BingoWingo

I'd posted a few months ago asking how I can rent a car in the US if I am travelling there, using a foreign drivers license. Aside from rentalcars.com, does anyone know where to rent a car which includes insurance or is there no such luck that you have to buy your own insurance at the rental cars counter?
I hope someone can answer this, since most of the car rentals I see here only caters to US citizens or with US drivers license. Thanks!

cestmoi123

If you book a car from Hertz for a US rental, through one of the non-US sites (i.e. hertz.co.uk, for example), the insurance will be included in the rate. I would imagine something similar exists for other rental car companies.

If you book through, say, expedia.co.uk, it also includes the insurance in the rate.

So, lots of options other than rentalcars.com.

sdsearch

There are several different types of insurance on rental cards. I presume you're both referring to liability insurance (injury of other persons)? That's the type that's often included when you book in your own country's website for a rental in another country. It's confusing to say just "insurance" (without specifying the type) when referring to rental cars.

Colllision / theft insurance is not country-specific. You either have to have it through a credit card (and then decline it completely from the rental company) or buy it through the rental company. That works the same whether it's in your country or outside your country (except some credit card coverages don't cover every country), so I presume that's not the type of insurance you're asking about.

cestmoi123

I'm talking about both LDW/CDW (which protects you if you damage the rental car) and third-party liability (which protects you if you damage other cars or hurt people). Typically, both are included in the rate when you book a car in the US from outside the US.

BingoWingo

Thanks for all those who responded! really appreciate it..

I am more concerned on damage(both mine and other party) as I really dont know if they would allow me to rent a car if I decline the car rentals insurance(I dont think my credit card covers damage to car rental insurance here)..I know most Americans have auto insurance thats why they decline the insurance given to them by the rental cars company.

I have a US license though but no car there, do you think I should opt for an independent insurance agent(online) that sells car insurance for a month or would that be more expensive then?

Thanks for all those who would respond again..

sdsearch

Most of the general public? Perhaps.

But most of the people on FlyerTalk? No, because then they couldn't decline the collision/theft insurance on rentals outside of the US, because for most people in the US their auto insurance only covers them within the USA, not elsewhere in the world. Yet many FTer decline collision/theft insurance worldwide.

I, and many other FTers, decline collision/theft insurance worldwide because of credit card coverage. (But not all credit card coverage is equally good; in fact, some "cheap" credit card coverage doesn't work outside the country you live in, which makes it pretty poor compared to the better ones that either work totally worldwide, or at least near-worldwide with just a few specific countries as the exceptions.)

Mrp Alert

Do you have a US PayPal account? If so, their debit card used to include full coverage as its a business card. Be advised that not all rental agencies accept debit or may hit you with an additional credit check.

sdsearch

But even if they accept debit they may "authorize" an amount way higher than you rental estimate, and so you have to have a lot of funds kept in your debit card account to be able to use it of rental cars.

While with a credit card, all you need is sufficient credit limits, but not a dime of actual funds tied up.

Thus yet another reason to avoid even trying to use debit cards for car rentals, unless you have no problems tying up large amount of cash in temporary "authorizations".

BingoWingo

I do have a US paypal account(but minimal cash inside, less than 100 I believe),and thinking of getting a credit card for my mom,as they can apply for a credit card in the US. Which credit card would you recommend that insurance is covered if i rent a car? Thanks.