Whenever you travel to a new city, whether for business or pleasure, you might decide to rent a car in order to get around better. Before the agent hands you the keys, however, they have to ask you a series of questions, including whether you want to pay for a long list of extras. You might feel the temptation to decline everything in order to save some money. But when it comes to rental car insurance, it’s a good idea to think twice before saying no.
What rental car insurance covers
There are several different types of rental insurance plans for you to choose from when you rent your car. In general, the more you pay, the greater coverage you can receive.
There are some plans that cover any damage other people do to your rental car, while others cover damage you do to other people’s cars. In addition, you can also find coverage that will reimburse you for your personal injury costs, and even for your personal belongings that are stolen from inside the rental car.
You may already have coverage
Before you travel, make sure you carefully read your personal auto insurance policy. It’s possible that your policy already covers you in a rental car in addition to your own car. If so, it won’t make sense for you to pay extra for redundant coverage.
In addition, it’s possible that you already have coverage through your credit card company. Many credit card companies offer complementary rental car insurance coverage if you use their credit card to pay for the rental. Check your policy to see if this is an option for you before you pay extra for coverage.
Finally, if you’re renting a car as part of a business trip, it’s likely that your company will cover the cost of your rental, including the insurance. But even if none of these things apply, and you have to pay for the coverage yourself, it can still be worth doing – since the alternative is putting yourself at risk of having to pay exorbitant amounts of money to repair any possible damage.
