Has Anyone Hired A Car In The Usa Recently?

[10ClarionSt]

We're going in September. We've been lots of times and hired a car but last time they tried selling me Road side Recovery Insurance to cover possible flat tyre, damaged windscreen or towing charges. This was previously in the package. Has anyone taken this out in the USA and used it? If so, how did it work? Is it a rip off? TIA

[buildersmate]

Returned from USA two weeks ago and bought this cover beforehand from Insurance4carhire. There are other companies that do it. It cost fifty pounds for an annual policy and is the worldwide cover. There is another product specifically for the USA that includes SLI that is even more costly which you need but which may be already covered in the rental agreement price. Or it is about three pounds per day if your trip is short.

[mikey4444]

I have hired many cars in the States over the last 40 years and have never had a broken windscreen but did have a puncture once. If you can change a tyre, why waste money on more insurance you don't need ? Its yet another scam by the rental companies...laugh and walk away !

[chokkie]

Probably, we swear by a policy (taken out in the UK) from "insurance4carhire". The agent we were talking to when picking up our rental car in San Francisco talked himself blue in the face to try and sell us extra insurance, but we just waved our INsurance4carhire policy at him. He gave up in the end. But check Insurance4car-hire's Ts and Cs.

[Iggle Piggle]

I always turn it down. Read the small print on the rental document, there will usually be basic cover included.
It's their car, are they really going to abandon it? The risk is they will probably leave you by the roadside if it breaks down ...

[naomi24]

We've hired many cars in the US, but if all those things aren't now covered under the standard policy, I'd want them covered. We've driven through some incredibly remote areas and I choose security and peace of mind over money any day.

[zebo]

http://www.insurance4carhire.com/ covers the excess including glass, tyres etc, at least they did when we took it out.
We hire in the US regularly and never take out their roadside assistance they try to sell you and have never had problems.
Watch them when you pick the car up, we were once given an electronic gizmo for signing and when I questioned a figure was told that that was the dollar equivalent of my UK voucher, and it was, mathematically. However when I returned the car the amount was taken from me for insurance extras I'd apparently accepted. I argued it with Dollar and eventually they refunded it. You're fairly tired when you pick up the car but watch them, I now use my phone and record the whole conversation, they don't like it but tough!

[Iggle Piggle]

Make sure you fill up before you take the car back too, their charge for petrol can be way higher than the price of the gas station you pass on the way in, which is the one they use !

[Clanad]

Iggle's advice should be heeded… here in the U.S. all car rental companies offer 3 ways to pay for the fuel you use. One is accept their pre-charge which they, then fuel the car. It is less expensive than the going price at the pump, but the problem with this is that you need to return the car with nearly an empty tank to make it pay. Second is simply return the car with a full tank… the one I use all the time. Usually one can find easily a fuel station that is cheaper, sometime a lot cheaper than others. (Hint, avoid buying fuel at stations near the main highways, Interstate system, etc.). Lastly, return the car as is and they fuel it at exorbitant rates. Fuel, nationwide here right now averages about $3.60 a U.S. gallon. Return the car and allow the rental agency to fuel it and they'll charge you well over $4.25 a gallon. They love the renters that use this method for convenience since one always seems pressed for time when returning the car.

Here, we never opt for additional insurance since our insurance company that we use for our own cars covers all rentals. You may wish to check with your insurance company in the U.K.

[naomi24]

Iggle's good advice applies to European car hire too.