Ask George: Should I Decline Optional Car Insurance? |
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Ask George: I don’t own a car, and when I rent one on a trip I decline all the optional insurance because I figure my credit card covers it. Am I making the right move?
A: You might want to ask yourself what would happen if you ran your rental car over a curb and hit a pedestrian and got sued for all you’re worth. Because you don’t own a car, you probably don’t have personal liability insurance. And your credit card won’t provide that. Although your rental car company probably has its own personal liability coverage, in most states it is limited to a very small amount, typically $25,000 to $50,000, not enough to cover a major liability judgment. So depending on your taste for risk and your assets, you might want to consider buying extra liability coverage next time you rent a car. Depending on the issuer and type of card, your credit card might, however, cover most damage to the rental vehicle in the event of a collision with another car.
George Hobica is a travel writer living in New York City.
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POSTED BY SYSADMIN - MONDAY, MAY 7, 2007
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