? insurance for car rentals ?

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AndysCuts

New member
Jul 8, 2012
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Hi I was wondering if anyone could tell me if it would be a good idea to use my credit cards rental insurance coverage when I rent a car, or buy the rental cars insurance coverage?
I had read some ones post about getting a special insurance because if you got in an accident they could take you to jail, but if you had that insurance they would put you in a hotel until they decided the outcome. unfortunately I cant find that same posting again.
I was in the DR in Feb, didn't get any insurance, then realized how crazy the roads can be. Lucky nothing happened.
I'm going to be back in the DR a few days from now, and just want to make sure I cover my bases this time.
thanks ahead for any info.
 
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Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
7
38
You mean Casa del conductor. If your insurance has that included and you are in an accident, that's where you go.
 
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Bob K

Silver
Aug 16, 2004
2,520
121
63
Your CC insurance only covers damage not liability and even that is hard to do as if in an accident they will charge you for the repairs and leave it up to you to settle with your card company. You should note that the charges will be out of sight. Also there is no liability coverage. So yes get the full insurance package from the rental place including the casa de Conductore. If you don't have it and you are in a serious (lots of damage or injuries) you will go to jail until they can figure it out (this usually means until they can figure out a way to make it your fault ). If this happens on a weekend or at night you might spend a day or two in jail. With the casa de conductore they send you to a hotel (from the north coast it is in Santiago), not a 4 star by any means but a 10star compared to the jail situation. There will also be folks from your insurance company there to help sort out the situation.

Bob K
 
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CaptnGlenn

Silver
Mar 29, 2010
2,321
26
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I once asked the car rental agent if casa de Conductore is included in the insurance from the rental agency, and he looked at me like I was crazy. I still get full coverage, but I don't know if it includes C de C.
 
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AndysCuts

New member
Jul 8, 2012
4
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0
AndysCuts said:
Hi I was wondering if anyone could tell me if it would be a good idea to use my credit cards rental insurance coverage when I rent a car, or buy the rental cars insurance coverage?
I had read some ones post about getting a special insurance because if you got in an accident they could take you to jail, but if you had that insurance they would put you in a hotel until they decided the outcome. unfortunately I cant find that same posting again.
I was in the DR in Feb, didn't get any insurance, then realized how crazy the roads can be. Lucky nothing happened.
I'm going to be back in the DR a few days from now, and just want to make sure I cover my bases this time.
thanks ahead for any info.
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it seems if you book insurance through priceline.com they will give you insurance for $9 a day, which im guessing is probably the same as a credit cards options that would basically be free.
$22 a day from avis just for the cdw. wow! for 10+ days thats almost the rental price of the car.
havent found a thing on the avis web site about the c de c. probably will have to ask in person.
wish i could use my credit card insurance and add on extras through the company but bet thats imposible from either side.
 
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ben jammin

Well-known member
Aug 3, 2007
648
160
63
year before last i tried to use cc insurance for the rental and would not accept. last year i got online for the amex website and did some further investigation (was renting for 3 weeks and like you did not want to spend a fortune) and there was a program that cost me 20$ to join. They actually sent me a paper by mail showing the coverage and all the numbers to call and protocol for reporting claims while overseas. This time with documentation in hand was able to use this for a large portion of coverage. Still had to have the extra liability but the cdw was covered. Did not get the c de c but fortunately did not have any problems while there. Good luck, B
 
M

Man?el

Member
Jul 22, 2012
222
8
18
Here is this for the VISA coverage.
Then for liability, you need to figure out through your insurance if it covers you in the DR. If it does, bring a copy with you to the rental company.
In brief, it looks like VISA will cover anything not already covered by your insurance (except for liability).
 
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AndysCuts

New member
Jul 8, 2012
4
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Think im going to eat the bill from the rental insurance company, looked up all options, and seems, if you want the clean and easy best bet is to take liability and Ldw from the rental place. even though for me wont cover hospital for myself..
Called customer service multiple times asking the process if an accident is involved, all agents acted guarded about telling me exactly what I would have to do, to complete the terms and conditions..
thank you for all the info. I'll be there in a few days cant wait!
 
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SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,490
3,627
113
No matter what you decide one thing is for sure. If you have an accident here you are a Gringo and will be treated as such with or without Full Insurance.
 
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Bavaro golfer

New member
Aug 9, 2012
25
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0
I've rented cars all over the world for 40+ years and I always used my credit card CDW coverage, and I never had an accident UNTIL HERE on vacation 7 months ago, when a middle-aged, local guy rear-ended me (at slow speed, both of us) in that crazy gas station intersection in Veron.

Fortunately only a small dimple on my rear bumper. The car rental agent said if it was any bigger, he would have had to charge me for it, and if I chose to let my credit card CDW coverage pay forit, I would have had to go to Friusa and spend all day in the police station filling out Police Reports (with people who speak no English and I speak no Spanish) to justify the credit card's insurance getting involved.

In other words, a wasted, horrible day. And if it had happened on my departure day, well, tough luck for me, because no police report = no insurance coverage. The next time I came here and rented a car, I paid for the CDW, just to avoid any problems.

THEREFORE, I now advised my visiting guests to consider the possible repercussions to not buying the local car rental company's CDW. I am assuming that the local CDW means I can return a collision-damaged car and walk away, but I don't know for certain if that is true or not.
 
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cbmitch9

Bronze
Nov 3, 2010
845
8
18
Bavaro golfer said:
I've rented cars all over the world for 40+ years and I always used my credit card CDW coverage, and I never had an accident UNTIL HERE on vacation 7 months ago, when a middle-aged, local guy rear-ended me (at slow speed, both of us) in that crazy gas station intersection in Veron.

Fortunately only a small dimple on my rear bumper. The car rental agent said if it was any bigger, he would have had to charge me for it, and if I chose to let my credit card CDW coverage pay forit, I would have had to go to Friusa and spend all day in the police station filling out Police Reports (with people who speak no English and I speak no Spanish) to justify the credit card's insurance getting involved.

In other words, a wasted, horrible day. And if it had happened on my departure day, well, tough luck for me, because no police report = no insurance coverage. The next time I came here and rented a car, I paid for the CDW, just to avoid any problems.

THEREFORE, I now advised my visiting guests to consider the possible repercussions to not buying the local car rental company's CDW. I am assuming that the local CDW means I can return a collision-damaged car and walk away, but I don't know for certain if that is true or not.
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No. You will still require a police report.
 
B

Bavaro golfer

New member
Aug 9, 2012
25
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cbmitch9 said:
No. You will still require a police report.
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That's bad news. So you purchased the rental car company's CDW, and then your car gets dented on your way to the airport on your airline departure day (after you checked out of the hotel), with only 3 hours left before your airplane tickets' departure time. What does the tourist do? No time to file a police report (if Punta Cana airport, you must drive 20-30 minutes one way to Friusa and spend several hours in the police station?) I'm not refuting your comment, I'm just asking what happens in that scenario.
 
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cbmitch9

Bronze
Nov 3, 2010
845
8
18
Bavaro golfer said:
That's bad news. So you purchased the rental car company's CDW, and then your car gets dented on your way to the airport on your airline departure day (after you checked out of the hotel), with only 3 hours left before your airplane tickets' departure time. What does the tourist do? No time to file a police report (if Punta Cana airport, you must drive 20-30 minutes one way to Friusa and spend several hours in the police station?) I'm not refuting your comment, I'm just asking what happens in that scenario.
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I had the same thing happen to me and I had to pay. It was not much. How can anyone one file a claim without any police record of what happened?
 
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