Terry Savage: Insuring your summer road trip rental

Terry Savage addresses how to insure a summer rental road trip, urging travelers not to decide coverage at the rental counter. With gas prices easing, many Americans will travel by rental cars, but rental companies may generate an estimated 20% to 40% of revenue from “extras” such as insurance and other add-ons. Savage says pre-planning can help avoid duplicate protection or unexpected exposure to deductibles and “loss of use” charges if a vehicle is damaged. For U.S. and Canada personal travel, she notes that many personal auto policies extend liability, collision and comprehensive coverage to rental cars, usually under the same limits and deductibles. She also explains that business rentals may not qualify and that credit cards can offer primary or secondary coverage depending on terms.