bocastephen

I booked a 3 month rental with Hertz as a PC member at a HLE location. IIRC, credit card insurance is typically limited to rental contracts of 28 days or less, but when I talked to the location to ask, it was as if the concept of a multi-month rental was completely foreign to them and I was told once the car was signed out, all communications about the rental had to go through customer service.

So, first question - does a multi-month contract get automatically renewed in the back-end every 28-30 days to create a new contract, or do you have one contract period that runs the entire length of your rental term?

Second question, has anyone done a multi-month rental and had a claim issue with their credit card insurance? When I look at the reservation itself, it shows "3 months at (xxxx per month)" with a total amount before tax so not sure if it just renews month to month in the background without me needing to sign a new agreement.

AutoSlash

It depends on the location. Some locations require you to return every 28-30 days and they re-write the contract while others don't seem to care and you can just keep the car and then you are charged at the end for the entire period. If you don't (have to) return to the location during the rental then it's a single multi-month contract.

As far as credit card insurance goes, if your card specifies a maximum rental duration, and you exceed that duration, and then subsequently have an accident that leads to a claim being filed, there is a decent likelihood that they will deny the claim. It really depends on the adjuster and whether they notice or not.

Note that even if it was written as 3 separate contracts or you originally reserved 3 separate rentals, back-to-back rentals are considered a single rental, so there's still a chance a claim would be denied unless you switched credit cards each month. Again, YMMV but it's probably not something you'd want to take a chance with.

bocastephen

I've never had an issue where a credit card or insurance company stated back to back rentals were a single rental, in fact, I was told the opposite - the opening a new contract creates a new rental and a new coverage period. I will, however, check to see if coverage is limited by the contract period. I can see that Amex limits coverage to 30 days, and their premium insurance covers up to 43 days, so neither of those will work. I may need to split the rental into 3 distinct contracts.

AutoSlash

This is wording from Amex that we have seen, albeit the information is from a number of years back:

"In no event shall coverage be provided when the Cardmember rents a Rental Auto beyond 30 consecutive days from the same Rental Company, regardless of whether the original agreement is extended, or a new written agreement is entered into, or a new vehicle is rented. Additionally, no coverage will be provided when the Primary Renter rents a Rental Auto for more than 30 consecutive days out of a 45-day period within the same geographic market/location (75-mile radius).”

CalItalian

62 days is the longest you can rent a vehicle on one Hertz rental contract. I've done it in the last year (LAX). More than that and you get a Hertz lease Monthly Car Rental | Hertz
Terms under the lease are different than a rental 62 days or less.

I've purchased, and am still under a year long policy, InsureMyRentalCar.com insurance but unfortunately they are no longer writing new policies. 31 days is their maximum (was 62 days previously) but there is no verbiage about back to back rentals. It was pretty cheap ($172 for a full year - expires next March for me). You might want to search for a similar type policy.

No credit card insurance is going to be valid on a three month lease.

CalItalian

For PAID American Express Car Rental Insurance, I don't see an exclusion about back to back rentals or a limitation to the amount of days (up to 42 days - except Washington State residents).
This would require you close out and start a new contract every 42 days or less. That would require a visit to the rental location to close out and start a new contract. Car Rental Insurance Coverage - Premium Car Rental Protection (americanexpress.com)
This is primary insurance, also.

bocastephen

I’m considering this option every 30 days because the other option is to use my regular auto policy. I prefer another option that’s primary. I’ll also look at the details of my Chase Presidential Plus Mastercard that offers primary coverage without an additional fee

corolla

That clause is definitely a long time ago lol, as it’s not in the current terms for a couple years at least.

To answer op’s questions: hertz does not rewrite the contract like some other companies. You will literally be getting a contract for several months (63 days and more are considered multi-month). They instead will send you a form to report back mileage every month (maybe tell you to swap the car or whatever). So you have to book separate reservations instead.

jrweaver912

I am in the middle of an 11-month long multi-month rental. The reservation and paperwork make it look like it will authorize the entire amount (in my case $7726.76) but it only puts a hold on for the monthly cost rounded to next $10 (in my case $660). You pay in arrears on the last day of the month and are auth'ed for the next month on the 1st. You are emailed a form to report your car number, make, model, plate, & mileage. Also in the same email I get a copy of my monthly bill. I have had the same ford escape almost the whole time (I am on a B reservation and was given a cx30, but that needed an alignment and I swapped at the airport). I have done 2 oil changes both where I paid and emailed in the receipt. The 1st I got the reimbursement back on that month's bill. The 2nd time I got a credit back onto the card I use to pay for the rental.

Every month I get the email to do a survey like i closed and reopened but the ra # stays the same. I haven't got any points thus far, maybe they all will be awarded when I close and reconcile in February, or maybe multi-month isn't eligible.

I don't know how much interaction the hle where i opened has with the rental as all communications go to the multi-month department in Oklahoma City. They have their own email, phone number, address, and fax.

corolla

You’ll get your points at the end of the rental.

The problem is, this ‘survey’ like thing does not mean separate contracts and wouldn’t be recognized by credit card insurances.