Elizabeth

Do you always pay for the added CDW? Or do you risk it with your credit card coverage?? We rented from AutoEurope in Germany a few years ago & our gold card had the added insurance... no accidents.. no problems... This time we will be driving in England though & I feel it's more risky just driving opposite of how we're accustomed for one thing. I have thorougly read our gold card coverage info... but after reading others' experiences on here, I am now wondering if the worry is worth it & we should just get the added CDW?? There seems to be many loopholes & exclusions in the CC coverage.

Ed

We have decent coverage with our gold card and have never gotten added insurance from the rental company. Yes, I'd worry a bit about possible difficulties with the card coverage, but all in all feel very safe.<BR><BR>Were the rental company insurance priced reasonably we might buy the added peace of mind. Unfortunately it has become the way in which the rental companies make their profit. Don't look at it as insurance. It's a fee. If you don't have other insurance you'd be crazy not to pay it. If you do have adequate coverage through other means, then take a careful look at whether the cost really justifies the marginal improvement in your sense of security.<BR><BR>Ed

Patrick

We all debated this topic the other day. What I would still like to hear is from someone who didn't take the coverage, had a major problem, and how they settled it. Did they have to pay for all the damage on their credit card and then try to work it out later with the credit card company? I do know that the rental companies tell me if there is a problem, they do not accept any responsibility for dealing with your credit card company. They want immediate payment from you and then you can handle getting your money back. That's the part that worries me.

Richard

In January of 1995 while driving on the Isle of Skye I was forced off the road, hit a pothole and blew out 2 tires, damaging the rims. Local garage arrived, replaced 1 rim, all they had in stock, replaced the tire and I put it on our VISA. The rest of the trip we drove on the new rim/tire and the spare. Once home, contacted AMEX, they sent a claim form and all was taken care of. AMEX required the claim form, the initial and finalized Rental Agreement, the AMEX receipt and copy of repair bill and misc. other info.

Patrick

Thanks, Richard for your reply. Sounds like it was easy enough. Anyone want to report about major damage to a car, or total loss say $5000 or more put on a credit card and getting reimbursed for? (Sorry, I'm always expecting the worst.)

april

You might also want to check with your car insurance agent. I did so before the first time I rented a car and was told that my policy covered me for rental cars. So, if you have problems with credit card coverage, you could have a backup with your regular car insurance coverage.

Joan Ross

Investigate..Be sure you know what coverage you have before you decline the rental ins. I called our gold card and was told we were covered up to $50,000 on the gold card. We went with it. We had a small, slow speed fender bender in a parking lot in Austria last summer...$1800. worth. In filling out the paper work we found the gold card was a secondary ins. to our primary one. Our primary ins. does not cover Europe. We had to pay the cost up front to the credit card. We're still waiting for an outcome. good luck!

Eugenia

The Visa coverage worked for us, when our rental was stolen with all our things in it, in a small town in France. It was a major hassle though, and requred a lot of phone calls to straighten things out. Be sure to make a police report if anything happens to the car that isn't your fault.