Rental Car Companies - Declining insurance?

Question

I want to rent a car,but I don't have a car that I own, hence I don't have insurance. I know rental companies attempt to hit you up for the extra insurance, but is it mandatory, and what would happen if there was an accident, and I declined insurance? Most companies are self insured, so i wonder about this.

Answer 1

You don't have to purchase anything but if you wreck the car whether you're at fault for the accident or not the rental company is coming after YOU for the damage to their vehicle.
Buy it and save yourself the hassle.

In some states the insurance the rental agency has doesn't apply when the vehicle is rented.

Answer 2

Hit you up extra? Heck, without a car insurance policy of your own, you're not going to be ABLE to rent a car. Just call around - NO ONE will rent you a car, if you don't have a policy.

Yes, insurance is mandatory. If you don't have ANY, on the slight chance that they'll rent to you at all, they'll put a hold on your credit card - like $20,000, in case you're in an accident. If you don't have a limit that high, they're not going to rent to you. If you DO have a limit that high, that hold is only going to pay for the damage to THAT CAR. You'll be sued for damages to any other vehicles or bodily injuries, and you'll lose that suit.

Most rental car companies are self insured, because the cost to insure physical damage on rental cars is ASTRONOMICAL, because there are TONS Of losses.

Answer 3

Finding the right lawyer would help, but you should also write to the upper management of the car rental company - find out who the CEO or president is. Technically, since he was not listed as a driver, he wasn't supposed to be driving the vehicle; it's conceivable that the contract may indicate you owe them money. But if the damage was bullets shot at the vehicle to kill your son - your son did not cause that, did he? If he was murdered because he mixed with the wrong sort of people (particularly if the vehicle was being used for the commission of a crime that went wrong for him), you may have a much harder time arguing your case. Otherwise, the people processing the paperwork might be only following rules they are not allowed to bend. But I think upper management of a car rental firm would recognize it's horrible public relations to try to get money for "bullet damage" from the grieving mother of a murder victim, if your son was merely a bystander. Any smart executive knows that really bad PR can cost their firm much more than $8000 in repair expenses. Also consider writing your local newspaper or TV station, particularly if they have a consumer advocacy line. That should make the company pay attention.

Answer 4

I had an experience once, that I'll NEVER not takeout Their coverage.

I rented a new Ford, 12 mi on it. I made a wrong turn, and when backing up, i rubbed the fender against a gruard rail.OUCH!!!!!!
I had to fill in an accident report - they helped me, They asked if I reported the incident to the police. i explained, there were no injuries, the guard rail wasn't damages, there were no other vehicles involved, and the car was driveablle. If I had called the police for that, they might have shown up in a month or so.
I had to sign in about 10 places, but I never heard another word.

Answer 5

purchase theirs...YOU NEED IT to rent a car. plus, its NOT that expensive

Answer 6

you are financially responsible for the car.. if you have no auto insurance.. BUY THEIRS!!!!