- Damage waiver
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Damage Waiver, or as it is often referred to, collision damage waiver (CDW) or loss damage waiver (LDW) is an optional damage coverage available while renting a vehicle. It covers the rental vehicle. Some companies also offer liability insurance and towing coverage.
Terms and prices vary among car rental companies and locations. Alternatives include other vehicle insurance policies, some credit card coverage, and some travel insurance.
Contents
Risks addressed
When a customer does not pay the rental company to waive damage, and a rented car is stolen, or damaged by accident, vandalism, weather (hail), etc., the customer or other insurance must pay to the rental company the full cost of repair, plus administrative charges and, in some states, loss of use.
Similarly if the car injures someone else or damages property, the customer or other insurance must pay for the damages (liability). US car rental companies sometimes include basic liability insurance required by law, though not necessarily in California or Texas.[1] Some car rental companies offer more liability insurance for a fee.[2][3]
The rental company's damage waiver normally covers accidental damage and towing a damaged vehicle, as long as the renter complies with the rental contract (such as authorized drivers, locations, no racing). Waivers may also cover theft, vandalism, loss of use, and liability. The renter often has a choice among different coverages for different fees.
Damage waivers are not necessarily complete. They may have deductibles (also called excess) and limits on the amount covered.[4] Liability coverage always has limits.
The descriptions above come from rental company websites, under headings like Policies, FAQ, Coverage, or More.[5][6][7][8]
Damage Waivers can be bought from the car rental company in most countries, or through a car hire excess insurer in the UK,[9] or through travel insurers.[10] Coverage from the car rental company may be required if the renter lacks proof of coverage elsewhere.[11][12]
Insurance or not?
CDW meets the basic definition of insurance, since it transfers some risk from the car renter to the rental company. However rental companies do not call it insurance, since it is a waiver between the renter and the company that the company waives their right to charge the renter for valid damages to the vehicle. Rental companies are not licensed or regulated as insurers. There are also no claims made. Rental companies treat CDW as a waiver of their right to make the renter pay for damage to the car.
Credit Card Coverage of Damage Waiver
Some credit cards offer "secondary" insurance: If the renter has any personal or business vehicle insurance with appropriate coverage, that will pay first. Then the renter can claim from the credit card company to pay the primary insurance's deductible, plus addressing large claims above the primary insurance limits.
If the renter has no other vehicle insurance for the specific claim (no insurance at all, or not in the relevant country, or no collision insurance, etc.), the credit card company will pay the whole amount, up to its limits.
All four credit card companies listed below cover collision damage with some of their cards. The main difference among the cards is that Discover covers nothing else; Visa and some MasterCards and American Express cards also cover theft, while other MasterCards and American Express cards include theft, vandalism, hitting a deer or chipping a window (sources at bottom of table).
Other issues important to some renters are that Discover and American Express cover only the cardholder, not helpful when people share a car rental. Visa and MasterCard only cover rental contracts of 15 days or less (not even the first 15 days of longer rentals). Some American Express and MasterCards are not useful on dirt or gravel roads, since they exclude "damage sustained on any surface, other than a bound surface such as concrete or tarmac".[13] Some Discover cards exclude private roads, such as shopping centers and some subdivisions.[14]
MasterCard and Visa in the United States say they cover "Physical damage and/or theft", but an introductory paragraph for some MasterCards[15] and all Visa[16] cards limits this to "collision or theft," so vandalism and hail are excluded. It may be ambiguous whether deer impacts and glass chips are covered as "collisions." MasterCards from Bank of America and MBNA generally have a simpler opening paragraph, which leaves coverage in place for any physical damage.[17]
Even among these brands, some cards lack coverage entirely, especially debit cards and cards with low credit limits.The AmEx Platinum Cash Rebate card, for example, has no coverage. MasterCard "Standard" cards lack coverage, while "Premier", "Gold" and "Platinum" cards vary in their coverage.
These schemes apply to cards issued in the US, Trinidad and Tobago,[18] and apparently nowhere else. In addition, no credit card will cover a rental that is being billed to a third party, such as in the event that an insurance company is being directly billed for the rental.
The following table is an effort at a summary, though not guaranteed. Coverage is complex and changes periodically. Telephone staff do not know the changes. Formal insurance policies govern and are not easily available to cardholders, who are only given summaries, like the links below.
"Loss of use" and administration fees are often advertised as covered by credit cards. However, credit card companies pay these items only if the rental car company provides proof. If rental car company does not provide proof, there seems little reason for the renter to pay either.
