roguemckenzie

Three weeks in France in May, first time in France! First week in Paris and no car, then plan to pick up car at CDG and drive the countryside! Loire Valley! And we love art nouveau so lab time in Nancy! So questions: we are both a little over 64. Have driven in England & Germany with no problems. We always decline the extra ins coverage offered at the counter because we have good insurance and our Visa CC acts as a secondary insurance. Any thoughts on this from other car renters? Or things to be aware of! No itinerary yet ! Thanks

greg

>>> we have good insurance and our Visa CC acts as a secondary insurance.
Looks like you are from the U.S. Unless you have some kind of super duper insurance, an ordinary U.S. auto insurance you use in the U.S. would not cover you in Europe. Usually you need a specialty oversea auto insurance usually marketed under some kind of travel insurance. If your "good insurance" does not cover you, your Visa CC acts as a primary insurance.

Whathello

We do like you and refuse CDW. Both because we have also coverage with CC and because we think the risk is not worth the extra money. We've been doing it for some decades and are on the win side.
Plus, the only time I had (big) scratches, I had taken an extra insurance (lucky us).

Also check our rules for driving : always chose the lane the most on te right, don't turn on red etc.

Sarastro

Why in the world would you go to CDG to pickup a rental to drive to the Loire Valley after spending a week in Paris? Please check a map of France. You´ll waste an hour going northbound to CDG; then another hour backtracking south toward the Loire Valley; not to mention the added expense of going to CDG in the first place.

If you are not going to pickup in Paris, which is what you should do, at least consider picking up at Orly which is along side A6; the autoroute you will need to take to join A10 to the Loire Valley.

As for insurance, greg is correct. It is very unlikely that any coverage you have in the US will extend to your driving in France. I have never heard of a US insurer that does that. If you have one, let us all know so others may benefit.

Most credit card coverage, such as Visa or MC, is only secondary coverage (in spite of what their advertising literature might state). The primary insurer is you, personally. In the event of a claim, you pay all costs and the insurance arm of Visa/MC will potentially reimburse you. The reimbursement may or may not cover you costs. If you need their insurance, be ready for the paperwork which will follow your claim.

If you have an AmEx card, seriously consider their primary insurance coverage which costs only $25 per rental. You will need to sign up in advance for their protection but it is well worth the small cost.

StCirq

It makes no sense to haul yourselves back out to CDG to pick up a rental car. I would hop on a train to Tours and pick up the rental there, or pick it up somewhere actually IN Paris.

Michael

<i>Most credit card coverage, such as Visa or MC, is only secondary coverage (in spite of what their advertising literature might state). The primary insurer is you, personally.</i>

I had no problems being reimbursed for damage to my car, entirely my fault. My coverage had no deductible. But I suspect that the OP already knows the drill.

Driving in France is no worse than driving in Germany.

I would pick up the car in Paris and visit Chartres on the way to the Loire valley, visiting the sites in the Loire valley from west to east if the intent is to then drive to Nancy. Between the Loire valley and Nancy, Troyes is a nice stop, Ronchamp is worth a detour.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...9999/show?rb=1

Christina

My personal auto insurance doesn't cover me abroad, either. Yes, CC coverage is secondary but that doesn't mean there is no primary if your regular policy doesn't cover you abroad (in other words, it does not mean you have to pay as primary, not sure what that would even mean in terms of limits, etc.). In fact your CC coverage would be primary if you didn't even have personal auto insurance, which you wouldn't if you didn't own a car in the US. This is the Visa benefits, for example, and it clearly states that (that it covers you if you don't even have auto insurance) and even gives you numbers to call abroad if any problems https://usa.visa.com/support/consume...-benefits.html

That isn't advertising literature, it's the legal explanation of benefits.

Sarastro

<i>in other words, it does not mean you have to pay as primary</i>

You most certainly do. The rental company will charge the card that you gave them at checkout for any damages. Visa and MC only reimburse what you have already paid the rental company.

The rental company does not contact Visa or MC on your behalf to obtain payment for damages.

StuDudley

>>don't turn on red<<

Thanks, Whathello. We've always wondered about that!! Here in Calif it is legal.

You'll enjoy the Art Nouveau in Nancy. We were there for 2 weeks in late Sept last year. My wife was working on her Shutterfly book today, and went through the 500 or so pictures of Art Nouveau in Nancy. Pick up a walking guide at the TI.

Stu Dudley

kerouac

Besides all of the commercial art nouveau buildings in downtown Nancy, it is also interesting to check out the art nouveau residential district.

http://anyportinastorm.proboards.com...au-homes-nancy

StuDudley

>> art nouveau residential district.<<

I'll second that. We spent the better part of a morning exploring the Parc de Saurupt area.

Stu Dudley