Rental car in Scotland: questions

Third party insurance is compulsory and will be included in your rental - it's the law you can't drive without it.

The other insurance options are up to you - you may be encouraged by the car hire company to buy theirs, or you may decide you own arranged coverage is sufficient. Or you may not bother with any and hope there are no dents when you return the car.

Hi sourismom. I agree with the advice provided by rambling on. The rental company will provide free liability coverage as part of your rental; nothing you need to do for that. As far as CDW, just to clarify, there is nothing inherently better about 'primary' coverage vs. 'secondary' coverage. All 'primary' means is that if you have multiple coverages, the primary one will take precedence. But if you have no designated primary coverage, then your 'secondary' coverage becomes primary and is in full force. Enjoy your trip!

Go with the AMEX coverage. Check with your insurance agency for more guidance.

You're going in a wonderful time of year! We went to Scotland in April 2002 and all the daffodils were in full bloom.

We rented a car, but decided not to drive in Edinburgh or Glasgow. Instead, we stayed in nearby B&B's in the countryside and rode the commuter train into the city. We spent less the commuter trip and for in town transportation than it would have cost to park. We may have been a little overly cautious, traffic wasn't as bad as we were led to believe. Public transportation served our needs well anyway.

Where do you plan to go?

Thank you for the replies!

I'm planning to pack in more than I probably should on my trip -- there will be a lot of driving, but I figure it's probably my one trip to Scotland unless I win the lottery, so I want to get to a lot of places. That tends to be my vacation style. From Edinburgh, I have overnights in:
Stonehaven
Inverness
Near John O'Groats (for early ferry to Orkney)
Orkney (two nights)
Drumnadrochit
Skye (three nights)
Crianlarich near Loch Lomond
Then back to Edinburgh

Last trip we took a train from Edinburgh to Aviemore, although the train does go to Inverness. (We have family in Forres so get picked up in Aviemore). I usually rent a car at Inverness airport as it's quieter on the roads to start out, if you have never driven on British roads.
I think the American Express coverage is a good idea if it's only $20. We had a rental car after my van was totaled on the way home from a Hawaii vacation. Unfortunately it was damaged when it was in a parking garage, valet parking. I inadvertently added the CDW coverage when I rented the vehicle, but when I returned it I really appreciated being able to walk away!

I think you have some good choices on your list of locations. Just one thought, take good rain gear! We were in downpours several times on our trip to the Orkneys, and we were also drenched on a previous trip to the Isle of Skye. We were thankful for our Goretex jackets and hiking boots! You may not need boots, but a good coat is essential.