Avoiding Rental Car Collision Damage Waiver

Factual Questions
1

When I rent a car, I decline the expensive collision damage waiver (CDW) insurance offered by the rental company because my own auto insurance provides coverage, and my credit card (from MBNA - no annual fee) also provides free secondary coverage. However, I have discovered that this coverage is limited to 14-day rentals for my personal insurance and 15 days for the credit card.

There are cases where I’d like to rent for longer periods. Does anyone out there know of any credit cards whose rental car insurance covers more than 15 days? Are there any other ways I can get free or inexpensive coverage for rental cars?

2

My guess is you just have to shop around. However, I can see where insurance and credit card companies would want to limit their exposure on this. Technically neither of them are getting paid any extra to provide you with this coverage (or at least it is already accounted for in your fees or however else they make money). Extending your coverage beyond 14 or 15 days increases their exposure and raises their cost of doing business.

I don’t know but perhaps you can opt into the rental insurance at the end of your 14 day coverage. If they don’t allow that then return the car at 14 days and re-rent a car. It may be dicey but perhaps your credit card/car insurance will start again since it’s a new contract. If your insurance doesn’t cover it again then you can opt in for the rental car company’s insurance at that point.

3

What I did was I just talked to my insurance agent about this. So he set the deductible like
way low for three days. Came out to like $1.28 lol

4

Having your regular agent write your policy to include this is probably the best route to go. The Insurance For Dummies book says that too.

5

I love my insurance company. I call the 800 number, late at night, and ask them off the wall questions about special coverage, and they tell me they will find the cheapest solution. Then they call back in about half a hour and tell me: We can add that to your current policy for $X, or you can pay the Rental company $7X dollars. We can write a deductible to match the amount covered by your credit card, wich will make it $X/2.

However, in the end, I got a policy from them that covers me, and the car I drive, in whatever the heck I am driving, unless I stole it. It was a bit more expensive, but it gave me peace of mind.

Tris