The background here is that I never get the supplemental insurance on cars I rent in the US, and I’m fine with that…
But now I’m renting a car in Europe for the first time and it seems like a bit of a different situation. Like if you didn’t get it, you could be liable for $10,000 if the car is wrecked! That’s a bit crazy and makes the $100/week CDW seem like a good deal. They even have a Super-CDW to cover the $500 the CDW doesn’t.
People who’ve rented cars in Europe, what do you do?
Always get CDW. Even if somebody just dents the door of the car, you’re liable for the cost (irrespective of whether they fess up). I’m actually surprised that rental in America doesn’t have a similar setup.
Call your credit card company. You probably know that some credit card companies offer insurance on rental cars as a kind of perk. Well, at least some of those companies offer the same deal for rentals in Europe. At least ours (USAA) did, quite recently. We rented through Herz, I think.
Yes, what Sal said. Gold and platinum Visa and MasterCards have coverage that allows you to waive the CDW. (I think it is standard policy with the better cards.) It helped me on a past trip and in June I was in Scotland/England again and rented a car. I got a bit of hassle about the CDW and was willing to force the desk person to call the credit card company, but a manager straightened it out first.
I used to work International customer service for a major car rental corporation. This was 5-6 years ago. Check with your credit card company to see what coverage they offer and also for which countries. Also, find out if it is secondary or primary. Secondary coverage will only kick in after your primary auto rental policy does. You may wish to check with your current car insurance policy if you have one.
One thing to remember, driving in Europe is a bit different than driving in the US. Getting into a strange car, perhaps driving on the left , driving unfamiliar roads, perhaps driving a manual if you’re not used to it, reading unfamiliar road signs, and being jet lagged can increase the possiblity of an accident.
Also, check with your car rental company about the holds/authorizations which will be placed on your credit card. In some parts of Europe, they can be quite significant. You may wish to have a second (or third) card with you.