Think Twice Before Declining The Rental Car Damage Waiver

Many auto renters decline the rental car damage waiver because they think their personal auto policy will cover their use of a rental. While often true, this is not always the case, and you should check with your insurance agent or broker about your policy's coverage before renting a vehicle.

"But, even if your policy includes rentals, there may be costs it doesn't cover," says Bill Wilson, CPCU, director of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America's Virtual University. "For example, the rental company may well use a more expensive way of calculating vehicle damage than your auto policy and you might be stuck paying the difference."

Also, most policies give the insurance company the right to inspect and appraise damage before repairing or disposing of the vehicle. The rental company is not bound by this and may be eager to rid itself quickly of the auto or return it to service. This can affect whether you're covered. Also, the rental company might insist on immediate payment for damage via credit card surcharge, which could "max out" your card. While most auto policies cover the rental company's loss of income, its "loss of use" calculation might be hundreds of dollars more than your policy's limits. Further, the rental agreement might make you responsible for various "administrative" charges, such as towing, storage and appraisal, usually not covered by auto policies.
"Most alarmingly, rental car companies frequently charge for 'diminished value'-the loss of resale value because of damage to the vehicle-typically not covered by auto policies. Such charges of $5,000 to $8,000 are not uncommon," says Wilson. Further, auto policies usually do not cover damages to motorcycles, RVs and other vehicles, and offer very limited coverage for damage to rented trailers. Additionally, coverage extends only to the U.S. and Canada; policies have deductibles; and insurance company payment to the rental car company may result in future premium surcharges for you.

So before you rent, consult with your insurance agent or broker- and think twice before you rely solely on your auto policy to protect you.


Before you rent a car, consult with your insurance agent or broker-and think twice before you rely solely on your auto policy to protect you.

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Luckily, today there is large selection of compact and fuel efficient cars that are geared towards families. The cars are made to be more compact but

Things to Consider When Choosing a New Car
Choosing the car that best fits your needs and budget can seem like a daunting task. One chose a car for its design, others its badge and still others based on the image it portrays. Any car says a little about its owner and it’s possible that this is related to their lifestyle which that car would have to cater for. If you take the time to do some research and put down on paper exactly what you are looking for in a new car; you will have a better understanding of the type of vehicle that will best fit your needs.

Size and Space Needed

One of the first things that you need to consider is what your current or future circumstances are as far as people in your immediate family. The people who will be driving or being transported in the new vehicle you choose. For example, are you single, married, have children or expecting a child in the near future. Your answers to the above questions will help determine the size of car you should
be looking for.
Luckily, today there is large selection of compact and fuel efficient cars that are geared towards families. The cars are made to be more compact but still give you interior space for you and your passengers. Things to take into consideration include; if the family pet travels with you often or how convenient the car will be to get a car seat in and out. Your age may play an important role here! Pensioners may well like the sliding doors on models such as the Peugeot 106 while the Station Wagon or Estate cars and 4WD’s have excellent room in the back for owners of big dogs and families who vacation a lot will need either a bigger car or a more powerful engine to tow a caravan for example! A 1.2 Nissan Micra or Mini First which has a 1.4 liter engine would certainly not be the car for you if that was the case. You also have to consider what type of cargo space you will want or need. Here is a little tip for the fisherman; the Toyota Estima is a great vehicle for fitting you fishing rods into and a comfy retreat when it all gets a bit much when the weather is bad as you have the space to move around and wait it out.

A Huge Variety Of Body Types To Pick From

There are a variety of types of cars to choose from and there is a type for everyone’s lifestyle. A supermini is usually easy to drive and has smaller engine sizes. These are ideal cars for a small family, new drivers or someone on a tight budget. They usually have good fuel economy and the tax is lower. However, the size and performance levels are also lower.



The hatchback is one of the most popular types of cars on the road today. They have two rows of seats and cargo space behind the rear seats. These are reliable and make good family cars. In most of the models the rear seats fold down to give you even more boot space.



