Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8703e/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/104)
Originally Posted by abcx
Originally Posted by
guv1976
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8703e/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/104)
Car rental companies in CA are not required to provide renters with any third-party liability coverage. Even though the company may carry liability insurance on the vehicles it owns, that will not help you if you cause injury to a third party, or damage to someone else's property.
In other words, it would be illegal for me to drive a rental car if I don't have any 3rd party liability coverage and don't purchase it from the company or Amex or someone?
I don't know if CA law requires the renter to have his own liability coverage. If a victim can recover from the rental agency (which has its own coverage), then CA might not care whether the renter is insured. It would be Hertz' or Avis' problem to sue the renter for reimbursement. (And, of course, if the victim's damages were substantial, I would think that both the renter and the rental company would be sued by the victim -- or by the victim's estate).
I have heard that some small rental agencies in CA will refuse to rent unless you provide proof of insurance, or purchase third-party coverage from them.
As an aside, some groups and associations -- like AARP -- have agreements with some of the larger rental companies to provide limited free third-party liability to renters who use the group's discount code on the rental. For example, I think Avis provides AARP members with 25/50/10 coverage at participating locations in the U.S.