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It can cost anywhere from $10 to more than $40 per day to add insurance to a rental car, depending on the vehicle, rental company, type of insurance, and location. The cost of adding insurance to a rental car can even exceed the daily cost to rent the vehicle. However, it’s worth it if you can’t afford to pay out of pocket for any damage to the rental or other property damage and injuries you cause.
Car Rental Insurance Cost by Company
- Hertz (from $42.30/day)
- Enterprise Rent-A-Car (from $26.99/day)
- Alamo Rent A Car (from $10.99/day)
- National Car Rental (from $10.99/day)
- Dollar Car Rental (from $9.99/day)
Car rental companies typically offer collision damage waivers (CDWs), also commonly known as loss damage waivers, to cover damage to the rental vehicle. A CDW technically isn’t an insurance policy, but rather a protection plan that covers most damage to the rental vehicle while it’s in your possession. Keep in mind, however, that CDW terms of service vary by rental company.
In addition to CDWs, car rental companies offer supplemental liability insurance to cover other drivers’ property damage and injuries that you cause, personal accident insurance to cover your injuries, and personal effects coverage for items stolen from your rental car. Some car rental companies may also sell theft coverage separately, while others will include it with loss/damage waivers.
If you have comprehensive/collision coverage on your personal auto insurance policy, or the credit card you use to reserve the rental includes rental car insurance, you may not need to add extra coverage to a rental car. However, the catch with relying on these coverage options, rather than buying extra rental car insurance, is that you may have to pay for damage up front and recover the cost by filing a claim afterward.
People also ask
Do you need insurance to rent a car?
No, you don’t need insurance to rent a car. Rental companies must insure rental cars because they own and register the vehicles, but they usually carry only minimum liability coverage. If you don’t have personal insurance or credit card rental car insurance, you’ll probably want some of the extra coverage rental companies offer at the time of sale.
Before you buy the rental company’s insurance, you should consider what coverage you may already have through your personal car...
read full answer by Anamarie Waite, Car Insurance WriterHow long will insurance pay for a rental car after an accident?
Insurance will pay for a rental car for up to 30 days after an accident, in most cases, as long as a customer has rental reimbursement coverage. The 30 days of rental car payments that insurance companies typically cover are meant to give enough time for car repairs to be completed or for a customer to find a new car.
An exception to the general 30-day rule is if the accident was another driver’s fault. In...
read full answer by WalletHub, Financial CompanyHow much is Enterprise rental car insurance?
Enterprise rental car insurance costs around $12+ a day, depending on the coverage. The available rental car insurance options are Personal Effects Coverage and Supplemental Liability Protection, and each can be added to a rental agreement for a fee.
Enterprise Rental Car Insurance Options
Personal Effects Coverage
The personal effects coverage (PEC) insures the personal belongings of the renter and qualified passengers against risks of loss or damage. The cost of PEC...
read full answer by WalletHub, Financial CompanyDid we answer your question?
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