Car rental & insurance

Here's how I look at it, and maybe I'm missing something but, in my normal domestic car rental life I don't buy all the extra car insurance that the car rental agency offers, but when my husband and I booked a rental car through Enterprise in France last month, I just bought all the extra bells and whistles insurance wise, because honestly I can't imagine trying to navigate the logistics of trying to work out/resolve insurance issues internationally even if your credit card offers coverage. I just want to drop the car off in the return no matter what scenario transpired while driving. Plus something I recently considered when traveling with a friend rather than a spouse. What happens if your friend is driving and but it's on your credit. How does that all get sorted out. I just don't imagine that you get to sit back while the "professionals" figure it out. I just picture the time consuming red tape required to navigate it. I just figured it easier to buy the insurance the car rental agency offers with hopefully fewer hassles and just return the car and walk away. But this is all the scenarios I've imagined not actually dealt with. Would be curious if others who have really had to deal with insurance have differing thoughts.

I just feel like when dealing with international scenarios, it's always more complicated and different. Another case in point; when we picked up our rental they told us they were going to put a 2000Euro charge/hold on our credit card since we said we'd return the tank full instead of buying their prepaid gas premium. That's 2000 PLUS the cost of the rental car on the card. WHAT? We were driving a smaller BMW for 5 days around Normandy. Even if we returned the tank empty, how much would it cost to fill up the tank?

I know this is not specific to Scotland, but just some points to ponder.

Well, I recently rented through Arnold Clark (did not use CL this time although I have in the past and found them good to work with). I declined the CDW and instead opted to pay it with my Chase Sapphire Preferred card. As luck would have it, I got a small dent on one side, so Arnold Clark charged me for it (well, I paid a deposit of £1000) and then I have put in a request for reimbursement to Chase. Everything has gone well so far. AC sent me all the paperwork I needed and I forwarded it onto the company working for Chase, and hope to hear back from them about reimbursement in the near future.

I probably spent about an hour or so gathering the paperwork, emailing and sending it all off, so not a lot of time. For me that was worth it not to have to spend £240+ that I won't get back. But obviously others may feel differently. :-) I will update this once a final resolution is made (or maybe just post something—or both).

...it sounds like taking the extra insurance is a better way to go...while my insurance would mean dealing with any issues when we're back home and might have difficulty dealing with the problem....

I think your conclusion is a good one. Better to have it all handled there rather than trying to sort stuff out later at home. And most credit card insurance coverage has more loopholes that good swiss cheese. Insurance is the only thing we hate to buy, hope we never have to use, but are glad to have it if needed. The 240 GBP spread over 18 days in only between 13 and 14 GBP per days. Very little to pay for peace of minde.

We just rented for 15 days from AC and I used my card coverage (leaving a $1000 deductible). A few days into the trip I hit one of those man-eating potholes near Duncansby Head and had a flat. I called AC and they estimated 5-6 hours to get service plus being on my tab since I didn't get tire coverage. Even though it was a bank holiday, a 'garage' was open and they had one of the right size. After using the silly latex kit and pump to inflate the tire enough to limp the 2 miles. The sidewall had a tear, so they charged me $90 for a new tire, balanced, and mounted. While I chatted with the mechanics and inspected their antique machinery, my wife wandered around the garage looking at the old abandoned hotel and watching seabirds fly into the piles of junk cars. When I turned the car in, they just called us even, even though they were out a latex cannister and pump and had an unmatched tire on the car. I could get the $90 back from Citi, but I don't think I'll even bother. I did take the CDW with Bolt Carhire on Shetland because it was very reasonable and was only four days.

I did have a larger claim in 2016 and other than the $4000 credit hold on my card, CITI made me whole and even removed the extra driver fee. Paperwork took about 30 days. Enterprise just rings up a total from their book, generating a $4000 fee for a couple of deep scratches from an encounter with a fence gate. I'm sure there was a negotiated settlement.

KD, thanks for your comments. My friend and I had not considered what could happen if she's driving and the car is in my name, on my cc. CL does ask for the name of the other driver, but also wants the name of the primary driver.

Interesting about returning the car with a full tank. That's something CL includes in their quote as a "should be returned with a full tank." We planned to do that, but a Hold is something I hadn't considered.

Mardee, thanks for your comments.

I have a no frills credit card. From the laborious reading of the legalese in the cc information about car rental, I would still be out 500 US. After jumping through varioius hoops.

It is interesting to hear about your experience.

Thanks again.

TC, I agree. Plus, since we're splitting our cost, it's very cheap for peace of mind. Especially since it sounds like we are likely to run into a tire issue. My cc insurance doesn't cover that.

Thanks for your comment.

jjgurley, thanks for the comment.

About the tire: the rental company didn't include a spare? Not that I could change a tire, but, if they include one, is it a full size one?

I'd heard, several year ago, that using the inflate-a-flat "stuff" meant that even if the tire was repairable, after using it, the tire had to be replaced. But, of course, if you need it, you need it. We would.

I'm learning so much. Thank you.

This is what I don't understand: If we were involved in an accident with another car, how is the other car/occupants covered?

This is called third-party insurance and will be included as part of the car hire. It is a legal requirement so things outside the card are covered. Things inside the car (you) and the car itself, is where you rely on your own insurance or buy insurance from the car hire company.