Rental Cars: Collision Damage Waiver
If you have comprehensive and collision coverage on your own insurance policy, it may be redundant to get the collision damage waiver coverage, which covers physical damage to the rental car and tends to cost $10 to $20 per day. However, that extra coverage may be worthwhile if you have high deductibles or have dropped collision and comprehensive coverage on your own car insurance policy. Plus, you may be charged an administrative or loss-of-use fee if you wreck a car after declining the CDW.
You may also have CDW coverage from your credit card company, which will pay your car insurance deductible if you reserve and pay for the rental car with that credit card and decline CDW coverage from the rental-car company. Find out about any exclusions; credit cards usually don’t provide liability coverage, and some don’t cover pickup trucks, truck-based SUVs or certain sports cars.
