USA Carhire Excess Insurance Query

TonyM19

Thank you for all the responses.  I am still confused.

I have got a slightly better deal on the car rental (£609), but this time with Thrifty and their 'Extra Protection' is £117

Here's the link if anybody could have a look for me I'd be grateful

https://www.rentalcars.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/622568121

An annual policy with Bettersafe with CDW and SLI is £92.99 (thank you for pointing me towards this - a policy to cover the trip was £127!).  Can I be confident to book this car, decline the Extra Protection and book the Bettersafe policy.

I am likely to resume regular trips, but I won't forget all this for next year!

Bonhomie

TonyM19 said:

Thank you for all the responses.  I am still confused.

I have got a slightly better deal on the car rental (£609), but this time with Thrifty and their 'Extra Protection' is £117

Here's the link if anybody could have a look for me I'd be grateful

https://www.rentalcars.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/622568121

An annual policy with Bettersafe with CDW and SLI is £92.99 (thank you for pointing me towards this - a policy to cover the trip was £127!).  Can I be confident to book this car, decline the Extra Protection and book the Bettersafe policy.

I am likely to resume regular trips, but I won't forget all this for next year!

Your link doesn't work. Post the details manually.
You don't need a policy with CDW and SLI.
The 'extra protection' has nothing to do with Thrifty. That's from RentalCars. Decline.

TonyM19

Must have expired.  That deal has gone now (£100 more expensive today)

When you say 'Post the details manually', do you mean a screenshot?

Bonhomie

TonyM19 said:

Must have expired.  That deal has gone now (£100 more expensive today)

When you say 'Post the details manually', do you mean a screenshot?

Write the dates, location and type of car here

TonyM19

Sorry, didn't realise what you meant

Collect and drop off at John Wayne Airport, Ca (code is SNA)
Collect Friday 19 July at 10am
Drop off Sunday 4 August at 10am
Looking for an Intermediate sized car

Thanks for looking

Bonhomie

TonyM19 said:

Sorry, didn't realise what you meant

Collect and drop off at John Wayne Airport, Ca (code is SNA)
Collect Friday 19 July at 10am
Drop off Sunday 4 August at 10am
Looking for an Intermediate sized car

Thanks for looking

or direct with say Hertz,

TonyM19

Thanks.  I think I'm good with this bit.  It's the level of insurance I was looking for advice on.

I'm leaning towards getting the best deal for rental (and the prices above are better than I've seen so far), declining the extra coverage and then getting an annual excess policy from Bettersafe including CDW and SLI.  Am I heading for disaster with this?  We have no major road trips planned.  We will just be travelling in and around Orange County

Bonhomie

TonyM19 said:

Thanks.  I think I'm good with this bit.  It's the level of insurance I was looking for advice on.

I'm leaning towards getting the best deal for rental (and the prices above are better than I've seen so far), declining the extra coverage and then getting an annual excess policy from Bettersafe including CDW and SLI.  Am I heading for disaster with this?  We have no major road trips planned.  We will just be travelling in and around Orange County

The point was you selecting the one you actually wanted, in so that we could peruse the T&C......and for at the least THIRD time, you don't need a policy with CDW & SLI. CDW & LI is already included. Just a standard policy, unless you intend to book cars whilst in the USA using local facilities. But it's your money and it won't do any harm if you do buy it. If you can afford it, then why not? It will cover you for more possibilities.

TonyM19

Right.  Didn't get that's what you meant.  The cheapest Intermediate deal on there is the 4th one down (£554 from GotRentalCars).  If you're still willing to do it I'd be grateful.  I'm baffled.  Imagine you were explaining Twitter to your Nan

Bonhomie

TonyM19 said:

Right.  Didn't get that's what you meant.  The cheapest Intermediate deal on there is the 4th one down (£554 from GotRentalCars).  If you're still willing to do it I'd be grateful.  I'm baffled.  Imagine you were explaining Twitter to your Nan

I'm beginning to suspect your claim of being previously 'au fait' with these things  




For this example we are going with AutoEurope(Broker), with the car provided by THRIFTY









Note the EXCESS LIABILITY being ZERO. In other words you won't be held liable for damage nor theft. No need for extra insurance. 




The extra £3 daily to AutoEurope would be for exactly the same kind of standalone policy that BetterSafe offers. It's nothing to do with Thrifty. They won't even know about it nor care.

So...you DO NOT NEED extra insurance for this booking nor to select the £3 daily option.
Though personally, I keep annual insurance 'just in case' as I might make multiple bookings throughout the year. Good to know that you are covered for almost any eventuality. For example, you might do something silly like locking your keys in the car or leaving the lights on all night and draining the battery, in so the car won't start. The standalone insurance will cover you for these things and also for trips that do have an excess amount to pay in case of damage(not the one illustrated, as it already has CDW with no excess to pay in case of theft or damage).
So it's up to you.
The policy with SLI included, just gives you up to US$1,000,000 of cover for anyone or anything other than the car that you damage  and CDW cover for rentals that are offered with no CDW element at all.
There will already be some Liability Insurance included with the rental package, but the amount covered is not indicated.
They WILL block US$400 - US$500 on your Credit/Debit card. No Prepaid cards can be used.

Is the Hyundai Elantra an Intermediate sized car?