Insurance

I have many customers accuse me of ripping people off with my insurance coverage offers and further accuse me of that is how we make all our money with ridiculous insurance coverage. Obviously, they have never worked for a car rental.

No, insurance coverage is not how we make all our money because most customers do not take it, which should explain why sales agents can be pushy about selling it. Why do most people not take the offered coverage? There are several reasons:
1. The company they work for covers the insurance at no extra cost.
2. Credit cards and travel agents offer their own insurance for rental cars so the car rental's insurance offer is unneccesary for the customer. Contact the credit card company or travel agent for details of what they cover.
3. Home owners and auto insurance often will often cover rental cars also. Please check your policy before renting the car. Not all insurance policies are the same. And please do not ask if your auto insurance covers rental cars because your policy is not in my possession.

Most often optional insurance coverage is purely optional. Though there are car rentals that do require some insurance be purchased or show proof of your own insurance. My car rental is the purely optional one. That means I will not ask for proof of insurance and tell you there is no minimum coverage. My advise for anyone who does not want the car rental insurance coverage is to simply say "No thank you" and leave it there.

Many people do take the coverages because the car rental's insurance is primary, meaning we will not contact your insurance company or employer over damage or expenses (like towing, time lost while being repaired, etc.) or they are not covered by the above examples 1,2,3.

Now that you have insurance for all damage, loss of property, medical expenses, liability if you hit someone else, and expenses you think you are completely covered if anything bad happens. Well, not exactly. There are forbidden acts (which I highlight on the contract when asked) that VOID the insurance coverage and the renter (not passengers) are responsible for all damage, liability, and expenses. They vary between car rentals but a few common ones I have heard are:
1. Driving on gravel roads because it is very easy to lose control of a car on them. Driving on a gravel road is like driving on marbles, my Dad said. I agree. I avoid them when I can.
2. Illegal acts; drunk driving, transporting illegal immigrants or illegal drugs, robbing a bank or store (one of my customers purchasing coverage), burglary, need I go on? We usually find out illegal acts were done with our car by the police when they impound it (murder or drugs is most common illegal acts I know of done with our cars).
3. Drag racing or demolitian derby. I think some comedian on TV tested this one and shocked the rental agent bringing back the trashed rental car and running away.
4. Unauthorized drivers driving the car at time of the accident. Police officers often will call the car rental to verify if the person not on the rental contract is authorized to drive our vehicle when writing out their report.
I can not think of anymore at the top of my head. Post later. Genie out.