Hiring A Car In The US - What Insurance Cover Do I Need?

[RuamRudy]

I am flying into LA later this month, picking up a car at LAX and going on a bit of a road trip, mostly in California but we will head to Las Vegas for a couple of days.

 

I have arranged a rental car from Dollar via www.easycar.com. The rental price includes the following insurance cover:

 

"Loss Damage Waiver (LDW)

Third-Party Liability (TPL)

Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI)

Uninsured Motorist Protection (UMP)

Homeland Security Charge

Local Taxes

Premium Location Surcharge

Your rental includes unlimited free kilometres.

 

The car has a theft excess of US$ 0.00 including tax.

There is no excess for the coverage provided by the car hire company’s CDW policy.

The damage excess only applies to parts of the car that are covered by your car’s Collision Damage Waiver policy. If other parts of the car (such as windscreen, tyres and undercarriage) are damaged, you will pay the full repair cost.

There is no excess for the coverage provided by the car hire company’s CDW policy."

 

I am expecting that they will push me to take additional cover but I have no idea whether this is comprehensive enough, or if I should add extra. Can anyone with knowledge of these things advise? Thanks.

[GinBoy2]

Honestly, in the US I'd take all the additional insurance they offer.

Now my only caveat to that would be if you have car insurance in the US and they extend that coverage to rentals

[Nyezhov]

42 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

Honestly, in the US I'd take all the additional insurance they offer.

Now my only caveat to that would be if you have car insurance in the US and they extend that coverage to rentals

Ditto, especially if you dont drive here often

[moe666]

Those extra insurance will cost you big bucks. Budget tried to scam a friend for 400 dollars by tacking on the insurance after he said no to them.That scam was in the states not Thailand

[GinBoy2]

When we were back in Thailand over New Year, I rented a car from Hertz Thailand.
All these companies are the same the world over when it comes to insurance.
Thankfully I took the additional insurance to cover tires, windshield etc, since Mrs G decided to hit the curb and blow out a tire and destroy the rim.
Without it, I'm pretty sure that would have been the most expensive rim and tire I had ever purchased in my life

[KNJ]

Search online for CDW excess. I pay 45 GBP for one year on rental cars world wide excluding USA. Including USA is more expensive but not that much.

I have claimed on it twice with no issues, only downside, pay first claim back after.

In UK it is 7-10 GBP a day, through most hire car agencies you would have to be nits to pay that. Sire they will try and get you to buy it just take out the one year and tell them to whistle

[RuamRudy]

4 minutes ago, KNJ said:

Search online for CDW excess. I pay 45 GBP for one year on rental cars world wide excluding USA. Including USA is more expensive but not that much.

I have claimed on it twice with no issues, only downside, pay first claim back after.

In UK it is 7-10 GBP a day, through most hire car agencies you would have to be nits to pay that. Sire they will try and get you to buy it just take out the one year and tell them to whistle

So LDW and CDW are not the same thing? There is no clear indication of CDW in the list I posted, but a reference to it in the text below.