Car Rental

It appears that if you crash into a building, a farmer’s stone wall, or into another car, the TPL coverage will take care of any physical damage that you do to the building, wall, or other vehicle, plus any medical treatments for anyone injured. I wonder if any occupants of your rental car are also covered, if injured? Does your regular automobile insurance at home possibly provide coverage for any of the above, as well?

Since you’re not covered for the damage you cause to the rental car, though, do you want to purchase insurance against that? Is there a chance you used a credit card to book the rental that offers protection (get it in writing to show at the rental desk) for damage to your rental car? Also, do you have medical insurance that would pay for your treatments, if you were injured?

That was quick - thank you!

Want to let you know that you educated me on seeking and now utilizing my cc benefits - YAY.

My Chase CC covers Collision, Theft, Roadside Assistance, Windshield, all with no deductible. Also additional driver, as long as she is on the rental contract. They’ve already provided letter stating it includes Ireland and North Ireland. However, I need to have them resend 21 days prior to pick up. Does all this sound good to you??
NOW, I’m worried about the Liability. Reading what their T&C says…Will that suffice??
Also (Lol - I hope all this is worth saving $1000).
Below Look at their DL requirements. Seriously! My DL was just renewed (2024). Will be calling tomorrow, Monday the FLHSMV to get my driving record, hopefully it states I’ve been driving since 1900 (lol).

“you’ve had your driving license renewed and it only shows the date it was renewed, you'll need to prove when it was originally issued.
All drivers must have held their driving license for at least 9 years.”

Just remember that for your Chase insurance to pay out, you need to use it to pay fully for the car rental AND turn down any additional insurance from the rental company. Also, very few from the U.S. have a license that has been issued for 9 years. I don’t think this is a factor (having rented twice in Ireland).

As mentioned by TexasTravelMom above, for coverage from Chase, you have to decline all optional insurance offered by the rental company. Especially in Ireland, the company may be insistent, as we found with Thrifty two years ago at the Cork airport, but the letter from Chase’s insurance provider let us finally argue our case against purchasing further coverage at the rental desk, and the rental clerk made a photocopy of our letter for his files, and let us take our pre-arranged rental without buying their extra insurance.

As for liability coverage, I’ve never purchased any, but fortunately, never needed it with a rental. Maybe I’ve just been lucky to not have damaged or injured anything or anyone besides a rental car itself. I’d check with your own car insurance company to confirm what, if any, coverage it would provide in Ireland. We did have a claim two years ago, in Norway, for scratches that were on the painted front bumper of the car we rented when we turned it back in, but our Chase VISA card’s coverage paid for the full $800 cosmetic repair. We did have to provide documentation and photos to Chase, and Hertz provided us their own photos, damage estimate, and repair paperwork for us to forward as our documentation to Chase’s processor.

Our concerns have really just been about collision damage coverage to the rental car, and not liability, but then maybe we’ve just been lucky, and should be more focused on liability, in case something catastrophic happens. Hasn’t been a problem so far, but who knows in the future?!?!? Again, would your auto coverage already provide liability protection at home and in Ireland?

As for when your license was first issued, my guess is you were 16. Are you now just in your early 20’s? Who has their first license from when they were a teenager? Does the Motor Vehicle Dept. (Florida or otherwise) from where you got that first license provide such documentation? I’ve never had to show that anywhere, but have never rented from CarHire. My husband, aged 65, just renewed his license last week, and would a rental company think it was the first one he’d ever obtained, and he’d been driving for less than a month? If your rental company specifies something, maybe you need to dot every “i” and cross every “t,” but I think that’s unreasonable. Colorado licenses are good for 10 years, but at age 60, they’re turn good for every 5. Didn’t stop us in France last summer, as long as the license was current, no matter when it was issued. Again, your rental contract may be particularly strict, so do what you need to do to meet their requirements, silly as they may seem.

In Ireland especially, rental companies seem to be particularly concerned about younger drivers. Whether experienced drivers get less scrutiny might depend on the rental company. But you do want all your paperwork with you when you get to the rental desk, to avoid getting turned away. Happy driving, and keep to the left, but not too far left (don’t drive off the edge of the road)!

The person in the passenger seat should politely remind the driver to keep left, but to stay right enough to remain on the road, and also help warn of any obstacles, hard stone walls, sheep, or other potential hazards present. The driver will have enough else to deal with that those reminders are helpful.

Yes I remember - thank you!
Good to hear…feel better about the DL
So appreciate your knowledge and feedback.
I’m on this group on Facebook, “Ireland Travel Advice and Information” and the fear imposed on rental cars booked through a third party is overwhelming. Everybody opts out for some reason and the advice is “book direct and get full coverage”. I found you and did lots of research…driven Chase Travel benefits crazy - lol. Hopefully I’ve/I’ll save lots of $ and have a smooth car rental. Oh boy!

Sorry - I just read the rest of your message.
Yes me too only ever worried about collision.
My first call 3 days ago was to I my car insurance, AllState, and they do not cover abroad.

I will dot i’s and cross my t’s and seek to get proof that I’ve been driving since 16….now 60. YIKES.
Here in FL it’s good for 8 years. I kept my old DL which is not allowed…you have to discard and here in FL, now has a “new ID” thing, so we I renewed Sept 2024, our DL number changes. So no luck there.
Yes driving on the left is different to say the least, but I was sure to get an automatic, even though I love to drive a manual when on vacation.
My girlfriend is not worried about it…her ex husband is from North Ireland and she lived there 30 years ago….ooook. Lol
Many thanks!!!
Love your sense of humor.

Yes I will decline all insurance and takes lots if pictures at pickup and drop off.