John Levine wrote:

how does all this work with rental cars?

Presumably the same as it does with speeding citations. You get a
bill from the rental car company after the fact along with a hefty
administrative surcharge.

It's the "hefty administrative surcharge" I was concerned about.

In my actualy experience, the surcharge is $2 or $3. You can decide
whether that
counts as hefty, in the context of everything else you pay for a car rental.

Considering that people often pay $10/day for the rental company's overpriced
insurance, it doesn't seem very hefty to me.

If one has a gold card or better from the credit card company, that includes
insurance for the collision damage waiver portion of rental company insurance.

As far as the state-required liability portion, if you own a car, it may
be included in your own policy. Even though your own policy covers liability
of other drivers who use your car, it won't cover them when they rent
their own cars.

There is such a thing as a non-vehicle owner liability policy. It covers
the driver when he rents a car. It also provides medical if the insured
is struck by another vehicle as a pedestrian or bicycle rider.

It's $400 or more a year, and probably a good idea.

In message , at 16:21:56 on Sun, 22 Jan
2012, Adam H. Kerman remarked:
Considering that people often pay $10/day for the rental company's overpriced
insurance, it doesn't seem very hefty to me.

If one has a gold card or better from the credit card company, that includes
insurance for the collision damage waiver portion of rental company insurance.

For USA cardholders and rentals in USA, perhaps. There's a whole bunch
of people for whom neither applies.
--
Roland Perry

If one has a gold card or better from the credit card company, that includes
insurance for the collision damage waiver portion of rental company insurance.

For USA cardholders and rentals in USA, perhaps. There's a whole bunch
of people for whom neither applies.

That rather surprised me. I have similar Mastercard credit cards from
HSBC in the US and the UK. The US card includes rental car cover,
like all high-end US cards do, the UK card doesn't.

R's,
John

On Sun, 22 Jan 2012 17:15:49 +0000 (UTC), John Levine
wrote:

If one has a gold card or better from the credit card company, that includes
insurance for the collision damage waiver portion of rental company insurance.

For USA cardholders and rentals in USA, perhaps. There's a whole bunch
of people for whom neither applies.

That rather surprised me. I have similar Mastercard credit cards from
HSBC in the US and the UK. The US card includes rental car cover,
like all high-end US cards do, the UK card doesn't.

UK motor vehicle insurance seems to have turned against anything
amounting to insuring drivers rather than vehicles in the last few
years, possibly because of the uncertainty of what somebody might be
driving when not using their own vehicle. My own insurance used to
cover driving other vehicles (but not for damage to that other
vehicle) but that feature was dropped about 15-20y ago.

On Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:16:38 +0000, Charles Ellson
wrote:
driving when not using their own vehicle. My own insurance used to
cover driving other vehicles (but not for damage to that other
vehicle) but that feature was dropped about 15-20y ago.

Mine still does.

Neil

--
Neil Williams, Milton Keynes, UK

On Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:43:56 +0000, Neil Williams
wrote:

On Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:16:38 +0000, Charles Ellson
wrote:
driving when not using their own vehicle. My own insurance used to
cover driving other vehicles (but not for damage to that other
vehicle) but that feature was dropped about 15-20y ago.

Mine still does.

Interesting. I have just had to dig out my insurance document to renew
the round thing displayed in the windscreen and I am again covered
for driving "a private motor car not owned by the Policyholder and not
hired" etc.; it was previously just for my own vehicle or any
substitute during repairs. Perhaps they put it back when they stopped
insuring me without limit (its now only 20M UKP) a few years back ?

Neil Williams wrote:

On Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:16:38 +0000, Charles Ellson
wrote:
driving when not using their own vehicle. My own insurance used to
cover driving other vehicles (but not for damage to that other
vehicle) but that feature was dropped about 15-20y ago.

Mine still does.


Mine too.

In message , at 10:30:08 on
Mon, 23 Jan 2012, Bruce remarked:
driving when not using their own vehicle. My own insurance used to
cover driving other vehicles (but not for damage to that other
vehicle) but that feature was dropped about 15-20y ago.

Mine still does.

Mine too.

Most UK car insurance policies will cover driving someone else's car
(and always have. But it's very likely to be third party damage claims
only.

It is alleged that when insurance companies assess the risk for a
driver, one of the reasons for asking their occupation, and having
different tariffs, is because there are correlations between certain
occupations and the likelihood of borrowing other people's cars (and
causing havoc).
--
Roland Perry

Roland Perry wrote:
at 16:21:56 on Sun, 22 Jan 2012, Adam H. Kerman remarked:

Considering that people often pay $10/day for the rental company's
overpriced insurance, it doesn't seem very hefty to me.

If one has a gold card or better from the credit card company, that
includes insurance for the collision damage waiver portion of rental
company insurance.

For USA cardholders and rentals in USA, perhaps. There's a whole bunch
of people for whom neither applies.

Interesting. Not even American Express?

If credit card companies in your country aren't competing on services,
how do they distinguish themselves so you'll obtain theirs?

How much would non-vehicle owner liability insurance cost in your country?

For USA cardholders and rentals in USA, perhaps. There's a whole bunch
of people for whom neither applies.

Interesting. Not even American Express?

Nope. I checked, my UK Amex card doesn't have car insurance.

If credit card companies in your country aren't competing on services,
how do they distinguish themselves so you'll obtain theirs?

The compete on plenty of services, just not that one. US credit cards
all suck because none of them include trip cancellation insurance,
like all UK cards do.

R's,
John