Nelson

We'll get the IDP for the both of us, even though we'll only put one of us down as driver - she drives, I navigate, is how it has always worked out well.

FWIW, gemut.com says:

<i><b>Insurance</b>
This is a complicated topic but here, in general, is what you need to know:
All European rental companies are required by law to protect themselves and their rental customers with millions of euros in third-party liability insurance. In other words, the rental company covers you for damage to property and persons outside your vehicle. What you are responsible for is damage to, or theft of, the car you rented. For that you need Collision (CDW) and theft insurance.</i>

I haven't read it all yet, but they go on to say they recommend declining additional insurance in Europe if your card company has CDW, since liability is already built into the price of your rental.

See here in their "free report":
http://www.gemut.com/car-rentals/fre...r-booklet.html

Is their information accurate and does it apply to Spain?

chartley

" Most credit cards in most countries will cover the physical damage while either you homeowners or umbrella policy CAN cover the liability ..."

Do you have any evidence that this is true of "most" countries? And given that credit card companies are seldom philanthropic organisations, who ultimately bears the cost of the insurance, and what is the mechanism to achieve that?

IMDonehere

Yes, the evidence is by calling your credit company or going to their websites. The credit cards I have cover physical damage in most countries. And I have used it in Spain on many occasions.

Here is Visa for example:

http://usa.visa.com/personal/card-be...ion-waiver.jsp
_________

And it is called a benefit, so that one credit card can distinguish itself from another, although VISA, MC, and AMEX all have similar benefits and it varies according to the type of card you have.

ribeirasacra

CDW is not third party insurance. Third party insurance is required by law. It is there to pay for any damages to other peoples property and personal injuries (hence the third party after you and the insurance company), should you as a driver be found at fault. It does not cover damage or any other related cost of the car you are in control of in an accident. This is where CDW comes into play with rentals.
So to be insured you are obliged to take out third party insurance, as a minimum and that is not covered by any CC.

IMDonehere

Ribe what you are describing is liability insurance. Some homeowners and umbrella policies cover events overseas, others do not. I have tried to distinguish that from the CDW.

MmePerdu

Credit card coverage is, I believe, the last line of defense, after all other insurance is exhausted. For instance, my personal car insurance gives me the same coverage for rentals that I have driving my own car. So the credit card covers what it, or any other coverage, does not. It is what I think they call "excess".

Regarding having no coverage if a license is expired, it depends on your insurance. When my father's license expired, though he'd always been a brilliant man, he found himself in the disturbing position of not being able to pass his written test. I discovered the situation on a visit and called his insurance company to verify that I needed to have the "driving" talk with him. Instead, they informed me that, despite the expired license, he would be covered if he had an accident. Coverage would be cancelled afterward, but he would be covered until then. I was astonished. He didn't, as things turned out, drive after that because I stayed and did it for him. But one cannot make any assumptions where insurance is concerned, either way.

Bedar

Lin, thanks so much for having brought up this topic. We always get IDPs (and carry my husband's expired Spanish license!), but there was the possibility that we wouldn't have gotten the IDP this June since we've never been asked for it. Many thanks !

chartley

IMdonehere - I think what you meant to say was that any United States-issued credit card would cover you in most countries.

I have never heard that any British credit card provided such cover, and believe that the same is true of other European cards. It would be interesting to know if it was true of Australian or New Zealand cards, or those issued in other countries.

Perhaps someone can help us here.

IMDonehere

I am unfamiliar with the benefits offered by non-US banks. Approximately ten years ago, I was working on a project and learned that the holder of credit cards issued by European banks were responsible for any fraudulent charges against their card until they notified the bank or the credit card company. But I believe that has changed.

dotheboyshall

<i> I find it remarkable. It isn't as if the IDP confers any more skill or magic protection on the holder against whatever might happen on the road. I had one years ago and I didn't think I drove better as a result.</i>

It means you are driving legally in the country, therefore if you do come to the attention of the authorities - accident, theft, traffic offence, random stop, whatever - then you don't end up detained. It also means that any driving insurance you have isn't void

MmePerdu

"I think what you meant to say was that any United States-issued credit card would cover you in most countries."

