jackal

I agree with CMK10 that this was most likely a thinly-veiled attempt at a sale.

However, I am hard-pressed to understand how your insurance information can be considered "personal information" not to be shared with a rental car company that is loaning you an expensive asset.

Agree that if you have an established relationship with a particular branch, though, you shouldn't be subjected to the hard-sell. CMK10's right, though, that the Enterprise organization rewards overly pushy sales tactics and severely punishes those who can't sell. (A friend of mine was fired from Enterprise for refusing to be a pushy, sleazy salesperson.)

sokolov

Interesting. So how do they pay the deposit (if they don't leave their own vehicle with you)? Piles of cash? Blue eyes?

CMK10

Cash or debit cards mainly. I like the cash, no processing fees to pay and you never have that awkward "I'm afraid your card did not go through" moment.

PlateMan

Anytime I have ever rented from Enterprise, always a local location ... they always demand to know the deductible from my personal plan. They would not give me their car without me stating this. This includes locations in both NY and VA.

jmastron

Interesting, as the deductible amount is information you generally don't want to share (it's not on the proof of insurance card, nor is the policy limit -- something else you don't really want a potential liability holder to have up front).

One school of thought is that when asked a question that someone has no business asking, the answer need not be as accurate as it otherwise would be. I'd likely just say "$100" or whatever the lowest offering my insurance company has, and assume that's what the agent meant, even though my deductible is significantly higher than that. Since for *some* losses, my policy has a lower one (glass, I believe), I'd be okay with that answer.

This is to discourage finding "damage" that just happens to be $999.99 when your deductible is $1000 so the insurance company won't get involved in the investigation...

jackal

They'll end up finding it out anyway when the insurance company cuts them a check less your deductible (and loss of use and administrative fees and diminished value charges).

But sure, telling them $100 will work.

rnheadlee21

Pennsylvania too!

WIRunner

Looking at a few of my insurance cards (two from WI and one from ME, all different companies), they all display the deductible amounts, and the policy limits. Although, it really doesn't matter since we have an umbrella policy.

Personally, all this is a moot point. I don't rent from Enterprise any longer, and my credit card provides primary rental insurance.

dtremit

What are you supposed to do if you live in a state that doesn't have insurance cards? In MA your insurance details are all part of your auto registration.

CMK10

You could bring a copy of that, or just your insurance carrier, policy number and the details on a piece of paper would probably suffice. Or just memorize it.

Paddlenpedal

I rent a lot from Enterprise, not because I love them exactly, but because I get 150 Amtrak points per rental day, through March. When that goes back to 50 points per day, I'll probably move on...But, I have always gotten a better car than I reserved, and never had any problems, other than the insurance discussion. My company self insures our fleet, but I just tell them my Credit Card covers me, and that's always sufficed. I'm NOT going to give them MY insurance, when driving on company business. I guess I COULD give them my company vehicle insurance card, but have never had to produce it yet.

My only complaint with Enterprise is the time it takes to get a rental-They apparently cater to the never rented a car before kettles.....I'm a pro-I want to sign, and get in and go. I don't need to be walked to my car, etc etc etc. If only Hertz or Avis gave 150 miles for a rental day.......I LOVE Hertz and Avis, see your name on the board, go straight to your car, get in, and leave. Can't beat that. But, they're also usually a lot more expensive, and, lets face it, I'm a points whore.....I want my 150 a day!

darkom

Exactly. It's quite obvious the OP doesn't have personal insurance. Just because you've skated on coverage 20 times doesn't mean you're grandfathered in from company policies. Consider yourself lucky you didn't crash a car those previous times.

SinglePapa2

I'm EnterprisePlus. Don't own car or insurance and want to decline at neighborhood counter (9-day Passenger Van reserved). What will help:
1. AARP? Members receive third party liability coverage at participating locations:
•Enhanced Primary Liability Coverage - $25,000 / $50,000 / $10,000.
•Maximum Responsibility Cap - For damages to the rental car if you decline the collision / loss / damage waiver. This is capped at $5,000.
2. AMEX? ($50/y Business Gold? or does any free AMEX card help just as well?)