The MPV, which stands for Multi-purpose Vehicle, is a good choice for a large family or if you often have a lot of passengers. These types of vehicles have plenty of seats and a large boot area. They are a bigger size car and are less fuel efficient than a compact car.



A sports car is a high performance machine that usually only has two seats and most are rear wheel drive. They are not an inexpensive vehicle and are more costly to run and insure. The fuel economy usually is on the low side but they do offer power and maneuverability.



An estate car is a passenger car that has a longer body style than most hatchbacks and less room than an MPV. If you are looking for a luxury family car or an executive vehicle this might be the choice for you.



A SUV, which stands for Sports Utility Vehicle, can be used as an off road vehicle and has good towing capabilities. Nissan produce some great 4WD vehicles while the ever popular Hummer and Land Rover are still the firm favorites for larger families. They are usually equipped with strong engines and have about the same interior space as an estate. These are reliable vehicles but fuel efficiently is usually very low.

Engine and Performance

How well a vehicle will perform is a major factor to consider when choosing a car. If you use the motorways often you will want to check out the acceleration time from 0 to 60. You also want to make sure you have enough horse power for your needs. The size of the engine is also something to consider. One thing to keep in mind is the higher the performance the higher your insurance cost may be.

Cost

Once you have narrowed down your choices and have a specific model you’re interested in; now it is time to do some research. The internet is a great place to find detailed specifications and information on not only the cost of the vehicle but the actual selling price of the car you are leaning towards buying. Only then are you truly more informed when you are at a car dealership.



Other products such as gap insurance, comprehensive car insurance, car warranty information and car depreciation levels and car finance calculators are extremely well documented on the internet and not only indicate the true running costs of your chosen vehicle, but together with the cost of any aftermarket accessories you may want to add to your new car provide you with a global overview of the true price you will be paying. Many of these aftermarket products are also sold direct to you online again saving car buyers from paying out any extra when the dealers offers them the same products at higher prices. A small amount of research could easily save a car buyer hundreds of pounds on insurance and car tax, not to mention thousands on maintenance and new car depreciation.

Fuel Economy and Environmental Concerns

As far as fuel is concerned the most common fuel types are petrol and diesel. Petrol fuel runs well, is currently cheaper at the pumps in the UK that is but is managed by a less efficient fueling system, meaning more fuel is wasted on a trip. On the other hand, diesel has lower CO2 emissions, tends to get more miles per dollar or pound and is used more efficiently. You should keep in mind that the higher the CO2 emissions the higher the car tax will be. You want to make sure that you look closely at how many miles per gallon the car you’re considering buying averages. There are other eco-friendly options available which include, electric and hybrid vehicles. There are also some vehicles being manufactured today that run on bio ethanol which is eco-friendly. Governments around the world are incentivizing car makers to produce more efficient vehicles and manufacturers realize that very soon emission restrictions will be so strict that consumers
will be insisting on ultra efficient vehicles and duel fuel cars are one very buoyant market in trying time s we live in. As an ever growing environmentally conscious society consumers no longer accept second rate offers from the automotive industry and this spells a brighter future for our children!

Safety

To most people the vehicles safety is the single most important factor when choosing a new car. This is especially important if you have a young family, 3 or more kids or you simply have a lot of passengers that are relying on you to keep them safe on the road. When looking at vehicles always look at the safety features for example ask your dealer how many airbags it has, what the Euro NCAP rating for that particular model is, does Bluetooth come as an option with the radio and how many miles you should expect to get from a set of tires. Not so strange a question when you realize that every car has different rates at which they wear down their tires! An example would be the lovely Fiat Stilo which won’t do more than 8 months of town driving on a set of new tires due to the way the front suspension works and the ASR setting affects the inside tire wear! But most of all please don’t forget to ask about the Euro NCAP’s star ratings
for the car before you buy.

Purchasing a new vehicle is something that you want to take your time doing and shop around to decide which car will best fit your needs. A new car is a major investment and you want something that will be reliable and last a long time. If you consider your options wisely you will find a vehicle that will fit you and your lifestyle.

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