Coverage MasterCard[19][20][21] Visa[22] Discover[23] American Express[24][25][26] Primary/Secondary Coverage Secondary (primary on Continental Airlines MC) Secondary Secondary Secondary, or Primary at extra cost[27] Collision damage Yes Yes Yes Yes Theft Yes, unless car keys are missing or renter has not used common diligence Yes, unless car was running unattended No Yes, if locked Loss of use and other administrative charges by rental company Yes* Yes* No Varies by card* Vandalism, hail, weather, falling objects Some No No Yes Liability, personal injury No No No No Maximum length of rental (days) 15 15 for personal rentals in renter's country, 31 elsewhere and for business rentals 31 30 or 42 Type of roads covered Some cards cover All, some cover just Paved roads All Some cards cover All, some cover just Publicly owned roads Some cards cover All, some cover just Paved roads Geography covered World except Ireland, Israel, Jamaica; maybe Aust, NZ, Italy World except N+S Ireland, Jamaica, Israel. US & Canada World except Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Aust, NZ, Italy. Drivers covered, assuming a cardholder signs contract All drivers authorized to drive by the rental contract All drivers authorized to drive by the rental contract Person named on Discover Card All drivers authorized to drive by the rental contract Transporting any property Yes No No No Other exclusions Trucks, large vans, motorcycles, luxury cars. Many other standard exclusions, such as lack of reasonable care, racing, violating law, wear & tear, war. Same, also exclude large SUVs Other aspects Rented vehicles must have a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $50,000 or less. Excludes equipment not installed by manufacturer (Ex. Rental Agency GPS) Promises payment 15 days after all documents submitted. Payment limit of $25,000. Offer better coverage for $20-25 per rental. Report to credit card company in 30 days immediately, file claim in 45 days 90 days 48 hours, file claim in 60 days Source, examined 7/17/2007, updated 1/25/2011 1. mastercard.com/rentandsave 2. benefit information center 3. MasterCard Trinidad and Tobago
visa.com/eclaims No sources found (6/18/2008) on Visa Europe, so the program does not cover cards issued in Europe. discovercard.com/discover/data/account/... This page says it addresses Titanium & Motiva cards. A web search does not reveal a page for Platinum coverage, and a 2006 paper description "Important information about your Discover Platinum Card Account" has similar coverage, but also excludes private roads, such as many shopping centers and subdivisions. 1.www124.americanexpress.com/cards/... 2.www152.americanexpress.com/fsea/... 3.corp.americanexpress.com... Further reading
- Bulloch, Tom, CDW Costs in Ireland International Travel News, Sept 2009 - Ireland generally excluded from credit card insurance
- Bach, Stan Car Rental Insurance Glitch International Travel News, March 2008 - Small CDW coverage in rental contract precludes card coverage
- Harkin, John, Rental Cars and CDW International Travel News, December 2007 - Discusses talking to rental company and carrying card benefits booklet
- Holifield, Lee, Rented car online for Heathrow International Travel News, August 2007, p.30
See also
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ Avis offers one or two million dollars of Additional Liability Insurance (ALI) in the US.
- ^ Hertz offers one or two million dollars of Liability Insurance Supplement (LIS) in the US
- ^ Holifield, Lee, Rented car online for Heathrow
- ^ [http://www.avis.com/car-rental/content/render-faq.ac Avis}.
- ^ Budget.
- ^ Hertz provides insurance notes among various topics shown for each location under Reservations/Qualifications.
- ^ Thrifty provides insurance notes under "Terms and Conditions" after a location and vehicle are selected, but before making a reservation.
- ^ moneymaxim.co.uk
- ^ www.gemut.com/car-rental...
- ^ Holifield, Lee, Rented car online for Heathrow International Travel News, August 2007, p.30)
- ^ Harkin, John, Rental Cars and CDW International Travel News, December 2007
- ^ benefit information center
- ^ 2006 paper description "Important information about your Discover Platinum Card Account"
- ^ 2006 Guide to Benefits
- ^ Visa
- ^ benefit information center
- ^ MasterCard Trinidad and Tobago benefits
- ^ mastercard.com/rentandsave
- ^ benefit information center
- ^ MasterCard Trinidad and Tobago benefits
- ^ visa.com/eclaims Visa
- ^ Discover
- ^ www124.americanexpress.com/cards/...
- ^ www152.americanexpress.com/fsea...
- ^ corp.americanexpress.com...
- ^ primary upgrade for additional cost
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