Liability insurance: Liability coverage can help protect you financially by helping with the costs if you injure someone or cause property damage while driving a rental car. Hopefully you're not driving while intoxicated, but speeding can happen simply because you missed that one tiny sign noting the drop in speed limit. It's important to note that an LDW/CDW may become void if the customer is speeding or intoxicated, or if driving on unpaved roads caused the damage or accident. Did you know rental companies can charge customers for a car that can't be used because it's in the shop? It's called a “loss of use” fee. Loss or collision damage waiver (LDW/CDW): A collision or loss damage waiver protects you from paying for your rental car if it's damaged or stolen. When you rent a car, the rental agency may offer a few different types of coverage for you to choose from. Instead of waiting until you're at the rental agency desk (or on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck), it's smart to figure out the details of your existing coverage and options before you decide on rental car insurance. But if you've already got car insurance on your everyday vehicle, you might wonder whether you need the additional coverage - or if you'd just pay extra for coverage you may already have through your regular auto policy. Some folks believe it's better to be safe than sorry, and that's OK. So, what is actually covered, and do you already have coverage? Unfortunately, you may not find out until something does go wrong. But if you pay all that extra money and nothing happens, you may feel like you've been duped.Īnd like many, you probably won't spend the time reading the insurance document to try and understand everything that is and isn't covered. If you don't get it and something happens, you could be in big trouble. If you're like a lot of people, the question hits you like a brick of anxiety. The agent asks that “do you want insurance?” question.
You're at the car rental desk about to get a car for travel, or maybe you need one because your car's being repaired.