Car rental coverage- unrelated authorized driver

[bizlady]

We are planning a road trip with friends. Driving will be split between the couples. Car rental will be in our name. but other driver (a friend) will be listed and added as a driver in addition to DH.

While I recognize at a minimum, we both need to have personal car insurance which includes rentals, should we get in an accident while the friend is driving, do we end up with primary liability because the rental is in our name?

 

[pacergal]

You can add an additional driver to the car rental insurance at the kiosk.
Thats what I did when on vacation with my DF years ago. More expensive, but safer for me to drive than him at the time! And he had rented the car originally.

 

[Bamaman]

The additional driver is notifying the rental company that another driver will be authorized. And they'll also check his drivers' license.

But the person listed on the rental's private insurance will be primary. Even if you purchase rental insurance (PMI), it will be secondary to your personal insurance policy.

And a credit card rental car coverage is often third in line--only in effect if you turn down the PMI from the rental company specifically.

What's so amusing is that the big rental companies pocket the $ on the optional insurance, but they don't pay it out. They're all "self insured" on collision/theft and comprehensive.

 

[ivinsfan]

I guess there is no way to actually ask the rental company? In this day age customer service is pretty poor. Maybe you could ask your insurance agent?



We've done and did add the friend and payed the additional drivers fee...I'd like to know what you find out. We once discussed renting one large road trip type vehicle to take a 1500 mile road trip with friends but ended up with a different outcome.

 

[omni550]

How timely.

Just had a relative in town from France last week. She had reserved a rental car here, but something went haywire with her credit card on arrival and they wouldn't rent to her. (I wasn't there, so I don't have any details.)

I picked her up the next morning at her hotel and we went back to the airport. I put her rental car in my name, and paid $70 to have her added as the second driver.

ALSO, I told them I wanted full insurance coverage on the rental (as I drive an '06 Toyota Highlander with [basically] liability coverage.) That was another $390 for the week, but much cheaper than buying a new vehicle if the rental car was in a wreck.

She drove the car all week with no issues and dropped it off at the airport yesterday.

omni

 

[ncbill]

The additional driver is notifying the rental company that another driver will be authorized. And they'll also check his drivers' license.

But the person listed on the rental's private insurance will be primary. Even if you purchase rental insurance (PMI), it will be secondary to your personal insurance policy.

And a credit card rental car coverage is often third in line--only in effect if you turn down the PMI from the rental company specifically.

What's so amusing is that the big rental companies pocket the $ on the optional insurance, but they don't pay it out. They're all "self insured" on collision/theft and comprehensive.

What type of insurance?

Don't think the property insurance (CDW) purchased at counter is secondary.

I know Allianz markets their $11/day ($50k limit) 3rd-party coverage as primary.

Do you mean liability instead?

If you're worried about that you want an umbrella over your personal auto.