The rental car experience when traveling overseas is nothing short of a nightmare.
After taking a flight of five hours or more and sleeping upright in a progressively uncomfortable seat, you are nearly in a state of disorientation when getting off the plane, clearing immigration and then hoping your bags made the same journey as you.
Then the real fun starts — walking or shuttling to the car rental facility to secure your car.
If you are driving in the United Kingdom, you have the added trepidation of navigating between manual or automatic transmission. Oh, then there is the concern about driving on the wrong side of the road — which in this case is the left side.
So, with baggage draped from your shoulders and clutched in your hands, when the car rental clerk begins to sell you on car insurance, the immediate reaction is likely to say “Yes” and move on.
But you don’t have to pay $10 or more a day for that insurance. Depending on your credit card company, you may have coverage that will adequately support your stay outside the United States.
To prove that you have such insurance, you must only produce a letter of coverage from your credit card company. The process literally takes five minutes to acquire and you receive a letter via e-mail that provides all the coverage information for rental coverage worldwide.
In my case, I was using a Chase credit card. I went online to verify my credit card number and request a letter, which appeared in my inbox within two minutes. I downloaded the letter to my phone, provided it to the rental car company, and the that was it.
Of course, there are specific rules you need to follow:
1. The rental period cannot exceed 31 days.
2. All drivers must be on the rental agreement.
3. You must decline the Loss/Damage Waiver offered by the rental car company, but you can purchase Liability Coverage.
If you have supplemental travel insurance, you are likely covered as well. However, the rental car company will not recognize that coverage at the time of the rental, so be prepared to pay for insurance if your credit card company does not provide car rental insurance overseas.