My traveling partner is CDL driver with insurance; but he only has Debit Card. That's why reservation is in my name, and I'd be happy not to add him as co-driver if there is charge for it. Given all the above, what's my best action?

mrkymark

Most agents have no idea why they are asking the questions. The world of rental car insurance, state mandated minimums, and insurance sell quotas are all mixed together.

Using the case of California in regards to liability not cdw/ldw:
- I am unsure in Enterprise in CA provides minimal state mandated coverage, if they dont they have to charge you for the minimal state mandated coverage (not the supplement but the RLI)
- Or make sure that you have personal liability insurance.
- Not only do they have to confirm that you have personal liability insurance but they also have to make sure that it fulfulls the state mandated minimums (hence the questions on the degree of your coverage)

Nothing is uniform however and different sites have different priorities. Different companies also have different policies.

AutoSlash

We can't speak to the AARP and Enterprise option, but we can say that the AMEX option won't help you with liability. AMEX, whether via the free CDW included on most cards or the paid "Premium Car Rental Protection Plan" (which provides primary collision coverage for $24.95* per rental transaction [$17.95 in California]), only covers collision, not liability.

*There is also an unadvertised $19.95 per rental transaction price level that offers a reduced cap on the benefits

As far as we've been able to ascertain, there is one credit card that advertises free, included third-party liability insurance for car rentals: the American Express Platinum International Dollar Card, which is not issued inside the U.S.

If you can find out more information about the AARP option, that may work out the best for you. If not, one option might be to purchase a non-owned auto insurance policy, which will cover you while driving rental cars and other vehicles you don't own. Prices apparently vary wildly based on state of residence and other factors but can range from dirt cheap to more expensive than most regular car insurance policies. There's not a lot of information out there on this option, although there are occasional allusions to it on FlyerTalk. Try starting here, though: http://www.google.com/search?q=non-owned+car+insurance.

As for your traveling partner with a debit card, you may want to check with Enterprise and see what their requirements are for renting the size of vehicle you want. Local Enterprise offices usually do allow debit cards for rental albeit with stricter rental qualifications, although they may not allow them on large specialty vehicles. If they do and your traveling partner meets the requirements, it may work out better for you to disassociate yourself from responsibility for the rental. (As long as you're present when he's picking up the vehicle and/or otherwise give them authorization to do so, they should have no problem renting the car to him with the rate guaranteed on your reservation.)

Also, note the following point about third-party liability insurance on rental cars, which dovetails nicely with the next poster's reply:

In California, rental agencies are not required to extend any liability insurance to customers, even though they maintain fleet coverage for the purpose of protecting themselves and their employees while they are driving company cars. In our experience, no rental agency (exclusive of corporate agreements specifying otherwise) voluntarily extends any liability insurance to customers beyond that required by law, and I believe that is the case in California as well. There is a post elsewhere on FlyerTalk (in the Hertz forum, IIRC) by someone who did not have liability insurance and did not purchase any from the rental agency and is consequently personally financially on the hook for damage caused to another party. I would not suggest relying on any rental agency in California to include any liability insurance; however, most agencies should offer the purchase of RLI, SLI, or both, of course for an additional fee.

As far as we know, California is the only state where this is the case; most other states require the rental agency to provide at least state minimum liability coverage but allow allow the rental agency's insurance to be secondary to the renter's other coverage, while a very few states (five or six, IIRC) require the rental agency to provide primary coverage for liability insurance.

Rental agencies in New York prior to the Graves Amendment were required to assume unlimited vicarious liability for the actions of their renters; consequently, rental qualifications in New York were extremely strict. Additionally, New York state law requires rental agencies to rent to anyone 18 years of age or older, and this in combination with the unlimited vicarious liability coverage led to insanely high young renter fees--upwards of $75/day--and generally high rental rates. Rental agencies no longer have to assume unlimited responsibility for the actions of their renters (as long as they are not negligent in renting the vehicle), but New York is one of the few states where rental agencies are still required to provide primary third-party coverage (up to state minimums, if I recall).