I asked my insurance agent if I really needed to have that coverage, and she said my policy follows me on whatever I drive. However, she cautioned that my insurance would only cover to the amount that my vehicles are insured for - in my case the vehicles are only worth a fraction of the value of a 2010-2011 model rental. She said I'd be on the hook for the difference between the insured value of my vehicle vs. the value of a brand new car, if the rental was seriously damaged, totaled or stolen.

So, it looks like I'm gonna have to take out that extra coverage.

Anyone else here been faced with this choice?

Thanx.

edit: grammar

[Lindsey]

1. If you can, I'd play it safe and get the insurance. n/t

[fishwax]

2. I wouldn't get the insurance, but that's me

I rarely get the insurance on a rental car. On oversized vehicles it's a different story--when I last moved I took a huge truck with a trailer for the car behind it, and I figured that was unfamiliar enough that I might want the insurance. Another time I had an oversized van that I was going to use to haul people around in Chicago, and I figured that was worth it as well.

But earlier this year I took a three week trip that covered several thousand miles. I figured the odds that the car would be stolen, that I would be in an accident that was my fault, or that an uninsured motorist would hit it in that time were fairly small. And over three weeks, the insurance adds up to a pretty decent sum. So I declined.

But I suppose it depends on your budget--we were operating on a fairly tight one for this trip. Perhaps if I had more cushion I would have thought differently about it. But the odds still seem pretty small that something will happen in the course of a week or two. It's a risk, yes, but a fairly small one and one that I was willing to bear.

Would it be possible to extend your coverage with your own agent temporarily? That might wind up being cheaper than paying the rental company's rates.

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. Interesting prospect....

Your last sentence is worth posing to my agent.

In the past I've rented cars and not purchased the additional coverage, and never given a thought to any possible payout being based on my personal vehicles value.

Something to do tomorrow......

[SoCalDem]

4. Also, check with the credit card youplan to use,l

sometimes they include insurance when you use their card for rental.

[SCantiGOP]

11. correct about credit card

The business Visa card I use covers anything that my insurance won't, so I never have to take out the extra insurance.

[RebelOne]

5. I have rented many cars and always took the collision insurance

just to be on the safe side. You never know what can happen.

[rurallib]

6. I have been buying the insurance.

Someone told me (and this may be bull) that you are also on the hook for rental fees for the car itself or it's replacement for however long that car is unavailable.

[Angry Dragon]

9. That is in the contract that you sign

[handmade34]

7. I rent cars often

I never pay for the car company's insurance (it is unreasonably expensive!)... but I always use American Express and use their coverage for only $19.95 per rental.

[Kali]

8. Did you ask about upping the coverage on your vehicles?

That and paying with a visa credit card should cover you easy. Most visas cover tne extra check with your cust. service number on the card.
I alwasys decline the ins. One year when I rented a van and had a group of passengers I put full coverage on my vehicle for 6 months to have som e extra on the rental but never do it for cars.

'scuse the typos.

[TheCowsCameHome]

10. I'll check with my insurance agency

Visa and Mastercard (at least the ones I carry) have a 15 day maximum coverage time, except on international rentals. My anticipated trip duration exceeds that limit.

I'll check with my local insurance agent to see about bumping up my coverage temporarily.

[LynneSin]

12. Only time I got the insurance was when I was out of the country

I was in Canada and really didn't want to worry about my insurance getting uppity because I wrecked a car out of the country.