USA car hire - do I need any additional cover?

Red_Arrow_X

Really confused about the levels of car hire insurance cover required.

Visiting Orlando, have the car hire booked with Alamo. It includes Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and Extended Protection.

It was booked with a credit card that doesn't have any extra car insurance protection.

With these two products included, do I need any additional cover to protect myself from any insurance costs if I need to claim?

Sandtree

You need to read what you've signed up for, and in particular the "extended protection" which isn't a normal name.

The main risk in the US is that third party insurance requirements are very low and so if you cause an accident you can easily exceed the limit of the policy meaning you are on the hook for potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars or more. Most car hire companies sell SLI which will increase the limit to circa $1m (which is still easy to be exceeded in the US) or you can buy car hire excess insurance independently that normally includes SLI for US hires.

My previous client had one ongoing claim of an unfortunate situation where a motorist hit a pram and the baby didn't survive, the current estimated cost is circa $50m, in the UK it'd potentially not even have been £50k

prowla

I'd look at your UK insurance and not go for something which provides lesser cover.

Also, a couple of items of advice for the trip:

• Inspect the car and take pictures before you get in, and of the fuel level; if you can, don't let the person go until you've at least walked around it; I once was dropped off at the car and found it had a flat tyre, so I had to walk back to the office.
• Keep your wits about you when driving; it's when you've relaxed into it that you'll find you've gone onto the wrong side of the road. (And do the same when you get back to the UK.)
• Some junctions with traffic lights allow you to turn right on red (if safe to do so).
• If it's part of your deal, fill the car (back up to the level in your picture) before you return it.

Apart from that, driving in the US is easier than the UK, even the 6-lane freeways.