From: venu@IASTATE.EDU (Venu M Padakanti)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Summary:<<CAR RENTAL INSURANCE>>
Keywords: credit cards, rental insurance
Date: 16 Oct 92 17:04:20 GMT
Reply-To: venu@IASTATE.EDU (Venu M Padakanti)
Organization: Iowa State University

Hello Folks,
    Thanks for all the responses regarding the Car Rental Insurance
that I have received so far. Here is the Summary of the responses I received
so far and information that I received by calling up some of the credit card
companies.

I suggest that, to make sure, you call up their Toll free
Numbers before your rental so that you get info regarding their
latest programs.

Here you go.

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1) AMERICAN EXPRESS:
    a) Covers for 15 days only.
    b) Excludes some expensive cars  trucks, Motor bikes etc.
    c) Covers the Collision Damage portion only.
    d) Only for cars rented in the Continental United States.
	  {I checked the info for their basic Green card and looks like they 
	   have similar privileges with their other cards.}
    
2) CITIBANK:
    a) No scheme exists for the Classic (Master/Visa).
    b) Have separate cards apart from Classic Cards like American Airline 
       Card ( $50 annual fee but many other benefits) and the Gold Card
       which provide insurance for Collision Damage.

3) DISCOVER
    a)Need to enroll in their program for insurance (No fee again).
    b)There is a charge of $6.95 per rental agreement. There is no limit
      on the number of days. The agreement is per contract. If the rental
      company places a restriction that U need to renew your contract
      if you are renting for a long time then you need to pay  $6.95 for 
	  every additional contract. If the rental company can rent their car
      to you for (say) 60 days in a single contract then you just need to 
      pay $6.95 for the entire time.
    c) Covers the Collision Damage portion only.
      
4) CHASE
    a) Covers for unlimited time
    b) No special enrollment is needed
    c) Covers the Collision Damage portion only.
    d) No restriction on the type or cost of the car as long as it is rented
       from a car rental company.

5) AT&T Universal card
    a) Covers for less than 15 days only.
    b) Coverage does not include expensive cars, trucks, vans etc.
    c) Covers the Collision Damage portion only.

6) AAA
	a) Covers insurance at no extra charge.($35 Annual membership fee)
	(Master/Visa)

7) Other cards (which are also useful)
	{ This is purely from the response I received and provide no
	  authentication}
	(i)   MBNA America provides secondary car rental Insurance. You must 
		  have a personal car insurance and it is limited to U.S. Citizens.
	(ii)  Diner's club charge card offers PRIMARY car rental insurance with 
		  its card. (Annual fee $80 per year)
	(iii) AAA visa/Master card. (Coverage is only supplemental to your
		  personal car insurance) 
	(iv)  CIBC(Canadian.Imp.Bank of Commerce) provides coverage for about
		  31-48 days.
	(v)   Enroute Gold card given out by Air Canada also covers for 48 days.


Note:
 Of course under each category by default we assume the privileges 
 by charging the entire amount singly to the respective card.

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