Germany - Insurance Needs: Auto, Health, Accident, etc.

Everyone has an opinion. Due to a bad experience, I no longer trust insurance provided by credit cards. There are just too many variables and reasons for which they can deny a claim. Third party insurance can be cheaper, but if you were to have a claim you would have to pay it upfront and wait for the insurance to reimburse you. It all comes down to this: do whatever gives you the greatest peace of mind. The difference in cost might not be worth it if you get in a jam.

As for personal insurance, find out if your employer's insurance covers you while you are in Europe, then supplement with either medical insurance or, at the very least, medical evacuation insurance.

I think it all comes down to comfort level. You basically have three choices...
A) Take the rental company`s CDW and super CDW to bring your deductible down to zero. You pay for the convenience of being able to turn the car in, pointing out the damage, and walking away. There are exceptions, suchas tires, glass, and the like, when not caused by an accident, but there are extra insurances for that as well.
B) Taking the rental company's CDW and living with the deductible...maybe a couple of thousand Euro for your vehicle....and being prepared for them to put a hold on your credit card for that amount.
C) Checking VERY, VERY CAREFULLY to see what your credit card may cover and, more importantly, what it will not. To use your credit card coverage, you must decline ALL the rental company's CDW, and the rental company may put a hold on your cc for the entire value of the vehicle. In the event of damage, you will have to pay for it up-front, then collect all the police and repair reports to submit to your cc company, and then wait for them to compensate you.

Many auto rental firms now include a basic CDW in their rental rates. So if you choose the credit card option, you will have to make it clear to them you want the rental without CDW, and will be using your card for that coverage.

"... Liability for damage to other vehicles or people ..."

Third party liability insurance (min. 7.5 million euro) is mandatory for cars in Germany. This insurance (which covers everyone driving the car) is an integral part of a road legal car and part of the normal rental contract.

Germany has a great public transportation system. If you forego the rental car, using the public transportation system will eliminate most of your insurance worries.

Yep, as I expected as related to auto insurance coverage it looks like I got the full spectrum of responses in a very short period of time. Net: no clarity of answer, one must do what one thinks best. Every man/woman for thyself. Too bad.

Coverage by credit card (e.g., Visa) seems the most economical, but apparently there are associated claim-related horror stories in the wings...and if your claim is rejected you are stuck without any coverage for what could be mucho $$$. And, the amounts placed on one's credit card could also be prohibitive.

CDW provides coverage, but can be exceedingly expense and don't cover a frequently large deductible. (In my case my 3-week rental would go up from about 425 euros -a very good price- to about 800 euros with CDW from Hertz. Yipes.)

3rd Party coverage is cheaper, but seems that its usage might be challenged by the auto rental company. Yes, the 3rd party would refund your money, but you're out the expense while the refund is processed....and you'll likely wind up purchasing the rental company's CDW.

Liability "seems" easier to answer. Here claims by 3rd parties (an auto you hit and its occupants) seem to be covered (by law) within the rental agreement. I hope this is correct!!

Health insurance....finally a good answer, but from my own health insurance company. Yes, I am covered for all emergency situations.

I wish this stuff was more black and white.

One reason that the answers are inconsistent when it comes to rental car insurance through credit cards is that people carry a wide array of different cards with different benefits. Double check with YOUR card and see how much it covers. Also, people who rent in Italy encounter more difficulties finding a cc that covers CDW/LDW whereas this is easier to do for a rental in Germany.

We have a CIBC Visa Aerogold that covered ALL our insurance expenses in Italy with no deductible and no payments upfront. And we did have an accident that put it to the test - and it worked out just fine. But other cards have put other people here into a bad situation.

As to medical insurance that is a bit different. Age and previous health concerns also will vary with posters here and thus their way of insuring themselves. Some cc also cover this but most of them only for a very short period of time. Haven't heard of one that would cover you for a full month in Europe. We are covered through an addition to in our homeowners insurance throughout the entire year. That option works for us but is usually not available for older travellers.

Yes, I am covered for all emergency situations

Tony, that is the first time I hear that from a medical insurer. Does this include emergency repatriation as well? I.e. will they fly you home with specially arranged seating and medical support? This could easily cost $20-50,000

We took the full coverage from Amex for a small fee and rented a car through Hertz. We did, in fact, have a fender bender in Rothenburg. The experience was aggravating and something you hate to spend time trying to resolve on a European trip but luckily the damage was minor. Returned the car in Freilassing to Hertz and no one at the office spoke any English. Called Amex and they assured us it would be handled. Long story short, the damage, $900 or so they claimed, was fully covered and Hertz was good to deal with with the exception of us getting letters all in German for several months. Ironically, this was our first time to get full coverage insurance on a trip. Something you have to have for peace of mind.

Tony,

I mentioned the repatriation because you'd be looking at that with almost any major medical incident. Replacing a totalled car out of your own pocket might actually be "cheaper"...

What if you brake your leg? What happens once you're released from hospital? These days, they won't keep you very long there. Most likely, you won't be able to take a simple airflight back but need to purchase a complete row of seats so you can properly rest your leg. Or: you're looking at a 4 week stay at a German hospital (or hotel) with your wife already back home and nobody to visit you. Wouldn't you prefer to fly back home and continue your treatment there? Again, that would most likely require specialized - read expensive - flight arrangements.

My uncle's story is not an unusual one: he fractured his hip with a fall from a bicycle while on vacation. He ended up needing hip replacement for that - at the age of 25. Within days of hip replacement surgery he got an infection and needed a second surgery to replace the replacement. Fortunately, his insurance covered the flight home ($30,000) and all these surgeries and complications happened close to home with friends and family nearby. Can you imagine going through all that in Germany because you're not insured to fly back home in that condition after the accident?

Medical Insurance --- In response to a reply above concerning my private medical insurance covering me in Germany.... I called my USA provider and they clearly stated that I would be covered for any emergency services provided to me while in Germany. "Normal" services, like going to a physician for a sore throat, bad cold, general checkup, etc. are not covered. Only emergencies like: auto accident, broken leg, stick in eye, food poisoning, etc. In these cases I'd be treated in Germany. They are not paying to fly me back to the USA. My wife's insurance provide (a company different from mine) had the exact same coverage for her.

Okay, I agree, repatriation flight costs could be highly expensive. I'll give my insurance company a call to see if this specific expense is covered.

I often use the car lease option offered by Europe by Car or Auto Europe. You receive a new car, with full insurance and no deductables. They are designed for a 17 day or longer stay. Also Travel Guard insurance offers CDW coverage if you need it cheaper than traditional car rental companies. I called my credit card company (visa)and they walked me through exactly what they covered and showed me how to look it up online. In the end I usually choose a lease arrangement.

Thanks, everyone, for the responses relative to my 3-week trip to Germany. The direction I'm inclined to take now that I've some additional information, rates, and feedback from insurance providers is:
(1) I'm renting a car, but declining the CDW. I managed to get a daily rate of about $23 per day, including taxes. (Very small car)
(2) I'm using my (platinum) VISA to cover the CDW
(3) I'm dedicating this VISA card to cover the auto risk / deductibles and using a MasterCard for all other expenses during the trip
(4) I'm using my standard USA medical insurance to cover health emergencies while on the trip
(5) I'm assuming the risks associated with emergency repatriation (should a medical problem require this)
Yes, there are risks here. I hope they are of low probability.