first time renting a car. get rental insurance?

[Exterous]

OK back to credit cards for a minute. If you're seriously considering applying for the Chase Sapphire Preferred I would also consider the Reserve if you can stomach the $450/annual fee which is really only $150 after you factor in the $300 annual travel credit which covers all purchases coded as travel such as local bus transit, AirBNB, Uber, parking, etc.

I believe thats $300 per calendar year while the fee is charged on card application anniversary so you should be able to get $600 in travel credit for your $450 fee (among other things)

looks like Costco visa card for costco member does travel protection and much more too.
not bad for $55 membership
https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/credit-cards/costco-anywhere-visa-frequently-asked-questions/

I can't find the true fine print but I suspect that would be secondary coverage so your auto insurance would still be primary. I don't think Citi offers a personal card with primary coverage anymore. Could be wrong but I would double check before planning on it being primary

 

[RockinZ28]

While that's better coverage than nothing it's terrible compared to most premium credit cards such as the awesome Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve.

Also check out costcotravel.com assuming you're a member, their rates are usually the lowest.

I never purchase the rental insurance, I pay using a premium credit card which offers PRIMARY (instead of secondary) and optional loss of use insurance ($5/mo) from my home/auto insurance company.

Just got my Reserve today. Was reading through the terms, and not too impressed with the rental insurance.

As in it doesn't cover any sort of injuries/medical to either party, or any depreciation value due to the damaged property.

I've never paid the extra for insurance, but if you're not a risk taker I'd either take the rental's ins. or make sure you're covered with your personal car insurance.

 

[BeauCharles]

I know they say if you have your own auto insurance and pay with a credit card its not necessary, but I always pop for the no-fault walk-away insurance. I actually needed it with a U-Haul truck once. Cause a couple thousand damage to my apartments carport when I clipped it. It was nice just to let U-Haul deal with it.

 

[1sikbITCH]

It's a good idea. I was in an accident so the rental company gave us a Chrysler 300. 1700 miles on it. I drove it home, parked it on my street, and 2 hours later the neighbors were screaming that a cab swiped it and kept going. Yellow scrapes and scratches from bumper to bumper.
Because we had said Yes to the extra insurance, all we had to do was give the cops a statement and exchange the vehicle.
Hands dusted off, down the road.

 

[GRIFFIN1]

I returned a car once and someone dinged the door in a parking lot. When I returned the car, they were all excited about charging me extra money for the damage. I could tell the guy was really disappointed when he realized that I had paid for the insurance. I was so happy that I didn't have to deal with the door ding that I always buy the insurance now. I don't rent cars often enough for the cost of the insurance to be a concern.

 

[zerocool84]

If you return it with a full tank of gas it doesn't matter if you total it or not.

 

[tynopik]

they were all excited about charging me extra money for the damage. I could tell the guy was really disappointed when he realized that I had paid for the insurance.

it's all part of the act to convince you to buy insurance in the future