I doubt it's "any card". For years American Express was the only one and why I bothered having one, among other less valuable incentives. Now it's a perk of a number of cards but I doubt it's all cards.

MmePerdu

"It also means that any driving insurance you have isn't void"

Untrue. My personal car insurance covers me in rentals and they don't care about the IDP. On the other hand, if what's being said here is true and I wouldn't be given a rental car without it, then I wouldn't be driving and insurance is a moot point.

IMDonehere

It is a benefit of VISA, as evidenced above, MC, and AMEX.

Robert2533

As far as I know, only credit cards issued by American or Canadian based banks, or those operating within the United States and Canada, provide primary coverage when renting a card outside of the country. Foreign based banks credit cards do not.

Your US based car insurance company does not offer coverage when traveling (driving your own car or rental car) outside of the United States and Canada, and coverage in Mexico is extremely limited. And I am not aware of any home owners policy that will cover damage to your rental car while traveling abroad, but it will typically cover thief of personal property while traveling, just like it does at home (if your home owner's policy includes "off-premise protection").

Any umbrella policy would have to address rental car coverage while traveling abroad specifically in order for you to be covered, and I am not aware of any insurance company the writes such a policy.

Most insurance companies will write a policy for those living abroad for an extended period of time (military, government employees, expatriates and third-country nationals), but not for someone on a two-week jaunt through Europe.

You can obtain coverage for just about any situation by purchasing Travel Insurance.

The IDP has been around in it's current form since 1949, but, until recently, only required by Italy. The IDP is issued by Canadian CAA and American AAA offices for Canadian's and American licensed drivers traveling abroad.

For those traveling to the US: "The United States does not issue International Driving Permits to foreign visitors. You will need to obtain this document in the country that issued your driver's license before you travel to the United States."

IMDonehere

As noted numerous times above, a US homeowners or umbrella MAY cover the liability. It has nothing to do with the physical damage.

IMDonehere

Also all insurance policies have "Other Insurance" provision which states which insurance should be applied first, although it is often a source of contention.

maitaitom

"It is really no big deal to obtain and cost is minimal compared to the total expenses for the trip. Get the thing if there is the slightest indication that it may be needed…"

Agreed, if I can't afford to fork over 22 bucks for an IDP (plus two photos) I should probably rethink where I'm going on vacation. It came in handy when I visited Slovenia…piece of mind trumps cost here.

ribeirasacra

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...omment-9181653
No it is called third party. Look at Wiki.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_insurance
About the USA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle...#United_States What you are writing about is again something different it is not car related.
This company will also cover you for the excess insurances. http://www.insurance4carhire.com/?curID=3

Nelson

<i>>...piece of mind trumps cost here.</i>

I just checked Eurpcar's rates for the 8 days we'll need a car in October, pick up Cordoba, return Granada. It was cheap compared to what I was expecting, even with this bundle:

Inclusive Rate Includes:
Value Added Tax (Vat)
Liability Insurance
Fire Insurance
Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) - with deductible
Theft Protection (TP) - with deductible
Unlimited Miles

Taking out CDW and TP dropped the price by sixty bucks, but I think not worth sweating it, even if I'm already covered on my CC. Peace of mind trumps cost.

Nelson

Hmm... I may have backpedaled on taking the rental company CDW, after reading the fine print on my card:

<i><b>Where am I covered?</b>
This benefit is available in the United States and most foreign countries.

<b>How do I make sure my Auto Rental CDW benefit is in effect?</b>
To be sure you are covered, take the following steps when you rent a vehicle:
1. Initiate and complete the entire rental transaction with your eligible Visa Signature card.
2. <u>Decline the auto rental company’s collision damage waiver</u> (CDW/LDW) option or similar provision.</i>

The good news is still that the rental is a lot cheaper than I thought it would be!